Originally built in 1606 by Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau for his most beloved mistress, the castle was bestowed with the apt name it sports today by his successor. Over the years, its Baroque style has undergone extensive remodeling and it has finally settled on an unpretentious, neo-classical look. However, the scroll work embellishing the windows, the chapiters and stuccos add an element of refined grandeur. A grand marble staircase that ascends to the palace is considered one of the most wonderful creations to emerge from the Baroque era, with white marble cherubs perching on the marble bulastrade. The Marble Hall is wildly popular for weddings because of its almost obscenely romantic atmosphere, and its walls have been worthy of hearing the great Mozart, his father, and his brother display their talents to the world.

The expansive gardens that extend in front of the palace are really something to be raved about, with the perfectly maintained greenery embellished with swirling designs of carefully plotted blue, orange and yellow flower beds that give it a unique and interesting design. The Grand Fountain is surrounded by four groups of figures that represent the four elements in the form of greek gods and goddesses Prosperina, Helena, Aeneas, Anchises, Hercules and Antaeus. If one of the other fountains looks oddly familiar, it’s because you are probably recognizing it as the fountain that the Trapp children ran along in the classic “The Sound of Music”. That’s right, this palace was the filming location of this film and all fans can enjoy reenacting the scene while belting out their favourite tunes from the movie.