Stadtpalais Liechtenstein

The Liechtenstein City Palace in Vienna's Innere Stadt (Inner City) is considered the city's first significant High Baroque building and is still owned by the Princely House of Liechtenstein. Construction began in 1691 under the direction of Domenico Martinelli and was taken over in 1694 by Prince Johann Adam I, who designated it an entailed family estate. It was completed in 1705, and its monumental Baroque portal on Bankgasse was the first of its kind built in Vienna. The sculptural decoration is the work of Giovanni Giuliani, while the stucco was created by Santino Bussi. In the 19th century, Prince Alois II had Peter Hubert Desvignes extensively expand the building in the Second Rococo style. This interior, which includes elegant bentwood floors by Michael Thonet, floral silk wall coverings, and heavy Parisian chandeliers, shaped the character of the house, which, because of its long construction period, was popularly nicknamed the "artists' retirement home."

After suffering heavy damage in World War II and receiving only makeshift repairs in the 1950s, the palace underwent an extensive, complete renovation between 2009 and 2013. The restoration, which cost around €100 million, lastingly restored the historic building fabric and the technical installations. A three-story underground art storage facility was built beneath the courtyard. On April 9, 2013, Prince Hans Adam II formally reopened the building. Unlike a regular museum with daily visitor traffic, the palace is now opened to the public only selectively. Since May 2013, guided tours have taken place on every second Friday; the house is also rented out for events and is open during the Long Night of Museums.

In the restored rooms, you can admire above all Biedermeier artworks from the Princely Collections, displayed across 1,200 square meters. The architecture offers an impressive look at the history of the family, who moved their residence to the Principality in 1938 to avoid contact with the Nazi regime. The art collection was also taken there during the war for safekeeping, which ensured its preservation. Today, the palace combines its function as the princely house's stately residence with the chance to experience the building's magnificent furnishings and historical significance in the heart of Vienna.