Salzburg Residenz

On the western side of the Salzburg Residenzplatz stands the Residenz (palace of the Prince Bishops), built between 1596 and 1619 on the site of the medieval bishop's palace. The palace is laid out around three courtyards; the main front has a marble gateway of 1710. The northwestern range of buildings, of little architectural merit, was added in 1788-92. The artist Hans Makart was born in the palace in 1840. There are conducted tours of the palace. The state apartments are decorated in Late Baroque and Early Neo-Classical style, with wall and ceiling paintings by Johann Michael Rottmayr and Martino Altomonte, rich stucco ornaments and handsome fireplaces. The Karabinieresaal dates from the 17th C. In the Knights' Hall (Rittersaal) and Conference Hall (Konferenzsaal), once the scene of court concerts, concerts are still given during the Festival season. The splendid Audience Hall (Audienzsaal) contains Flemish tapestries (c. 1600) and fine Paris-made furniture. The Markus Sittikus or White Hall (Weisse Saal) has stucco ornament in Louis XVI style (1776). In the Function Room (Gesellschaftszimmer) the silk carpets of 1782 are still in use. In the Imperial Hall (Kaisersaal) hang portraits of Holy Roman Emperors and Kings of the Habsburg dynasty from Rudolf I to Charles VI (17th and 18th C.), and in the State Apartments portraits of the old Prince Bishops.