Mirabell Palace in Salzburg's old town is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Austria due to its unique ambience. The entire complex is a listed building and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The mayor and parts of the city administration of Salzburg are based in the palace. The Grand Hall (Marble Hall) serves as a concert and wedding hall for the Salzburg registry office. The Marble Hall is internationally known and very popular as a wedding hall.
Story
Mirabell Palace was built in 1606 by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau outside the city walls for his lover Salome Alt. The palace was originally called Altenau Palace. In 1612, Wolf Dietrich was overthrown and placed in solitary confinement in Hohensalzburg Fortress. His successor Markus Sittikus von Hohenems soon expelled Wolf Dietrich's wife and children from Altenau Palace. In order to completely erase the memory of his predecessor, Markus Sittikus now called the palace "Mirabell". Mirabell is an Italian female first name. (mirabile "wonderful" and bella "beautiful")
In the years 1710 and 1721 to 1727, Mirabell Palace was rebuilt by Archbishop Franz Anton von Harrach into a magnificent baroque palace complex , more precisely a four-wing complex with an inner courtyard.
In 1818, a fire in the city caused major damage to the castle. The castle was rebuilt after the fire and lost much of its original baroque appearance. Fortunately, the western courtyard facade and the garden facade were largely preserved.
Mirabell Palace has been owned by the city of Salzburg since 1866. Between 1947 and 1950, the palace became the official residence of the mayor and his deputies, as well as several departments of the city administration.
Marble Hall - Wedding Hall
The Marble Hall can be reached via the Georg-Raphael-Donner staircase, a magnificent staircase richly decorated with putti in various poses. The Marble Hall is clad in marble and gilded stucco. The large ceiling painting by Johann Michael Rottmayr was lost in the great fire of 1818. The Marble Hall offers a unique ambience and very good acoustics . Therefore, the hall is used today for classical concerts and especially for weddings.
Photo © Christoph Haubner
Getting married at Mirabell Palace
Contrary to what many people think, a civil wedding today no longer involves time-consuming administrative procedures. Most of the steps can be completed from the comfort of your own home. For most couples, a single appointment, the so-called banns, is sufficient. A digital wedding planner is also available at https://www.heirateninsalzburg.at/digitaler-weddingplaner/ to plan your wedding in Salzburg.
Getting married in 3 steps:
- Reserve a date. The date for the wedding in the Marble Hall can be reserved online: https://secure.stadt-salzburg.at/egov/Trauungskalender/default.aspx
(The appointment must be confirmed within 7 days by email to Standesamt@stadt-salzburg.at , stating the date and telephone number.) - After the date has been reserved, the registry office determines the eligibility to marry - also known as the banns. You can find out which documents are required from the registry office. The registrars at Mirabell Palace are super nice and you are guaranteed not to have any questions left unanswered. The banns can be made at the earliest 6 months before the wedding and the bride and groom must always be present together.
- Day of the wedding. :-) Please register 20 minutes before the wedding ceremony. The foyer of the Marble Hall is available for the short waiting time after registration.
Personal words
Due to its international popularity, appointments in the Marble Hall are quickly booked. So if you want to get married in Mirabell Palace, you should secure your desired date early enough . With its wonderful Marble Hall, Mirabell Palace offers a stylish ambience for a civil wedding. The adjacent Mirabell Gardens can be used perfectly for unique and unforgettable photos before or after the wedding.
Our insider for Mirabell Palace
The author and expert on Mirabell Palace is Christoph Haubner, born in 1989 in the beautiful Mozart city of Salzburg. He is an enthusiastic photographer out of pure passion. Photography in all its facets has accompanied him for many years now and he finds it simply incredible how exciting and diverse it always is.
Christoph Haubner
.png){kind=logo}