In 1612, the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg commissioned the Italian architect Santino Solari to build a summer palace at the foot of Mount Hellbrunn. Archbishop von Hohenems loved practical jokes, and the architect came up with a fun and original way to use the local underground springs. Thanks to Solari's talent, the park of Hellbrunn Palace became famous throughout the world for a marvelous amusement - the Trick Fountains.
Imagine: you are strolling sedately through a luxurious palace park, and then suddenly a stream of water comes crashing down on you from somewhere above. Or, seeing a stone table in the middle of the park with stools around it, you sit down to rest, but suddenly thin jets of water begin shooting out of every stool. These were the kind of devious little jokes the prince-archbishop loved in the 17th century - and he seemed such a respectable man.
Even today, the Trick Fountains drench park guests with water, spray strong jets from the густые bushes, burst out underfoot, and embarrass people in dozens of other ways. True, today's park visitors know where they have come and wear suitable clothing, so the fountains' antics bring only cheerful laughter and joy.
Besides the trick fountains, Hellbrunn Park also has classical fountains. Ancient Greek gods and heroes - Orpheus, Eurydice, Diana, and stern Neptune with the Fountain of 1000 Jets appeared in the park in 1730.
Be sure to see the Mechanical Theater - an absolutely unique spectacle and a brilliant invention. In this nativity-scene-like construction, 256 figures of craftsmen and townspeople move to the sounds of a water organ on a model of a town square with the help of hydraulic power.
