District / Austria
6 places
The Hellbrunn District is the southern edge of Salzburg, built around Hellbrunn Palace, the 17th-century pleasure estate of Archbishop Markus Sittikus. It holds the Trick Fountains, the Salzburg Zoo, and one of the oldest open-air theatres in the German-speaking world, all within a single green estate twenty minutes by bicycle from the Altstadt.
Archbishop Marcus Sitticus commissioned Hellbrunn Palace in 1612 as a summer retreat, and the result was deliberately theatrical. The palace itself is a relatively modest single-storey Lustschloss compared to grander Central European residences, but the grounds were designed as an entertainment machine. The Wasserspiele Hellbrunn are the most direct expression of this: a series of water-powered grottos, mechanical tableaux, and concealed jets that were built to surprise and delight guests, who would be seated at a stone dining table with water jets in the seats. They still work, and visitors are still surprised.
The Steintheater Hellbrunn lies in a wooded area of the grounds, a natural rock amphitheatre reinforced with carved stone seating that dates to the early 17th century. It is widely cited as one of the oldest outdoor stone theatres in the German-speaking world, and occasional performances still take place there in summer.
Salzburg Zoo occupies the southern section of the estate, a zoo of moderate scale set within the old parkland. The combination of formal gardens, a working zoo, and a historic palace in a single green space gives the district an unusual density of experiences for a half-day visit.
The Sound of Music Pavilion, the glass gazebo used in the “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” scene, was relocated to the Hellbrunn grounds and is accessible as part of the ticket area. Schloss Anif, a small moated castle visible from the road south of Hellbrunn, belongs to the same historic estate corridor running from the city toward the Untersberg.
The Hellbrunn District is around 4 kilometres south of the Altstadt. The most enjoyable way to get there is by bicycle along the Salzach river path, approximately 20 minutes from the city centre. Bus connections also run regularly from the city centre. Hellbrunn Palace and the Wasserspiele Hellbrunn require a paid ticket and guided tours of the trick fountains run at set intervals. The Salzburg Zoo has a separate entry. Allow a half-day minimum for the palace and trick fountains; a full day if combining with the zoo. The bike path back along the river in the late afternoon is one of the most pleasant ways to re-enter Salzburg from the south.
Passing through
The Hellbrunn Advent Market sets up inside the Baroque grounds of Hellbrunn Palace each December, turning the trick-fountain gardens and arcaded courtyards into something the city-center markets simply cannot offer: 700 lit conifers, a palace facade that becomes a giant Advent calendar window by window, and a Krampus run that draws locals who have seen it
The Hellbrunner Allee is the world's oldest preserved Baroque avenue, a 4 km corridor of mature chestnuts and oaks planted by Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus between 1613 and 1615 to connect the Residenz with his summer palace at Hellbrunn Palace. Cycling it is flat, car-free, and unrushed.
Maria's Bicycle Tour runs daily from April to October, starting at Mirabellplatz 4 at 9:30 am and covering the Sound of Music filming locations by bike over 3.5 hours. The route takes in Mirabell Gardens, Nonnberg Abbey, Schloss Frohnburg, Leopoldskron, and the Hellbrunner Allee to Hellbrunn Palace. Almost entirely flat, suitable for all ages.
Visitor pass: free entry to most major attractions + free public transport. 24/48/72-hour versions. Covers Hohensalzburg Fortress, Salzburg Museum, Haus der Natur, DomQuartier, Hellbrunn Palace, cable cars. Note: the Salzburg Museum is closed for renovation until approximately spring 2027, so it does not count toward the card's value until it reopens.
The iconic coach tour of Salzburg and Salzkammergut filming locations from the 1965 film. ~4 hours. Mirabell Gardens (Do-Re-Mi staircase), Schloss Leopoldskron, Nonnberg Abbey, Mondsee church. One of the most popular tourist activities in Salzburg. For many first-time visitors, the primary reason they chose Salzburg.
Mapped places
Every card is assigned directly to this destination or one of its canonical child destinations.
Built 1613-1619
Summer residence of Markus Sittikus, built by Santino Solari in Italian Renaissance style (1613-1619). The palace itself is elegant and relatively austere; its fame rests on the extraordinary grounds: the Wasserspiele (trick fountains), the Steintheater, the Sound of Music Pavilion, and the zoo.
The world's oldest preserved Baroque avenue. A 4 km corridor of mature chestnuts and oaks planted by Archbishop Markus Sittikus between 1613 and 1615 as a processional route connecting the Residenz to his summer palace at Hellbrunn Palace. Flat, car-free, and lined with trees that predate almost everything in Salzburg's tourist canon. Walk or cycle it.
The octagonal white gazebo from The Sound of Music. Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer performed "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" here. Originally at Schloss Leopoldskron, relocated to Hellbrunn in the 1970s. Now enclosed behind a fence after visitors broke ankles attempting to recreate the spinning dance sequence.
Built c. 1612-1615
Believed to be the oldest existing open-air stone theatre north of the Alps. The first Italian opera north of the Alps was performed here in 1617, under the patronage of Markus Sittikus. A natural rock grotto shaped into a theatre at the edge of the Hellbrunn park.
Built 1613-1615
The most elaborate joke of any Archbishop in history. Over 200 concealed water jets, mechanical figures, and trick stone seats, built by Markus Sittikus and Santino Solari in 1613-1615. The system has functioned continuously for over 400 years and is still operated exactly as designed. One of the most original heritage experiences in Austria.
Founded 1765
One of the oldest zoos in the world, founded in 1765 by Archbishop Schrattenbach in the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace. A year older than Vienna's Schonbrunn Zoo. Around 140 species. Popular with families visiting Hellbrunn.
