Mirabell Palace was built in 1606 by prince-archbishop Wolf Dietrich for his beloved Salome Alt. Today, it serves as the backdrop for the most romantic weddings you could possibly imagine.
Experience Mirabell Palace
Mirabell is a woman’s name from Italy, a compilation of two words: mirabile “admirable” and bella “beautiful”.
The Marble Hall, the former banquet hall of the prince-archbishops, is generally regarded as one of the “most beautiful wedding halls in the world”. In former times, the likes of Leopold Mozart and his children, Wolfgang and Nannerl, made music here. Nowadays, it regularly hosts weddings, conferences and awards ceremonies. The Marble Hall also provides an atmospheric venue for the SchlossKonzerteMirabell concerts. The “Angel Staircase”, which leads up to the Marble Hall, is decorated with numerous cherubs.
Mirabell Palace looks back on a colorful history. Today, Mirabell Palace is home to municipal offices as well as those of the mayor of Salzburg.
Mirabell Gardens – Baroque pleasure gardens in the heart of the city
Mirabell Gardens were completely redesigned under archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun in 1690. The underlying geometric form, which is typical for the Baroque, is still clearly recognizable. The visual orientation towards the cathedral and fortress adds to the grandeur of the gardens – simultaneously incorporating them into the overall historical ensemble of the city.
The Pegasus Fountain featuring a sculpture of the horse, Pegasus, is a work by Kaspar Gras from Innsbruck and was installed in 1913.
Located around the Grand Fountain (the fountain pool) are four groups of figures by Ottavio Mosto (1690). They symbolize the 4 elements: fire, air, earth and water.
The Hedge Theater can be found in the western section of Mirabell Gardens. It is one of the oldest hedge theaters north of the Alps. During the summertime, it serves as the venue for folk-heritage events and other special occasions.
The Dwarf Garden originated during the rule of archbishop Franz Anton Fürst Harrach. It originally consisted of 28 dwarves made from white Untersberger marble and is the oldest of its kind in Europe.
The Rose Garden with its ornamental rose beds is located directly south of Schloss Mirabell.
The Orangery functions today as a palm house.
Mirabell Gardens – famous movie location
Mirabell Gardens, along with the Felsenreitschule and Nonnberg Convent, is one of the most important shooting locations from the famous Hollywood musical “The Sound of Music”. In the film, Maria and the children dance around the Pegasus Fountain in front of the palace, singing the song “Do Re Mi”. At the end of the scene, the Trapp family stand on the steps in front of the Rose Hill and sing the song’s final bars. At the same time, viewers are enchanted by unique views across Mirabell Gardens towards the fortress.
