Elisabeth of Austria's Hermesvilla
Subtitle: refuge of a restless spirit
By: Michaela Lindinger ; translation, Kirsty Jane Falconer
Contributors: Falconer, Kirsty Jane, translator
Publisher: Residenz Verlag; Wien Museum
Published: 2020
Place of publication: Salzburg]; [Wien]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 144
ISBN-13: 9783701735167
Copyright date: 2020
Subjects: Homes and haunts; Palaces; History; Buildings, structures; Buildings; Homes; Hermesvilla (Vienna, Austria)
Other titles: Refuge of a restless spirit
Work titles: Kaiserin Elisabeths Hermesvilla
Description: Idyllically nestled into the former imperial hunting grounds, now the Lainzer Tiergarten, lies the 'Palace of Dreams', as Empress Elisabeth once called her villa. Emperor Franz Joseph had it built as a present to her, in the hope that it would encourage his wife to travel less and spend more time in Vienna. The romantic villa was realised during a comparatively short construction period by the architect Karl von Hasenauer, famous for his numerous buildings along the Ringstrasse. In style, the building was inspired by the country houses of Austria's upper classes. A statue of Hermes, Greek god of travellers and the deceased, holds a prominent position in the garden and gave the villa its name. What relationship did the restless Empress have to her hideaway in the imperial hunting grounds? Which style elements, a subject close to Elisabeth's heart, did she immortalise in the Hermesvilla? In her salient portrayal, Michaela Lindinger, curator at Wien Museum and Elisabeth researcher, offers a key to understanding this important Viennese 'cult site'.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (page 142).