ARCHBISHOPS BUILD SALZBURG - Phil & Jill

Salzburg wasn't always a part of Austria as it is now with a population of 150,000 and the 4th largest city in Austria.
It originally was inhabited by Celts, then the Romans which is still evidenced by many of the straight long roads which the Romans always built. For centuries, Prince Archbishops of yesterday who were the clerical and spiritual power under the House of Hapsburg rulers. They built impressive monuments with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements. Salzburg became part of Austria in the 1800's and is regarded as an artistic and cultural hub of Europe

The Mirabell Palace built in 1606 by Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau was a way the unhealthy Archbishop avoided having to walk the narrow crowded streets of the walled city and have a really nice quiet place to live with his mistress Salome Alt. It was called Altenau Castle then. He did this until he was arrested in 1612 by the Hohenems who tossed Salome out and Mark Sittich took over the palace and called it Mirabell which is Italian and means amazing/wonderful. In former times Leopold Mozart and his children Wolfgang and Nannerl made music here. Nowadays the SchlossKonzertMirabell entertains every night with a concert in the first floor Marble Hall, the former banquet hall.

I think it is probably a win/win for everyone. The space is sumptious, luxurious and intimate. Just what a visitor wants to enjoy and giving an audience for the many music students of the city. Everywhere you see young people carrying instruments on their backs whilst cycling, on trains and buses. No wonder with the University of Salzburg and the Mozart conservatorium. There are theatres, festivals, schloss performances all over the city during the summer season. Sadly this time it wasn't possible to go and hear a performance as it was too much to ask Phil to go out later in the evening as he continues deal with daily pain.

The marble Angel staircase was beautiful with cute cherubs decorating the stairs.

Today the building is used as the Municipal offices.

In 1690, Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun completely redesigned the gardens. The underlying geometric form is typically Baroque. The rain and shine we are experiencing whilst looking at the gardens is keeping them at their prime. The gardens are simple yet very beautiful. The eye catching rose garden; the dripping lilac in the Orangerie, the lavendar, the begonias are all stunning. It certainly provides a breath of fresh air from all the teeming tourists in the old town.

20190712_173329

20190712_174331

The Pegasus fountain was installed in 1913 and the main fountain was a prominent part of the Sound of Music film as Maria and the von Trapp family danced around it singing Do Re Mi.

We greatly enjoyed basking in the late afternoon sun and people watching sitting on a seat by the fountain before strolling back and having a pizza in a very small Italian run cafe called La Corella. Red checked tablecloths, cosy and warm and just up the road from our hotel. A Sunday night treat.

A fun day in spite of the showery weather.