35 Palaces to Visit in Vienna


Vienna never fails to capture the romantic imagination of anyone. Frederic Chopin thought Vienna is a “handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.” Dubbed by Niki Lauda as the “gate to Eastern Europe,” Vienna is a melting pot of civilization and culture, an unforgettable place that Sandor Marai “wanted to see it again…” Indeed, a visit to the imperial city is never complete without a stop-over in Vienna’s palaces so majestic that no words could best describe its surreal grandeur. Here’s a list of Vienna’s imposing palaces that are worth checking out.

Albertina

The Albertina

The Albertina, now a museum of over a million old master prints and drawings, was built as on one of the last remaining sections of the fortifications of Vienna, the Augustinian Bastion. It was later acquired by Archduke Albert, Duke of Teschen in the late 18th century, bringing with him his graphics collection from Brussels.

Albertinaplatz 1, Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 53483

Palais Auersperg

Palais Auersperg

The palace was originally the winter residence of Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen until Prince Johann Adam of Auersperg, friend and confidant of Emperor Francis I and Maria Theresa, bought the palace. It remained in the possession of the family until 1945.

Auerspergstraße 1, Josefstadt, Vienna Austria
Phone: +43 1 40107

Palais Augarten

Palais Augarten

Constructed in the late 17th century the palace and gardens were expanded in the 19th century on the order of Emperor Franz Joseph I. It survived World War II and is now the home and rehearsal space of the Vienna Boys' Choir. The palace’s 130-acre park is the oldest Baroque garden in the Austrian capital.

Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria.
Phone:+43 1 2144757

Palais Bartolotti-Partenfeld

Palais Bartolotti-Partenfeld

A city-palace originally built for the Bartolotti noble family and later bought by the Partenfeld family.

Graben 11, 1010 Vienna-Innere Stadt, Austria

Belvedere

Upper Belvedere

Lower Belvedere
The complex consists of two Baroque palaces, the Upper and Lower Belvedere, as well as the orangery, and the palace stable. Built for Prince Eugene of Savoy, it was later acquired by Empress Maria Theresa and later served as home of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Prinz Eugen-Straße 27, 1030 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 79557134

Palais Coburg

Palais Coburg
Now an opulent hotel, it was once owned by the Kohary branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Coburgbastei 4, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Phone:+43 1 518180

Deutschmeister-Palais

Deutschmeister Palais

Designed as the residence for Archduke Wilhelm Franz of Austria, then the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights (Deutschmeister), the building  was the seat of the Viennese SS headquarters and now houses the offices of OPEC Fund for International Development.

Parking 8, Vienna, Austria

Episcopal Palace

Episcopal Palace, Vienna

The Episcopal Palace is the seat of the archbishop of Vienna. The structure dates back to the middle ages but its current appearance originates from the baroque period.

Near St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna

Palais Epstein

Palais Epstein


Built for business magnate Gustav Ritter von Epstein it was sold later to avoid bankruptcy and served various official purposes. It was restored in  the early 2000s and now houses the branch of nearby Parliament. Guided tours are available.

Dr.-Karl-Renner-Ring 3, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 401100

Palais Eskeles

Palais Eskeles

Owned by the Jewish noble Eskeles family, it is now home to the Jewish Museum Vienna.

Innere Stadt, 1010 Vienna, Austria

 Palais Esterházy

Palais Esterhazy

Palais Esterházy is one of the many properties of the noble family. Today, the palace is known for its restaurant Esterházykeller located in the former wine cellars.

Kärntner Str. 41, 1010 Vienna-Innere Stadt, Austria

Palais Harrach

Palais Harrach


Built for the noble Harrach family, the palace was extensively restored in the late 1990s and is now leased for commercial use.

Innere Stadt, 1010 Vienna, Austria

Hermesvilla

Hermesvilla


The former hunting area for the Habsburg family, Hermesvilla is a gift of Emperor Franz Joseph to his wife Empress "Sisi." He called it a "castle of dreams" and was named after the white marble statue of Hermes. The Vienna Museum houses its special exhibitions on cultural history in the palace.

Lainzer Tiergarten, 1130 Vienna, Austria
Phone:+43 1 8041323

Hofburg Palace

Hofburg

 Built in the 13th century and subsequently expanded in the centuries that followed, Hofburg was the winter home of the Habsburgs and now forms the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria.

Michaelerkuppel, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 5337570

Hotel Imperial

Hotel Imperial

The former Palais Wurttemberg was built for Duke Philip and Duchess Marie Therese of Wurttemberg. However, the couple disliked it and the palace was sold. It was converted into a hotel in the 1870s. Among its most famous guests included Queen Elizabeth II, Charlie Chaplin, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Kärntner Ring 16, 1015 Vienna, Austria
Phone:+43 1 501100

Palais Kinsky

Palais Kinsky

Palais Kinsky was originally built for Maria Theresa's field marshal. It was later bought by the Bohemian Kinsky family. The palace is now known for auction events, shops and a restaurant.

Freyung 4, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 53337630

Palais Lobkowitz

Palais Lobkowitz

Palais Dietrichstein-Lobkowitz was owned by the noble Lobkowitz family. It is now the home of theatre museum of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Lobkowitzpl. 2, 1010 Innere Stadt, Vienna Austria

Palais Modena

Palais Modena

Built and owned by the Modena branch of the House of Habsburgs, the palace is now occupied by the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Herrengasse 7, 1010 Innere Stadt, Vienna, Austria

Palais Mollard-Clary

Palais Mollard-Clary

Palais Mollard-Clary was built in the 17th century and served as venue for Emperor Joseph II's "round tables." It is now home of the Austrian National Library, the Globe Museum, the Department of Music and the Department of Planned Languages and Esperanto Museum.

Herrengasse 9, 1010 Inner Stadt, Vienna, Austria

Neugebäude Palace

Neugebaude Palace

This large Mannerist complex was built from 1569 onwards under Emperor Maximilian II. It is believed that the site is where Sultan Suleiman set up his tent city when his forces unsuccessfully seiged Vienna in 1529. The structure is now under monumental protection and efforts were done to restore the site.

Otmar-Brix-Gasse 1, 1110 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 664 5977122

 Palais Niederösterreich

Palais Niederoesterreich

The building was successively occupied by the estates general, the state assembly and some state government ministries until 1997. After restoration, it is holds exhibitions, private functions and events.

Herrengasse 13, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 9076299

Palais Obizzi

Palais Obizzi

This small baroque palace houses the Vienna Clock Museum (Uhrenmuseum).

Schulhof 2, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Phone:+43 1 5332265

Palais Clam-Gallas

Palais Clam-Gallas
Built as the summer home of Prince Franz Joseph von Dietrichstein in 1835,  the Institut français de Vienne now occupies the structure.

Währinger Str. 30, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 50275300

Palais Pallavicini

Palais Pallavicini

The Neoclassical palace still remains in the possession of the Pallavicini family. In 1949, it was featured as Harry Lime's apartment in The Third Man and in 2013 film it served as Virgin Oldman's apartment in The Best Offer.

No. 5, Josefsplatz Place, Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 01 512 27 18

Palais Porcia

Palais Porcia

The palace in simple Rennaisance style was once the urban residence in the western quarter of the Innere Stadt of Vienna, Austria. Since 1925, it housed the Administrative Library of the Ministry of Interior.

23 Herrengasse, Vienna, Austria

Palais Rasumofsky

Palais Rasumofsky
The Neoclassic Palais Rasumofsky was commissed by Russian Ambassador Prince Andrey Kyrillovich Razumovsky. A glittering ball in 1814 was held here with no other than Czar Alexander I as the guest of honor but the palace burnt immediately after the ball. From 1852 until 2005 the building hosted the Federal Geological Office.

Rasumofskygasse 23, 1030 Vienna-Landstraße, Austria

Schloss Hetzendorf

Schloss Hetzendorf
A former hunting lodge, the palace was significantly enlarged by Empress Maria Theresa and remained in the possession of the Habsburgs until after World War I. Today it houses a fashion school.

 Hetzendorfer Str. 79, 1120 Vienna-Meidling, Austria

Schloss Neuwaldegg

Schloss Neuwaldegg

The Baroque palace with its English garden was once owned by the Schwarzenbergs before it was sold to the Archdiocese of Vienna which leases the place for different functions.

Waldegghofgasse 5, 1170 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 4859775

Schloss Wilhelminenberg

Schloss Wilhelminenberg

Archduke Leopold Salvator commissioned the building of this Second Empire palace from 1903-1908. It is now a four-star hotel, restaurant and conference facility.

Savoyenstrasse 2, 1160 Vienna, Austria
Phone:+43 1 4858503

Schönbrunn Palace

Schonbrunn

Schönbrunn Palace was the imperial summer residence of the Habsburgs until the end of the monarchy in 1918. The 1,441-room Baroque palace is not just one of the most important architectural, cultural and historical monuments in the country, it  is also one of the biggest tourist attractions in the Vienna. 

Schönbrunner Schlosstrasse 47, 1130 Vienna, Austria

Palais Schwarzenberg

Palais Schwarzenberg

The palace still remains in the hands of the Schwarzenberg family. Its ornate Marmorgalerie (marble gallery) is one of the largest features in the palace. Part of the palace is a five star hotel.

Landstrasse, 1030 Vienna, Austria
http://im-palais-schwarzenberg.viennaaustrohotel.com/en/

Stadtpalais Liechtenstein

Stadpalais Liechtenstein

This is the private residence of the  Princely Family of Liechtenstein in Vienna. The palace houses the 19th century section of the princely art collection.

 Österreich, Bankgasse 9, 1010 Vienna, Austria

Palais Todesco

Palais Todesco

Built for the aristocratic Todesco family, it served as the headquarters of the Austrian People's Party from 1947 to 1995.

Kärntner Str. 51, 1010, Vienna, Austria
Phone:+43 1 74344227859

Palais Trautson

Palais Trautson

Formerly owned by the princes of Trautson, it is now used by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice.

Museumstraße 7, 1070 Neubau, Vienna, Austria

Winter Palace of Prince Eugene

Winter Palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy

Considered "one of the most magnificent Baroque edifices in Vienna," the palace was the winter residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy and was acquired through auction by Empress Maria Theresa in 1738, together with the Belvedere.  The Federal Ministry of Finance now occupies the palace.

Himmelpfortgasse 8, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 79557134

Comments

Popular Posts