Zwerglgarten

The Zwerglgarten (dwarf garden) is located on the Mirabell Palace grounds in Salzburg, Austria.

The Dwarf Garden was created in 1715 by Prince Archbishop Franz Anton Harrach. It is considered the oldest dwarf garden in Europe. Originally, the garden comprised 28 dwarf statues made of white Untersberg marble. These statues were designed to be both amusing caricatures and representations of the times.

Many of the dwarf statues were modelled after actual dwarves who lived in the archbishop’s court and served as entertainers. Others were inspired by peasants and foreigners, reflecting the cultural attitudes of the era. The statues depicted various roles and themes:

• 12 statues representing the months of the year
• 2 players of Pallone (a Renaissance ball game)
• Various other characters and caricatures

In the 19th century, the dwarf statues became a subject of controversy. Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, concerned about the potential negative impact on his wife and unborn child, ordered the removal of the “disfigured creatures with their goiters and hunchbacks” from the garden. The statues were auctioned off and forgotten for over a century.

In 1921, the Salzburg Society for the Preservation of Local Amenities campaigned for the return of the dwarf statues to their historical positions. Today, 17 of the original 28 dwarfs have been recovered and returned to the garden.