Costs too high

Festival has to save one floor

Lukas Crepaz inspects the Festival Center, which is currently under construction.(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

Inflation is also taking its toll on the major construction project. Plans therefore had to be changed in some places. For example, an entire floor of the planned building in the Mönchsberg has been omitted.

At first glance, you might not associate second-hand with the Salzburg Festival. However, where international guests spend millions of euros every year on cultural enjoyment, the value of reusable items is increasingly being discovered behind the scenes. For example, not only are costumes being reused several times, but the "Festival District 2030" construction project has also been cut back.

The first construction phase is underway(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

"Due to the insane price increases, we have looked at what we can redimension. We have now saved a total of 50 million euros," explains Lukas Crepaz, Commercial Director of the Salzburg Festival.

This is where the new Festival Center is being built(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

For example, consideration was given to which existing space can still be used in its current form. This means that fewer new walls and concrete are needed overall. The elimination of one storey of the planned building in the Mönchsberg creates more room in the budget. The first phase of the conversion is set to cost 400 million euros. A further 80 million is earmarked for the second phase.

Mega crane is erected in the middle of the night 
The first construction phase of the mega project is already underway. This includes the construction of the Festival Center on Herbert-von-Karajan-Platz and the renovation of the Schüttkasten. The next step will be the installation of a transformer station in the Directorium wing and the installation of a cooling station opposite the Neutor. This means that the theater can continue to operate during the renovation work.

A gantry crane is erected in front of the Sigmundstor. The road will be built over for this. Traffic will then flow in one lane underneath.

Thomas Dürnberger, Projektleiter STRABAG

Bild: Tschepp Markus

While these steps are taking place behind the scenes, there will also be a major visual change in the coming week: "A portal crane will be erected in front of Sigmundstor on Tuesday night. The road will be built over for this. Traffic will then continue to flow in one lane underneath," explains Thomas Dürnberger from the construction company.