Kaiservilla, Bad Ischl, Austria

The Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl was the summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sisi. Originally the palace was a Biedermeier villa belonging to a Viennese notary named Josef August Eltz. In 1850 it was purchased by Dr Eduard Mastalier. After Franz Joseph's engagement to Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria in 1853, Franz Joseph's mother, Princess Sophie of Bavaria, purchased the villa as a wedding present for the couple.

In subsequent years, the villa was altered and expanded in a Neoclassical style by Antonio Legrenzi. The extant central portion was expanded towards the park and the originally posterior portion of the house was converted to form the entrance with Classical columns and tympana. Two additional wings were constructed.

The villa is surrounded by a large park in the English Style. The architectural ensemble in its contemporary form was completed in 1860. Construction was significantly slowed by the fact that it could not proceed during the summer months due to the presence of the royal family.

Today, the mansion is home to the Archduke Markus Habsburg, but also offers grounds tours to the public.

References:

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User Reviews

Pia B. (5 years ago)
Worth a visit. However it’s quite expensive and the guide tour is quite long.

joseph adams (5 years ago)
Lovely summer vacation house for the Emperor and Empress Sisi. Not as grand and impressive as his Schonbrünn Palace but that's the point to get away from the work. The village is very handsome too.

Kelly Thickett-Ward (5 years ago)
This museum is beautiful x still occupied by the descendants of the kaiser family. Enriched with history and the place where it was that the document was signed to start the first world war

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