Description of the attraction
Mirabell Palace is located on the other side of the Salzach River, that is, about a kilometer north of the Hohensalzburg Fortress and the Cathedral. It was built in 1606, but was constantly rebuilt in accordance with the traditions of later architectural styles.
At first, it belonged to the unofficial wife of Archbishop von Raithenau - Salome Alt, who bore him 15 children. However, already 6 years later, the prince-archbishop was deposed, and his place was taken by Marcus Zitticus, who at the same time took over the newly built mansion. It was under Zitticus that this castle received its modern name "Mirabel", which is translated from Italian as "beautiful".
In 1727, the palace was rebuilt in a magnificent baroque style, but in 1818 the building had to be almost completely rebuilt after a fire. This time it was done in a more austere neoclassical style. The castle has three floors and is decorated with a small triangular pediment on the facade. In 1815, Otto of Bavaria, the future king of Greece Otto I, was born here.
In the 19th century, some of the Salzburg archbishops still lived here, and then this building was transferred to the possession of the city authorities. Now the Salzburg magistrate sits in the palace, as well as the mayor of the city - the burgomaster.
As for the interior of the mansion, of particular interest is the marble staircase, decorated with figures of angels, and the Marble Hall, decorated with gold, where Mozart gave concerts. Nowadays, concerts and wedding ceremonies are held in this luxurious hall. It is interesting that in 1944 it was here that the wedding of Eva Braun's sister, Adolf Hitler's common-law wife, took place.
The palace is surrounded by a stunning park, designed in 1690 as a "French" regular park characterized by the dominance of symmetry. The park is decorated with sculptures of mythological characters, and a separate part of it is reserved for the amusing Garden of Dwarfs, famous for its grotesque stone figures of dwarfs. The greenhouse, built in 1725, now houses the Baroque Museum. Now these gardens are very popular among tourists, as they offer a fantastic view of the Hohensalzburg Fortress and the Old Town. The famous musical "The Sound of Music" starring Julie Andrews was also filmed here.
