Castle Park Water Hellbrunn

Markus Sittikus von Hohenems was elected as Salzburg’s prince archbishop in 1612. From 1613 to 1615, he built an Italian-style villa suburbana outside the Salzburg city gates, incorporating a late Gothic stately home. The architect was Santino Solari, who was also commissioned with the new construction of Salzburg cathedral. The banquet hall is richly painted with allegorical representations which cover the walls and the vaulted ceiling (presumably by Aresenio Mascagni). The Octagon, Fish Room, Bird Room, and Corner Room are also remarkable. Annexes are symmetrically arranged around the enclosed Court of Honor.

The late Renaissance fountains, the best preserved in the world, with numerous trick fountains and various moving figures, as well as numerous grottoes adorned with sculptures, can all be admired here: the “Theatrum” (Roman theater) with the prince’s table and pond, the Orpheus Grotto, the Wine Cellar, the Star Pool including the Altembs fountain with Perseus statue, the Neptune Grotto (or Rain Grotto), the Mirror, Shell, Birdsong, and Ruins Grottoes (in the palace), the Venus Grotto, statues of jesters and wild boars, the Ibex Grotto and the fountain of the goddess Diana, the Midas or Crown Grotto, and the Neptune Fountain. From 1749 to 1752, under Archbishop Andreas Jakob von Dietrichstein, the elaborate “Mechanical Theater” was artistically added to the old fountains. The large, ornamental garden of the “water grounds” is always open to the public.

The flower garden with its avenue of spruces forms a landscape axis, which is oriented towards the Salzach and Schloss Goldenstein. It consists of a geometrically designed main pond with a central island, which is the focal point of the park and on which there was originally a strawberry hill. On both sides of this pond are two additional symmetrical ponds. Various statues, ornamental bushes, and architectonically trimmed rows of trees enrich this geometrical pleasure garden.

Opening times

April, October 9:00 a.m.   – 4:30 p.m. **

May, June, September 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. **

July, August 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. ** (from 6:00 p.m. trick fountains only)

** Start of the last tour