Leopoldskron Palace in Salzburg - romantic wedding venue, Sound of Music filming location and lush Rococo architecture full of history in one place

Fairytale-like Leopoldskron Palace with its extensive gardens was not only the birthplace of the Salzburg Festival but also one of the filming locations of “The Sound of Music”. Today, Leopoldskron Palace is a popular wedding location and exclusive hotel.

Just as many other historical buildings in Salzburg, the construction of Leopoldskron Palace was commissioned by an archbishop. Leopoldskron Palace was built in 1736 as a family estate for Prince Archbishop Leopold Anton Freiherr von Firmian in the architectural style of Rococo, defined by opulence and heavy ornamentation. After the death of the Archbishop in 1744, his heart was buried in the palace’s chapel and the palace remained in the ownership of the Firmian family until 1837.

During the 19^th century, Leopoldskron Palace had several different owners, including a banker and two waiters trying to turn it into a hotel, and King Ludwig I. of Bavaria. In 1918 it was eventually bought by the renowned theatre and film director Max Reinhardt. During the following two decades, he worked tirelessly with local artists and artisans to restore and expand the palace, which was in desperate need of repairs at this point. In 1938, Leopoldskron Palace was confiscated from Max Reinhardt as “Jewish property”. After the war, the palace was returned to the Reinhardt family estate and used to host the “Salzburg Global Seminar”.

Since 2014, after undergoing major renovations, Leopoldskron Palace is a hotel. Notable past hotel guests include Prince Charles, Bill Gates, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hillary Clinton, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Kofi Annan, and many more.

In 1964, Leopoldskron Palace became a shooting location for the world-famous movie “The Sound of Music” starring Julie Andrews as Maria and Christopher Plummer as Baron Georg von Trapp. Many of the movie’s scenes were shot in Salzburg with the grounds surrounding Leopoldskron Palace serving as one of the main exterior locations and portraying the Trapp family’s home. One of these scenes is the children and Maria falling off the boat into the lake of Leopoldskron Palace. The romantic scenes between Liesl and Rolf, featuring the song “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”, were shot at a gazebo in the palace gardens. The gazebo has since been relocated to the gardens around Hellbrunn Palace to make it accessible for visitors.

Are you a fan of “The Sound of Music”? Then check out The Original Sound of Music Tour® and visit filming locations in and around Salzburg, including Leopoldskron Palace and the gazebo at Hellbrunn Palace.

On a summer evening in 1918, Max Reinhardt in collaboration with composer Richard Strauss and writer Hugo von Hofmannsthal established the Salzburg Festival at Leopoldskron Palace in order to revive the tradition of music and theatre in the city of Salzburg. The Festival was first held only two years later in 1920.

With its lush architecture, beautiful natural scenery, exclusive private grounds away from the city and rooms suited for all party sizes, Leopoldskron Palace is an incredible wedding venue.

To make your dream wedding at Leopoldskron Palace come true, contact Panorama Tours’ very own wedding planner Ingrid Lugstein-Eibl.

Leopoldskron Palace offers a variety of function rooms for all types of events, including meetings, presentations and weddings with upscale catering services specialized in Austrian cuisine.

Guestrooms and historic suites are available in the former administration building Meierhof and the palace itself, making Leopoldskron Palace the perfect accommodation for a luxurious city break, a visit to the Salzburg Festival or a dream wedding.