Pferdeschwemme Salzburg is a historical court horses’ watering and washing place, a design by the Baroque master, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.
In fact, von Erlach’s wonderful Pferdeschwemme was part of a bigger plan that also included the nearby royal stalls.
Central to the Pferdeschwemme is a statue by Michael Bernhard Mandl, “Horse Tamer”, which, however, was originally part of the royal stalls’ facade…but later relocated here.
PHOTO: A closeup of Pferdeschwemme, which is located within Herbert-v.-Karajan-Platz. Next to the attraction, you can find Siegmundstor tunnel, the oldest road tunnel in Austria (from 1766) that goes through Mönchsberg.
PHOTO: Central to the Pferdeschwemme is the pictured “Der Rossebändiger” (“Horse Tamer”) sculpture.
The frescoes were made by Josef Ebner, who took inspiration for them from works by Florentian master Stradanus, a Medici family court artist, especially from his famous horse drawings: “Equile Ioannis austriaci Caroli V imp.f” (www.villageantiques.ch/prints/Stradanus/StadanusEquile.html) from 1580.