The Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg – spring flowers and romance

It was a sunny spring day when we visited the Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg, full of floral displays and views of the Hohensalzburg fortress. If you want pretty fountains, classical statuary and formal parterres filled with colourful flowers, this is the place.

The famous baroque gardens are a favourite place for newlywed couples to come and have their photos taken, as the Mirabell Palace can be hired as a wedding venue. The park’s main entrance is just opposite the house where Mozart lived.

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I hope you enjoy my video of the Mirabell Gardens below.

If you can’t see the embedded video above view it on my blog

Childhood memories of the Mirabell Gardens

I also knew that I’d been to Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg as a child and was hoping to find the stone unicorns in the photos that my father had sent me, where he’d taken a charming photo of me and my sisters 40 years before.

To be honest, my husband and son weren’t in the least interested in Mozart or the unicorns, or the pretty flowers. So they promptly found a secluded spot on one of the terraces where they lay in the sunshine and read their books, while I wandered around and took photos.

Just along the terrace, a small celebration was taking place, perhaps a post-wedding party, with a table of glasses laid out on the grass.

Stone unicorns in the Mirabell Gardens

I duly found the unicorns and the same view that my father had taken a photo of when we were children and dragged the family back there to take another photo sitting in the same spot.

You can read my memories of the Mirabell Unicorns, and the photos taken 40 years apart.

In the distance, the Hohensalzburg fortress loomed on the hill, built by the Prince Archbishops of Salzburg to remind everyone just who was in charge around here.

Later that evening we watched the DVD of the Sound of Music and saw Julie Andrews skipping through the Mirabell Gardens with the Von Trapp children. They sat on the stone steps to sing Do-Re-Me, where now there were just people sitting on benches reading a book or watching the pigeons.

Fun Facts About the Mirabell Gardens

Here are the facts that I didn’t have with me at the time. I was following the no guidebook, follow-your-nose school of travel:

• The palace was built in 1606 by the Prince Archbishops Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau for his mistress who bore him 15 children.
• It was later renamed and remodelled by his successor Archbishop Markus Sitticus. The Archbishop also built the trick fountains at Schloss Hellbrunn.
• The gardens were redesigned in their present form in 1690. The palace and gardens are often used as a venue for weddings and concerts.
• The gardens were opened to the public by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1854.

I imagine that in high summer the gardens are packed with tourists, but explore the outer corners of the gardens and you’ll be sure to find a quiet spot to relax.

Visitor information for the Mirabell Gardens

Salzburg Official Tourism Website – Mirabell Palace and Gardens.

For more information about Holidays in Austria visit the Austrian Tourism Website.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Salzburg, check out the charming White Horse Inn on Lake Wolfgang.

Read my article about the Delicious food in Salzburg – restaurants and dishes to try

Read Next

Discover the Hohensalzburg Fortress in Salzburg

More articles about Salzburg

• Das Grüne Hotel zur Post in Salzburg – a comfortable green gasthaus
• Riding the unicorns in the Mirabell Gardens – Salzburg
• Top 10 things to do in Salzburg, Austria

My thanks to the Austria National Tourism Office UK for sponsoring* our trip to Salzburg and Wolfgangsee.

* More info on my policies page

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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