Salzburg Residenz, Salzburg, Austria

For centuries the Archbishops of Salzburg resided at the Salzburg Residenz and used the palace to present and represent their political status. Today the Salzburg Residenz palace is a museum and one of the most impressive attractions in the city.

The earliest recorded reference to the bishop's palace was in a document dated 1232. Construction began under Archbishop Konrad I. In the 16th century, several changes and additions to the structure were made. The bishop's palace took on its present appearance under the auspices of Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau (1587–1612). In the early 17th century, work began on the south wing, which included the addition of the large staircase and the Carabinieri-Saal, a section that connected the palace to the Franziskanerkirche and a large courtyard.

The successors of Wolf Dietrich continued to expand and refine the palace through to the end of the 18th century. Throughout the centuries, the palace served as the archbishops' residence, as well as a place of public gatherings and state affairs, all taking place in a setting that reflected power and grandeur.

Today, the Salzburg Residenz houses the Residenzgalerie, which presents paintings from the 16th to the 18th century, and Austrian paintings from the 19th century.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Tessa Kreunen (8 months ago)
Beautiful palace in classic Rococo style located in the middle of the Altstadt. For centuries this has been the residence of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg. It was the place where they discussed politics, lived, hosted events, dinner parties and via which they could easily enter the Dom next to it.

Julio Cesar Torelli (9 months ago)
Beautiful palace. Very nice staff.

Younes Orli-Idrissi (10 months ago)
You get to see several things in one tour. It is very cool to be in the same room as Mozart started his career as a 6 year old boy. The tour fits for both adults and children. Where the children also can dress up as in the 18th century.

Richard Cook (2 years ago)
Listened to some of Mozart's violin sonatas here. It was a small room, very close to the musicians, who i thought were excellent (im not an expert).

Elise M (2 years ago)
Absolutely loved this place when I visited Salzburg. There are lots of beautiful, fancy rooms you can walk through. Would recommend this to anyone!

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Construction on the present building was begun in the 17th century by the architect Domenico Fontana. Intended to house the King Philip III of Spain on a visit never fulfilled to this part of his kingdom, instead it initially housed the Viceroy Fernando Ruiz de Castro, count of Lemos. By 1616, the facade had been completed, and by 1620, the interior was frescoed by Battistello Caracciolo, Giovanni Balducci, and Belisario Corenzio. The decoration of the Royal Chapel of Assumption was not completed until 1644 by Antonio Picchiatti.

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During the Napoleonic occupation the palace was enriched by Joachim Murat and his wife, Caroline Bonaparte, with Neoclassic decorations and furnishings. However, a fire in 1837 damaged many rooms, and required restoration from 1838 to 1858 under the direction of Gaetano Genovese. Further additions of a Party Wing and a Belvedere were made in this period. At the corner of the palace with San Carlo Theatre, a new facade was created that obscured the viceroyal palace of Pedro de Toledo.

In 1922, it was decided to transfer here the contents of the National Library. The transfer of library collections was made by 1925.

The library suffered from bombing during World War II and the subsequent military occupation of the building caused serious damage. Today, the palace and adjacent grounds house the famous Teatro San Carlo, the smaller Teatrino di Corte (recently restored), the Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III, a museum, and offices, including those of the regional tourist board.

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