Pay a visit to Mirabell Palace and Mirabell Gardens including the Marble Hall and Sound of Music filming locations

The Mirabell Palace and Mirabell Gardens are one of the most important sights of Salzburg. The complex is under monument protection and was declared a world heritage site by the UNESCO.

In 1606, Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau had the palace under the name “Altenau” built for his mistress Salome Alt and their children. After his death, his successor Markus Sitticus von Hohenems re-named the Palace “Mirabell” (from Italian mirabile – “admirable” and bella – “beautiful”). At this point in time, Mirabell Palace was situated outside of Salzburg’s city walls. Only when Prince-Archbishop Paris von Lodron had a new fortification and city wall built, Mirabell Palace became enclosed within the city area of Salzburg.

During the period from 1721 to 1727, Prince-Archbishop Franz Anton von Harrach had Mirabell Palace remodeled into a magnificent baroque palace complex by the famous baroque master builder Lukas von Hildebrandt.

On 30 April 1818 Mirabell Palace was heavily damaged by a raging town fire. The marble steps and the Marble Hall were luckily spared by the flames.

From 1810 to 1816 Salzburg was under Bavarian rule and Mirabell Palace became the residence of the Bavarian crown prince. On 1 June 1815, Prince Otto von Bayern, who would later become King Otto I. of Greece, was born here. In 1866, the palace along with the Kapuzinerberg was passed into the ownership of the city of Salzburg.

As you can tell, Mirabell Palace has a rich history behind it. Today it houses the city’s administration and the mayor’s offices.

The Marble Hall in Mirabell Palace is considered to be one of the most beautiful wedding halls in the world. The Angel Staircase or the Pegasus Fountain provide excellent photo shooting locations for an unforgettable day. The former ballroom of the prince-archbishop, where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played his music, is in use for weddings, conferences and honor ceremonies today.

Our wedding planner Ingrid Lugstein looks forward to planning the best day of your life with you. Reception, restaurant, hotel, wedding cake, photographer, videos, wedding dress and stylist - our wedding planner has more than 25 years of experience and will be on hand with help and advice in the planning of your perfect wedding!

Several important scenes in the world-famous movie “The Sound of Music” were shot in the Mirabell Gardens. Maria – played by Julie Andrews – and the seven children danced around the Pegasus Fountain while singing the song “Do Re Mi”. Besides the Mirabell Gardens, the Summer Riding School and Nonnberg Abbey also served as film sets. Visit other filming locations in and around Salzburg with our Original Sound of Music Tour®.

In 1690 the Mirabell Gardens were arranged under Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun. Today, you can explore the following highlights of the Gardens:

• Pegasus Fountain
• Grand Fountain
• Hedge Theater
• Dwarf Garden
• Rose Garden
• Orangery