About magnificent Vienna's palaces that we pass by every day, but could hardly given access to
There are places here in Vienna that have a very special charisma and give the feeling of being able to tell more than the history books could ever do. In search of exactly these places, we explore the hidden palaces of this city together with Kari Hohenlohe.
3 palaces that couldn't be more different. Fortunately, as if by a miracle - but also due to the foresight of their residents - these houses were spared from destruction and decay and that is why we are lucky that they can trust us with their stories and secrets.
Co-production | Clever Contents and ORF III
Funded | Vienna Film Fund
Genre | documentation
Director | Gigga Neunteufel, Susanne Pleisnitzer and Nina Dallos
Production manager I Saskia Netousek
Cut I Oliver Capuder and Marcus Gotzmann
Length | 3 x 45 minutes
Year of production I 2021
First broadcast | February 1, 8 and 15, 2022 In the “Heritage Austria” series on ORF III
episode 1 - Ringstrasse Palace Königswarter, Wilczek Palace and Hungarian embassy
“Just come in, grandfather was already there,” is how the lawyer Franz Markus Nestl greets Habsburg guests in his office in the Ringstrasse Palace Königswarter. Until 1940, “the lady,” Katharina Schratt, resided on the first floor in several hundred square meters and received her soul friend, Emperor Franz Joseph, here. This is just one highlight for a start of the ORF III Heritage Austria series about hidden Viennese palaces - magnificent buildings that we pass every day, but into which hardly anyone has access. Many houses are now privately owned or used as embassies. In addition to the Königswarter, Karl Hohenlohe also visited the Wilczek Palace, which is still occupied by the family, and the Hungarian embassy on Bankgasse in the center of Vienna. D: Susanne Pleisnitzer
episode 2 - Palais Lamberg, Starhemberg Palace and the City palace of Prince Eugene
The secret of Maria Theresia's husband still seems to be hidden behind the simple facade of the Palais Lamberg on Vienna's Wallnerstrasse. In the shadow of the Hofburg, Franz Stefan von Lorraine built his business empire at this address, while he left the government work to his wife. Karl Hohenlohe takes us into this hidden palace in the episode two. His journey in this program also takes us to the Palais Starhemberg, the headquarters of today's Ministry of Education: the legendary Rüdiger Count Starhemberg lived here during the second siege of Vienna by the Ottomans. We also go to Prince Eugene's city palace, now the seat of the Ministry of Finance. D: Gigga Neunteufel
episode 3 - Archduke Wilhelm Palace, Razumofsky Palace and French Embassy
To this day, the Palais Erzherzog Wilhelm, better known as the Deutschmeisterpalais, remains an almost unknown jewel. The palace reveals how magnificently Archduke Wilhelm lived and how he spent his money. Luckily he didn't waste it on vices like wine, women and singing and left us a magnificent decorations for it. Despite all the renovations, the building still shines today as it did back then.
The magnificent building of the Palais Rasumofsky not far from the Rochusmarkt and Danube Canal in the 3rd district cannot be compared with the old city palaces on the ring. The owners have succeeded in reinterpreting the house. On the one hand they have preserved the historical form, on the other hand they have set contemporary accents. But the biggest surprise is that one of the most important private art collections in Europe is hidden under this roof.
The French embassy is located on Schwarzenbergplatz. The house was conceived as a manifesto of modernity, conceived and furnished in the Art Nouveau style. For a long time the building was described as an eyesore. The pompous Schwarzenbergplatz was considered to have been defaced forever. Today the extraordinary palace still can be admired. D: Nina Dallos
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