The Waagplatz is located at the end of Judengasse and merges with Mozart Square. It was used as a hay market in the 15th century and as a bread market after 1430. The name "Waagplatz" is derived from the public scales set up on the square used to weigh grain during the Middle Ages.
The buildings and their history
The courthouse was located at Waagplatz 1 from 1328 to 1407. Public executions took place in front of this building in Salzburg's early days. The pillory is still mentioned at this site in 1590, moving to Griesgasse at the beginning of the 17th century. The first tavern was opened at this location around 1500. The building burned down in 1635 and was reduced to a restaurant and inn whose name changed several times over the years: in 1564 it is simply referred to as the tavern, in 1647 as the "Haus beim Mohrenkopf" and in 1881 as the "Gasthof zum Erzherzog Karl." The freestanding building boasts a monumental mural named "Sowings and Harvest" by Karl Reisenbichler (1928) on the side facing Waagplatz.
The Schafferhaus at Waagplatz 1a and 2 with its two courtyard wings and rear building was mainly built during the 16th century. Its three-story arcades are a striking work of architecture. The present-day façade was designed around 1860. The poet, Georg Trakl, was born in this building on February 3, 1887 as the youngest of 13 children born to a Protestant family of Hungarian origin. Today the Traklhaus houses a museum and memorial to the famous poet.
The Waaghaus at Waagplatz 3 was probably the oldest courthouse in Salzburg prior to 1328. The municipal court was once known as the "Schranne." The building also accommodated the city's main scales and was owned by the city of Salzburg until 1815. The centrally-located weighing house gave the square its name. The present-day building originated in the 17th century, although the façade design is early 19th century.
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