One Of Europe's Most Offbeat Tourist Attractions Is An Austrian Castle With Some Water Tricks

Fun water features, mechanical figurines, and a castle that looks like one out of a fairy tale certainly sound more like a highly rated theme park than an actual place. However, you don't need to visit Disney World to experience these features. In fact, before Walt Disney gave the world Mickey Mouse, an Austrian prince decided to give the world a whimsical, joyful destination that was unlike anywhere else at the time. Hellbrunn Palace, which sits on the southern end of Salzburg, was designed over 400 years ago simply as a place of enjoyment, complete with water-powered automatons and elaborate trick fountains that occasionally (and unexpectedly) spray guests as a dose of silly fun.

Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus finished building Hellbrunn Palace in 1615, naming it after the spring that powered it. The palace grounds serve as a park that was primarily designed to be a celebration of leisure and fun. Today, there are 21 installations where tourists can gather and listen to a guide explain the history of the palace — and possibly get hit by a random water jet. The fountains feature different creatures and mythological characters and are set among beautiful, green gardens that are truly fit for royalty. Naturally, Hellbrunn Palace is a popular place for families during the warmer months when kids — and adults — can run around the fountains and not mind getting a little soaked (and it's perhaps for this reason that the property is closed during the winter). Although Austria can be overcrowded with tourists, especially during the summer, it's an attraction anyone visiting Salzburg should surely not miss.

Although Markus Sittikus was known to be a bit of a prankster, Hellbrunn's trick fountains are not the only features to enjoy at his "pleasure palace." Water also powers five impressive displays of movable figurines (also known as automats) within small grottos that depict scenes from Greek and Roman myths and move to a rhythm, much like the automatons at a Disney World ride. Impressively, however, they don't require any electricity. It's hard to believe the site's creators had the technology to power movable displays like these, but apparently all you needed to have a good time in the 17th century was some expertly designed cogs and water wheels.

A more recent addition was made over a hundred years after the palace was built: a mechanical theater and a 35-pipe organ that's still functional today, nearly 300 years after it was made. The organ consists of a rotating wooden roller that can play three pieces of music, including one composition by famous Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The mechanical theater was constructed in the opulent Baroque style and sports 142 movable (and 21 immovable) figurines that depict court life several centuries ago. Look for the beautiful mini palace, bustling city streets, and quirky dancing bear (which is also powered by water). Note that these features aren't the only things that make Hellbrunn special — it's also the home of the pavilion where Liesl and Franz met in the film "The Sound of Music." It's no wonder this spectacular, history-rich site attracts over 450,000 visitors every year.