The Sigmund Haffner Gasse in Salzburg's historic city center connects the Getreidegasse with the Franziskanergasse. The City Hall and Kranzlmarkt are located at the lower end and the Franciscan Church at the upper end. The street is named after the wealthy merchant, Sigmund Haffner, who served as the city's mayor from 1768 to 1772. His son was the same age as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The composer dedicated the Haffner Serenade to Sigmund Haffner's daughter for her engagement.
Historic street
Sigmund Haffner Gasse is one of Salzburg's oldest streets: it dates back to 1140 when the Franciscan Church became a parish church. Prior to 1620 the street marked the end of the burghers' town to the west to the large convent garden of St. Peter's Convent between the Collegiate Church and Karajan Square. Prominent residents on Sigmund Haffner Gasse include Archbishop Wolf Dietrich, his mistress Salome Alt and the composer Heinrich Biber.
The buildings and their history
The building at Sigmund Haffner Gasse 4 was referred to as "Linpacher's house in the milk road towards the pious gardens" as early as 1442. Hanns Guetfertinger was the building's first innkeeper in 1607. The small marble relief was designed after the miraculous image of Maria Taferl and bears the inscription "Maria Schmerzen von Tafferl 1711." The building is first referred to as the "Gasthof zum Elefanten" around 1800. The name goes back to an incident that took place in 1522. John III, King of Portugal, had given the Habsburg Prince Maximilian and his bride an elephant named Suleiman for their engagement. Maximilian stayed with Ernst, Duke of Bavaria, on his way back from Spain to Austria in 1522. The duke's provisioner, a man from Salzburg named Hans Goldeisen, was presumably permitted to gaze at the elephant. Hans Goldeisen bought the building at Sigmund Haffner Gasse 4 four years later.
The late medieval Gusettihaus at number 7 to 9 was bought under Archbishop Ernst of Bavaria in 1540 and used as a Hofbräuhaus (royal court brewery). The old vault in the cellar was probably used to store the beer.
The Ritzerhaus or Ritzerbogenhaus was first documented in 1294, as Rudbrecht Aufner bought the house. The house was also known as the Haunspergerhaus. A small gate led into St. Peter's Convent garden as early as 1620. The bookshop dates back to 1492 and is the oldest bookshop in Austria and second-oldest in the German-speaking world.
The "Collegium Rupertinum" at Sigmund Haffner Gasse 22 was donated by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau a few months prior to his death in 1653 and completely rebuilt the same year, incorporating a precursor building. The building was designed to accommodate 12 to 14 students and consecrated to St. Rupert.
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