Castle Mirabell Castle Mirabell Castle, in the context of national Salzburg , origin was located outside the walls and had the specific function of host Salome Alt, a lover of the then ruler of Salzburg Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, and their 15 children.
Forced to abdicate in 1612, the bishop was imprisoned in the same building, and in its place reigned over the city of Salzburg's cousin, the Archbishop Markus Sittikus von Hohenems. It was the latter gave the name of the Mirabell Palace building that, until the death of von Raitenau, was appointed palace Altenau.
enlargement of the city by Count of Paris Lodron took the palace and its garden within the city walls. Paris was very fond of this building so much to spend most of his time and died in this palace in 1653.
In 1727 the building underwent further changes and embellishments, in Baroque style by Prince Archbishop Franz Anton Harrach.
A fire destroyed much of the magnificence of this residence so beloved by the Prince Archbishop. Currently the castle is very simple and unadorned as it was in the past. The fire of 1818 spared the Marble Hall
and the monumental stairway of angels by Lukas von Hilldebrandt, with sculptures by Georg Raphael Donner.
Castle Mirabell attended births and illustrious dead, and with major events. In this building they have performed Mozart together with his father and sister. Here was born the Prince Otto of Bavaria, later King of Greece, July 1, 1815. In the courtyard of the building there is a plaque dedicated to Joachim Haspinger, he was a Capuchin, housed in the palace by the king and who died there in 1858, after having been a fellow of the struggle of the Tyrolese patriot Andreas Hofer. Born as the favorite residence and illegitimate children of the ruler of Salzburg, Mirabell Palace today houses the offices of the Mayor of Salzburg and the marble hall is used for the celebration of civil marriages.
The gardens surrounding the castle are a profusion of flowers and sculptures, artistically trimmed hedges, pergolas, fountains, statues are carried out according to models of Greek mythology. Around the central fountain, which offers a pleasant view of the fortress,
are four marble statues by the sculptor Ottavio Mosto representing the four elements: water, air, fire and earth. Following the arbor leads to the west Heckentheater (theater of hedges) constructed around 1717 based on French models and is one of the oldest of its kind in German speaking countries. High hedges are placed as stage backdrops. On the same side we find the garden gnomes in the presence of dwarfs stone symbolizing different characters and professions.
front of the castle is the fountain of Pegasus the winged horse of the copper figure of the sculptor Kaspar Gras (1661).
The castle is open to the public every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 08.00 to 16.00, Tuesday and Friday is open from 13.00 to 16.00. On Saturday afternoons and Sundays is closed. L'Orangerie is open daily from 09.00 to 16.00.