Helbrunn Castle, the summer residence of the Archbishop of Salzburg, which is located in the suburbs of Salzburg, halfway to Mount Untersberg. Helbrunn Castle was built in 1612, a few months after the coronation of Prince Markus Sittikus. The site of the castle was chosen at the foot of the Helbrunn Mountains, rich in ponds. A lover of Italian culture and art, Marcus Sitticus instructed the famous architect Santino Solari to design a suburban villa, with the corresponding elegance of magnificent Italian architecture, which he was so obsessed with, and spaciousness worthy of a princely family. In a relatively short period of time, an architectural masterpiece was created. And in 1615, the construction of the palace with a spacious park and unique Wasserspiele (which means Water Games) fountains was completed. Water was a central theme in the design of the palace. Numerous sources in Hellbrunn Mountain have given the property an “effervescent” life. Hidden in the shade of bushes and trees, or beating directly from building facades or from the floor, fountains have been the main attraction in Helbrunn for almost 400 years. Among the many undertakings are water-spraying stools standing around a stone table, deer horns from which water sprays, fountains spattering from the floor. All this is like a mechanical theater that comes to life at the expense of water. Then, in 1615 Monatsschlössl was built - “Castle of the month”. The hunting castle is located on the slopes of Mount Helbrunn. The legend says that “the Bavarian prince, who was visiting the archbishop, expressed the view that the view from the window on the hill would be much more picturesque if there was a small castle there - and a month later, when he again visited in Salzburg, the amazed prince saw that now he was in that very place there really is a small palace. ” Today, the palace houses the local history department of the Karl August Museum in Salzburg. It exhibits objects of culture and everyday life, samples of folk crafts and crafts, expositions dedicated to the national costumes of the region and much more. In 1617, the Stone Theater carved into the rock was opened. The theater is the oldest open-air stage in Europe, set up right in the crevice of the mountain; it was here that the first opera in German was performed. The theater still plays. The theater was later modernized. In addition to the main stage, a “mechanical” theater appeared in which there are 256 wooden figures depicting everyday scenes of a medieval city with the sounds of a water organ. All figures and organ are set in motion by the power of water. The figures move their arms or legs, they rotate on round stands. On the stage are miniatures of several three-story buildings, in the center - a miniature of the city hall. The buildings near the town hall are inhabited by merchants, workshops of various guilds (which are easily recognizable by their distinguishing signs - this is a baker, and a shoemaker, butcher, tailor), builders who are completing the building, soldiers and circus performers in the market square dancing with a bear. Helbrunn was used as a residence for archbishops only in exceptional cases. With its magnificent ballrooms, a charming park and unique “Trick” (stunt) fountains, the palace has become the venue for luxurious holidays and celebrations, vibrant events and cultural events. And not surprising, because the unique splendor of the residence made a splash abroad. The palace has been preserved in its original form to the present day. An exception is some interior details. For example, furniture is a mixture of objects of the XVII-XVIII centuries, partially brought here from other places. In the large hall for receptions, the wall and ceiling frescoes by Arsenio Mascagni (originals of the 17th century) are perfectly preserved. Luxurious octagonal hall with a dome, formerly used as a music lounge. The spacious palace park was reconstructed in 1730 according to the plan of the inspector of the royal gardens, Franz Anton Danreiter. He was and adapted to a new style era. Mythical and historical statues date from the beginning of the 17th century. The statue of Empress Elizabeth (sculptor Edmund von Hellmer), for example, was placed in the so-called English Park. Previously, the sculpture stood in the front part of the old Europa Hotel at the Empress's railway station (now the Central Railway Station). Today, at the entrance to the castle park, a stone sculpture of a dog is installed, which all children adore. There are a bit further playgrounds inviting to frolic and play ball. In addition, audio guides are offered for independent visits to the palace and the museum, including in Russian. In August, the castle hosts a summer festival. In addition, various meetings, seminars and social events are regularly held here. Perhaps the reason that the palace has become a popular venue for international conferences and meetings is because it was built for this purpose almost 400 years ago. And the last - we recommend visiting the castle in the warm season with good clear weather, since when visiting a cascade of fountains, you risk getting wet.