Villa Wertheimstein

The Villa Wertheimstein in Vienna's Döbling district is now the district museum and once housed the famous salon of Josephine von Wertheimstein and her daughter Franziska. Originally known as the Tullnerhof, the building was acquired in 1833 by the industrialist Rudolf von Arthaber, who had it converted into a Biedermeier villa to house his painting collection. After Arthaber's death, the Wertheimsteins bought the property and turned it into a meeting place for liberal-minded figures. The poet Ferdinand von Saar was a particularly favored guest and kept up an intensive correspondence with the family for decades. The historic salon has been preserved in its original state. In 1907, Franziska von Wertheimstein bequeathed the house and the park named after her to the City of Vienna.