Residenzplatz

Residenzplatz is a grand square in Salzburg’s old town, surrounded by buildings that once belonged to the Prince-Archbishops. The Alte Residenz stands on its west side, while the Neue Residenz with its tall bell tower marks the east. Salzburg Cathedral faces the square to the south, and historic private houses line the north, including one where the painter Johann Michael Rottmayr lived while painting the Alte Residenz’s ceiling. Mozartplatz lies just beyond, leading to the Salzburg Museum. The square was created in the late 16th century by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, who cleared away an old monastery cemetery and private houses to make space. Remains of that cemetery were found beneath the paving during recent work. The square was originally called Hauptplatz and was designed alongside the rebuilding of the cathedral by the Italian architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. Plans are now under way to refresh the square, including new paving and a monument marking a Nazi book burning that took place there in 1938. At the heart of the square stands the Residenzbrunnen, a vast Baroque fountain built between 1656 and 1661 from Untersberg limestone. Its upper basin is crowned by a Triton statue that shoots water high into the air. The square hosts open-air cinema in summer, a kermesse in September, and a Christmas market in December. In past decades it has also been the stage for major rock concerts by artists such as Joe Cocker and Tina Turner.