Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Schloss Hellbrun

My second part of Easter Monday was going to the Schloss Hellbrun.  It's on the outskirts of the city and is a wonderful 'pleasure palace'.  That's what the tour said.  It was built in the 1600's by one of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg.
It's best known for the gardens and the water fountains.  The Archbishop was a patron of the arts and had spent some time in Italy as a child.  So the palace is quite lavish.   And the gardens are beautiful.  I think it would be a wonderful place to go and just have a picnic and spend some time there.  I really liked the water parterre.
But what the schloss is Really known for is the Trick fountains.  As well as being a patron of the arts the Archbishop was a practical joker.  He had a full water garden built to the side of the palace for his guests.  If you go you are warned....


There are a few interesting entertainments all run by water power.  And in good working order after 400 years. 
I was fascinated by the way the builders hid the spouts in some of the fountains and got soaked while indulging my curiosity at the end....:(
But it's all spring water and apparently holy water.  So, now I'm clean and lucky according to the legend.  And overall it's fun.  If you can't laugh at yourself what's the point?  

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