After Wolf Dietrich's death, the palace was renamed "Mirabell" by his successor, Markus Sitticus von Hohenems.
The Palace: a precious jewel
Prince-Archbishop Franz Anton von Harrach had Mirabell Palace redesigned by the famous baroque architect, Lukas von Hildebrandt, from 1721 to 1727, integrating the individual buildings into a self-contained complex. The palace was damaged by the great fire that swept through the city on April 30, 1818. A number of frescoes including those by Johann Michael Rottmayr and Gaetano Fanti fell victim to the flames. The grand marble staircase that led into the palace and the marble hall survived unscathed.
Mirabell Palace owes its present unassuming appearance to Peter de Nobile, the court's architectural consultant and director of the Vienna School of Architecture. Details such as the edging of the windows, the capitals and stuccowork bear witness to the palace's former splendor. The masterly staircase by Lukas von Hildebrandt is one of the most precious works of art at Mirabell Palace. Charming putti (cherubs) decorate the marble balustrade; the sculptures in the niches are the work of the famous Georg Raphael Donner and among the finest products of the European baroque.
The Mirabell Gardens
The famous Mirabell Gardens were redesigned around 1690 under Prince-Archbishop Johann Ernst Graf von Thun to plans by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and completely remodeled around 1730 by Franz Anton Danreiter. The Pegasus Fountain, a work by Kaspar Gras from Innsbruck, was installed in 1913. The four groups of statues around the fountain were sculpted by Ottavio Mosto (1690) and symbolize the 4 elements: fire, air, earth and water. The Mirabell Gardens were opened to the public by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1854. Today they are a horticultural masterpiece and popular backdrop for photographers.
The Hedge Theater - created between 1704 and 1718 - is located in the main part of the Mirabell Gardens and is one of the oldest hedge theaters north of the Alps.
The Dwarf Garden features a number of misshapen creatures made of white Untersberg marble and dates back to the time of Archbishop Franz Anton Harrach.
The "Small Parterre" is the part of the Mirabell Gardens just along the backside of the Mirabell Castle. It is directly attached to the Grand Parterre and also bears a fountain in its core: a Pegasus statue that was transferred to this location in 1913, previously it had been part of a horse well in front of the Mirabell Castle.
However, the Pegasus was made of copper by Kaspar Gras for the well on the Kapitelplatz near the Salzburger Dom cathedral in 1661. There it stayed until 1690. After that time, it was used for the well on the Mirabellplatz Square until the great fire of 1818, and finally transferred to its current location in 1913.
The Pegasus fountain is a good starting point to run down the hedge arcade along the Grand Parterre: this is what Fräulein Maria and the Trapp children did in the movie "The Sound of Music" and remarkably popular with many visitors of the site. Note also our article on the Sound of Music locations and don′t forget to embarrass yourself by singing your favourite "Sound of Music" songs under the hedge arcade!
Today Mirabell Palace houses the offices of Salzburg's mayor and the municipal council. The Marble Hall, formerly the prince-archbishops' ballroom and concert venue for Leopold Mozart and his children Wolfgang and Nannerl, is considered to be one of the "most beautiful wedding halls in the world." Meetings, awards ceremonies and romantic concerts (Salzburg Palace Concerts) are held here regularly.
Visits:
Palace: Mon, Wed, Thu: 8 am - 4 pm, Tues + Fri: 1 - 4 pm. No visit in case of special occasions. Free entrance.
Angel Staircase (staircase in baroque style): open daily approx. 8 am-6 pm.
Mirabell Gardens: open all year round, daily approx. 6 am until dusk. Dwarves garden and Hedge Theatre closed during winter months.
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