Mirabell Palace was built in 1606 by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau for his companion Salome Alt, later rebuilt in lavish Baroque style by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt and given its present Neoclassical look after an 1818 fire. Today it serves as Salzburg's city hall, while its Marble Hall (Marmorsaal) hosts weddings and the famous Mirabell Palace Concerts. The Baroque gardens are world-renowned as a filming location for the "Do-Re-Mi" scene in The Sound of Music, and the whole ensemble is part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Salzburg. In 2026 the gardens remain free to enter and one of the city's must-see spots, lovely for an early-morning stroll or for summer flowerbeds in full bloom.
Pegasus Fountain - the iconic backdrop of the Sound of Music 'Do-Re-Mi' dance, centred on a copper Pegasus cast by Caspar Gras in 1661
Grand Parterre - symmetrical Baroque flowerbeds with Ottavio Mosto's sculpture groups of the four elements (fire, water, earth, air), aligned on an axis toward Hohensalzburg Fortress
Dwarf Garden (Zwergerlgarten) - Europe's oldest dwarf garden, with grotesque figures carved from Untersberg marble (17 originals survive)
Marble Hall (Marmorsaal) and the Angel Staircase - Georg Raphael Donner's balustrade of putti, in a hall where the Mozarts once played, now a celebrated wedding and concert venue
Hedge Theatre (Heckentheater), Orangery and rose garden - one of the oldest open-air hedge theatres north of the Alps
Good to know
SeasonJuly-August is peak season; the Pegasus Fountain and Do-Re-Mi steps get very crowded. For crowd-free photos, arrive when the gardens open (around 6 am); the parterre flowers are most spectacular in late spring and summer.
SeasonThe Dwarf Garden and Hedge Theatre close in winter (roughly November-March), while the Orangery is open year-round, so what you can see depends on the season.
RulesThe Marble Hall and Angel Staircase can be closed without notice for weddings or concerts. Interior viewing is generally Mon/Wed/Thu 8 am-4 pm and Tue/Fri 1 pm-4 pm, but always confirm the latest hours.
RulesThe gardens are free, so no ticket is needed. A Salzburg Card is handy for transport and other paid sights but is not required just to visit the Mirabell gardens.
MannersThe palace is a working city hall and a public park: don't step on flowerbeds or lawns, pick flowers, or climb on the fountains and statues, and pass quietly when a wedding is taking place.
SafetyWatch for pickpockets at busy photo spots like the Do-Re-Mi steps and Pegasus Fountain; wear your bag in front, and keep an eye on children near the fountains and on traffic around Mirabellplatz.
CautionBe wary of 'free' petition/bracelet hustles and touts selling fake concert tickets. Buy Palace Concert tickets only from official sellers such as salzburg.info.
Practical info
From the Old Town you can simply walk across a Salzach bridge; from the main station (Salzburg Hbf) it is about a 15-minute walk or a short ride on bus 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 or 25 to the Mirabellplatz stop, and you can also enter from Makartplatz. The gardens are free and generally open from early morning until dusk, but palace interior/Marble Hall hours and Palace Concert prices and schedules should be confirmed on official sites before you go.
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