Salzburg's Mirabell Gardens - a beautiful green floral oasis in central Salzburg

Salzburg is famous for many things and one of them is the Mirabell Gardens which are part of the Mirabell Palace…. All under the UNESCO World Heritage tag. We had a wonderful Japanese lady as our guide and she was a fount of knowledge.  

Besides the Felsenreitschule and the Nonnberg convent, the Mirabell Garden is one of the principal settings in the Hollywood musical The Sound of Music. In the film, Maria and the children dance around the Pegasus fountain behind Mirabell Palace, singing the song "Do-Re-Mi". At the end of this scene, the Trapp family line up on the steps leading to the Rosenhügel [rose hill] for the finale. The unique view through the Mirabell Garden to the Palace has since become world-famous.Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau had the Palace (originally called Schloss Altenau) built in 1606 for his mistress Salome Alt. His successor, Marcus Sittikus re-named it as "Schloss Mirabell" [from the Italian mirabile "wonderful" and bella "beautiful"]. Eventually, under Prince-Archbishop Franz Anton Harrach, the site was reconstructed as a baroque palace complex.

Under Archbishop Johann Ernst Thun, the Mirabell Garden was reshaped around 1690 according to plans drawn up by baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. The basic geometrical form characteristic of the Baroque age is still recognisable. The visual alignment towards Cathedral and the fortress lends the garden a grandiose effect, at the same time incorporating it into the historic townscape.

Features of special interest in the Mirabell Garden

The large parterre with the central fountain and the four groups of figures by Ottavio Mosto, symbolising the four elements: fire, air, earth and water.

The small parterre with the Pegasus fountain. The copper Pegasus figure, forged in 1661 by Caspar Gras, was commissioned by Archbishop Guidobald von Thun for a horse-pond on the Kapitelplatz. After gracing several different squares in the Old Town, the famous sculpture was placed here in 1913.

The Heckentheater [hedge theatre] in the western section of the garden – one of the oldest hedge theatres north of the Alps. Folkloric and other events are held here in summer.

The Marmorsaal [marble hall], formerly the prince-archbishop's banqueting hall, with its marble pillars, opulent stucco and ceiling frescos is really awesome. Leading up to it is the "angels' staircase", created by the Austrian sculptor Georg Raphael Donner. The white marble balustrade is decorated with a host of putti.

When we entered this building, the first thing which we noticed was a vast map of the city….but it was part of the floor. Now imagine this sight with the photograph below. Thousands of people have walked over the floor with this map on it but still nothing has really damaged it. As you see, its pretty clear and very detailed. This must be one of the really precious art works of the city just thrown under your feet !! 

The Zwergerlgarten [dwarf garden] dates from the reign of Archbishop Johann Ernst Graf Thun. Originally comprising 28 dwarfs of white Untersberg marble, it is the oldest dwarf garden in Europe. 17 of the original dwarfs are still preserved.

Ensure that you have lots of time to enjoy the beauty of these gardens and the buildings within. 

Text and photographs copyright of the author. No part of this article or photographs maybe transmitted or reproduced by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without written permission. Do contact the author on email -- helpthesun@gmail.com