Schloss Hellbrunn is a palace in Salzburg that was built in the 17th century. It’s a “Lustschloss”, a “pleasure palace” and as much as this sounds like the rich organised their orgy parties there, officially it was where the rich organised their fancy parties (an orgy may or may not be included). This one was built by an archbishop as a “day villa”, where he could chill during the day before returning to the city in the evening. So imagine having a day house that was just for playing with your friends. And imagine it looking like this.

The “pleasure” in “pleasure palace” was due to the elaborate water games of the villa. They are made of hidden mechanisms that spray the guests with water. When you go there as a tourists the first thing they show you is a stone table and seats that could spray water directly up at the person sitting on them. This gives you a great idea of what the games and the tour is all about – the tour guide torturing you with the expectation of getting wet while you have no idea where the water will be coming from. I guess what was funny 300 years ago is still funny now, as long as you are the person who stays dry.

The water games were a masterpiece in their time and they even include an automated musical theatre with 200 tiny figures going about their day .. until you are finally sprayed with water. It’s a fun place to visit if the weather is nice and you don’t mind getting a little wet. Apart from that, the palace also contains the gazebo from The Sound of Music.