Mirabell Palace

Right in front of the large statue of Pegasus, you’ll see the magnificent Mirabell Palace. It was originally built in 1606 at the request of Salzburg’s prince-archbishop, Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, who wanted to offer a beautiful residence to his beloved and their children.

About a century later, the palace was completely rebuilt in the baroque style that was quickly becoming dominant throughout the city. Around the same time, the surrounding gardens were also created, including the unique Dwarf Garden, which I highly recommend checking out. It was a first of its kind at the time, with a collection of quirky little garden gnome statues that still surprise and delight visitors today.

The palace served as the lavish residence of Salzburg’s prince-archbishops until 1803, when it was taken over by the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Wittelsbach family, like the rest of Salzburg. In fact, it was here in the palace that Otto I, Prince of Bavaria and future King of Greece, was born in 1815. As for its name, “Mirabell” comes from the Italian words mirabile (admirable) and bella (beautiful).

Mozart himself performed here several times during his career, especially in the famous Marble Hall, now considered one of the most stunning wedding venues in the world. Today, the palace still hosts concerts, civil ceremonies, and weddings, and it also houses the offices of the mayor and city administration. Not a bad workplace, right?

Only the Angel Staircase and the Marble Hall are open to visitors, since the rest of the building is used by city officials, but I definitely recommend taking a peek inside, it’s a great way to get a sense of the grandeur and wealth the prince-archbishops brought to Salzburg in their day.