Shells wanted for Renaissance grotto – salzburg.ORF.at
The administration of the castles and palaces is calling for shells to be sent that are lying around at home and are not needed. The “Dietrichsruh” or “Hercules-Grotte” from the Renaissance urgently needs a renovation. Many of the compound shell flowers have long since ceased to be what they once magnificently represented.
Can’t find shell replenishment from earlier
As early as the 1950s, the people of Salzburg were called upon to go to the Adriatic Sea and collect as many shells as possible. They were then handed in in Salzburg, says Birgit Meixner from the administration of Salzburg Castles and Palaces: “Unfortunately, they were never used at the time. We looked for them to see if they were stored somewhere, but we didn’t find anything. We now need the help of the people of Salzburg again.”
Small triangular mussels – the so-called “Donax trunculus” – are in particularly high demand. Larger shells that are light on the inside – with sizes of up to six centimeters – would be important for this. A total of about seven kilograms are required.
“No fresh collections”
The mussels should not be newly collected for the project on the Adriatic. This is now banned in many places, says restaurateur Josef Voithofer: “You can understand relatively exactly what it originally looked like. Because the negative imprints are still there in the setting mass.”
Cave for the lust for life of the Renaissance
The grotto was built in the 16th century as a “great spectacle” – as part of an exotic garden, says Eva Hody from the Federal Monuments Office in Salzburg: “It was an open arcade where you could sit and look at the garden. In grottos you could introspect, here water, light and the connection to earth played a role.”
Little of that can be seen in our days. With good lighting and newly gilded shells, that should change. The grotto should be fully restored in autumn.
Details of the mussels you are looking for:
Shells can still be sent to the Alte Residenz up until August – well packaged and with the sender, as the team emphasizes. Address:
Administration of the Salzburg Castles and Palaces, Residenzplatz 1, 5020 Salzburg.
Invitation to the Ruperti Kirtag as a thank you
Suppliers receive small gifts in return: there is a “Ruperti Kirtag package” for the first 50 packages of mussels. The Old Town Association provides tokens for the carousel and other rides. Stiegl sponsors food and drinks.