The Residenzplatz was laid out from 1587 onwards at the behest of Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, after he ordered the abandonment of the cemetery of the former monastery that previously lay to the north of Salzburg Cathedral. Remnants of the medieval cemetery were recently discovered underneath the square's surface. Raitenau also had a large number of private houses demolished to provide space. Then called Hauptplatz (Main Square), the new public plaza coincided with the reconstruction of Salzburg Cathedral, according to plans laid out by the Italian architect Vincenzo Scamozzi.
