Schlosspark Salaberg

Salaberg stands in the south-west of Haag in Lower Austria. The building began as a medieval fortress in 1282 and was later transformed into a Renaissance palace by the Köllnbach family. Three linked courtyards now form its core, with the middle court framed by two square towers and an arcaded courtyard topped by a clock tower. The Salburg counts, especially Georg Siegmund and his son Franz Ferdinand, shaped the present appearance between 1637 and the early 18th century. Their additions included a new east wing, a Baroque chapel and an outer service courtyard. Inside, the Venetian festival hall impresses with rich stucco, painted friezes and marble works such as the lion of St Mark and ceiling frescoes. Beyond the palace walls, the gardens date from the 16th and 17th centuries but were remodelled by Eduard Petzold around 1870. Part of this landscape became the Tierpark Haag, where ancient trees line broad walks. The remaining palace gardens remain private, but the public park offers long avenues and shaded clearings framed by centuries-old lime and oak.