Vieler Herren Häuser Staffel IV (Austria's Noble Mansions Season IV)

01 Palais Fries-Palavicini in Vienna | Visiting Edoardo Pallavicini

A special insight into the life of nobleman Edoardo Pallavicini shows us his world

One is rarely enough invited to a famous palace and experiences what is hidden behind the closed doors. How could a noble landlord live in a palace that is qualified and well known only for elegant balls? Where and how does he live in such a magnificent building?
First, the documentary tells us about historical peculiarities of a magnificent Viennese building, looking behind the behind the scenes. The landlord personally opens the doors to his daily activities. Karel Hohenlohe, being accompanied by the most elegant noble landlord of Vienna, discovers what is hidden in the heart of the mysterious Palais Pallavicini. A cinematic journey from the cellar to the splendid rooms of the Pallavicini, during which the diversity of the colorful neighborhood of the famous house is also presented.

A film by Gigga Neunteufel

02 Greillenstein Castle in Lower Austria | Visiting Kuefstein Family

For half a millennium, this Waldviertel Renaissance castle has been owned by the same family. The Kuefsteins are happy to open their doors to visitors - and demonstrate the lifestyle and traditions of the historic noble family. The highlight is the medieval courtroom, in which all criminal records are still preserved! Grillparzer's "Ahnfrau" is still hanging on the wall scaring the guests with its presence.
Our expert for historic manor houses in Austria, Kari Hohenlohe, speaks with the castle manager Elisabeth Kuefstein, one of the great-great-granddaughters of the Empress Sisi, the actual castle owner Andreas Kuefstein and their daughters Marie-Carolin and Marie-Amelie as well as the the next inheritor of the castle Greillenstein, their son Karl.

A film by Susanne Pleisnitzer

03 Burg Heidenreichstein in Lower Austria | Visitng Nette Kinsky

In the northern Waldviertel, near the Czech border, one of the best-preserved and most impressive moated castles in Central Europe is located in the market town of Heidenreichstein. Since the middle of the 20th century, the castle is owned by the Kinsky family. Netty Kinsky grew up in Heidenreichstein together with her siblings. For them, the castle is still home and retreat, combining many beautiful memories locked in the old walls, including the old super 8 films with their father Christian Kinsky that we overtook for our production.

Kari Hohenlohe is guided by Netty Kinsky through the history of the family and the rooms of the castle. He encounters prominent personalities from the family such as Maria von Ebner-Eschenbach, Bertha von Suttner and above all Rudolf von der Straten, the first head of the Spanish Riding School after 1918. There was also Straten, who inherited the castle from his friend, Landislaus Pallfy, after World War II. He passed it to his daughter, Netty Kinsky's mother, who married Christian Kinsky, who was expelled from the Czech Republic.

A film by Martin Vogg

04 Rohrau Castle in Lower Austria | Visiting Waldburg-Zeil Couple

The small Lower Austrian town of Rohrau, located on the border with Slovakia and Burgenland, is best known as the birthplace of Joseph Haydn. The Renaissance castle near Haydn's birthplace has been owned by the Harrach family since the beginning of the 16th century. Visitors to the castle come mainly to see the Harrach family collection. It is well known for its baroque masterpieces far beyond the borders of Austria.

Kari Hohenlohe visits the present owner of the castle, the farmer Johannes Waldburg-Zeil and his wife Ursula. Johannes Waldburg-Zeil is the grandson of Stephanie Harrach, who sold the palace of the family at the Freyung after the war to save the run-down farming and the completely ruined castle in Rohrau after fleeing from the Czech Republic. Johannes Waldburg-Zeil Even grew up in Rohrau and is thus closely linked with the place and the community since his childhood.

The couple Waldburg-Zeil grants Kari Hohenlohe an insight into their diverse activities, which go far beyond agriculture, and their contribution to preserving this cultural and historical jewel in the 21st century. In addition to the museum, he visits the private workshop, the concert and event hall as well as the tower that was completely destroyed during the war and has not yet been erected. We also accompany Johannes Waldburg-Zeil climbing one of the wind turbines in its fields for the first time to experience the amazing view over the castle via the Leithaau.

A film by Martin Vogg

05 Loosdorf Castle in Lower Austria | Visiting Piatti Family

If one hears the name Loosdorf, one always thinks of the market town situated by the West Motorway. There is also a small village with a castle in the northern Weinviertel region, which is mentioned for the first time as Veste Lostorff in the 12th century. It owes its current appearance to the Liechtenstein family, who transformed the castle into a model agricultural estate. Since 1834, Loosdorf Castle has been owned by the Piatti family, who manages the fields and forests around the castle.

Kari Hohenlohe visits Alfons Piatti, a pioneer of organic agriculture in Austria and co-founder of bio austria, and his wife Verena Piatti, who not only looks after the castle and the castle museum, but is also an astrologer and therapist working with Bach and Australian bush flowers as well as singing bowls. However, Karl Hohenlohe also meets their daughter Magdalena, who filmed the video at Schloss Loosdorf for her song "It's too late". She connects many beautiful childhood memories with the business-oriented present of the building. In her childhood she learnt not only from playing in the Schlossbrunnen and among the museums, but also participated in cleaning up the splinters of the impressive porcelain collection, which today, by chance, is brought back to life.

A film by Martin Vogg