Schloss Hetzendorf

Schloss Hetzendorf is a significant Baroque palace in Vienna's 12th district, Meidling, and today serves as the home of the city's fashion school. The building stands in southwestern Vienna on Hetzendorfer Straße, not far from the Hetzendorf S-Bahn station, and is easy to reach by public transportation. Because the palace is in constant use as a school, it can generally only be viewed from the outside. The history of the estate goes back to the 17th century, when Princess Maria Piccolomini acquired the land. Later, Count von Thun had a small hunting lodge built, which was converted into a Baroque garden palace in the early 18th century. An important turning point came in 1742, when the imperial court treasury purchased the building in order to prepare it as a residence for the Empress Dowager Elisabeth Christine.

Under Maria Theresa, the palace was expanded and remodeled in 1743 by her court architect Nikolaus Pacassi, who moved the main facade to the north and added a new palace chapel. The estate later served Emperor Joseph II as an occasional residence, and in the 19th century it was a popular imperial guesthouse for distinguished visitors such as the German crown prince and princess or the Shah of Persia. Despite a bomb hit at the end of World War II, much of the valuable Baroque interior survived because it had been moved to salt mines in time. Since 1946, the City of Vienna has leased the palace for its fashion school, and it has owned it since 1987.

Inside you will find remarkable state rooms, including a central banquet hall with frescoes and a gallery of mirrors displaying portraits of Maria Theresa and her family. Particularly noteworthy are the Japanese Room, designed in the 1740s, and the writing room used by Zita, the last empress. The palace also houses the Hetzendorf Palace Church, which is dedicated to the Holy Trinity and features frescoes by Daniel Gran. Behind the palace lies Hetzendorf Palace Park, where the fashion school holds its annual fashion show. Part of the park is open to the public, while the less significant rooms of the complex are used for classes.