AT THE HELLBRUNN PALACE IN SALZBURG

Salzburg is and will be one of our favorite cities in Austria, even in Europe. Every time we spent holidays in the area, we went at least for a few hours through Salzburg , to walk its streets, to admire its medieval houses and palaces, to visit its museums and, why not, for shopping tours. (we have a few favorite stores there).

And on one of our visits we stopped for a few hours at the Hellbrunn Palace, located only 4 kilometers from Salzburg, on a fairly large area, where there is also the zoo.

I left the car in the paid parking lot and immediately arrived at the gate of the Hellbrunn estate.

All information about the tourist attractions there, on the official website https://www.hellbrunn.at/en/ .

As a brief history, Hellbrunn Palace was built between 1613-1619 at the behest of Prince and Archbishop Markus Sittikus Von Hohenems, under the guidance of architect Santino Solari. Thought in principle as a summer home and place for various festivities.

After paying the entrance tickets (now it costs about 30 Euros for the family), we set off with a guide on the garden tour. Incidentally, the main attraction, being famous for its water games, fountains, fountains and… prince jokes

A rather large pond greeted us, surrounded by all sorts of statues representing mythological figures, in whose waters some… sturgeons u swam quietly.

This was followed by the first major attraction in the palace gardens - the Furstentisch (prince's table) - a marble table with marble chairs, built specifically to make invitations.

He placed them on the chairs around the table, after which, when he felt like it, he started the installation with water and, of course, they were all wet. Except for the prince, who was sitting in a chair away from the water jets.

We continued the tour on the alleys, through all kinds of artificial caves, some decorated like caves, with our eyes on all the statues with mythological figures that came our way, avoiding as much as possible the jets of the installations that started when we passed there. However, the guide warned us not to get the hell out of our heads.

Or Orpheus' cave, Neptune's cave… after which I arrived at the Mechanical Theater….

… A miniature theater with scenes from the life of the citadel and various mechanically operated figurines… by the force of the water. Cool, right? We also have a video

Built in 1750 and still functional…

Then I went to the crown cave

… Where a crown was driven up or down by a stream of water, symbolizing the greatness but also the decay of the crown… as history has shown us so many and so many times.

Normally, at the exit of the cave, other jets of water… it is clear that the visit of these gardens aroused smiles and laughter, the atmosphere being very cheerful, relaxed.

We walked a little among the fountains, artesian or quieter, then on the palace grounds, after which we went to it to visit the interior.

I admit, inside the visit was not as spectacular, only a few decorative elements and furniture being preserved today.

Just a few pieces of furniture, some paintings, some tapestries, a miniature in which he is represented in the prince's procession… But also the beautiful party hall, with beautiful murals still very well preserved.