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| Schloss Hof Palace |
At
Schloss Hof it’s ‘The Year of Prince Eugene’, its former resident. Found near
the Austria/Slovakia border, the palace grounds stretch over 50 hectares of land in
eastern Austria, and have been called one of the most beautiful Baroque
buildings in the world.
The palace was built initially in the
1720s as a country home and decadent hunting lodge for the extremely rich and
very successful art lover, Prince Eugene of Savoy. Due to the wealth and status
of its occupant, the building’s architect was really able to use his
imagination. Though an extra story has been added since, and new owners have
somewhat redecorated, the palace still possesses much of its original
splendour.
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| Schloss Hof Palace interior |
This said,
the palace was allowed to fall into disrepair, and it is known that soldiers
lived here along with their horses during the late 19th century and
that this did little to protect the Baroque artistry. When the grounds became a
training location for the Imperial and Royal Army, all the furniture was
removed as well. But not to worry, you will find this scattered around numerous
other Austrian palaces.
It was not until 2005 that restoration of Austria’s largest rural palace to its former glory was complete enough to allow visitors in. The restoration was a large and expensive project that used the original paintings and etchings of the palace to guide its work. Since, it has been a popular spot for those interested in Austrian history and Baroque culture. It even appears on a special honorary coin, ‘The Schlosshoff Castle Coin’. You could spend an entire afternoon here exploring the grounds; the palace hosts a magnificent Christmas market, is home to many animals, and has managed to hang on to an authentic imperial feel.
It was not until 2005 that restoration of Austria’s largest rural palace to its former glory was complete enough to allow visitors in. The restoration was a large and expensive project that used the original paintings and etchings of the palace to guide its work. Since, it has been a popular spot for those interested in Austrian history and Baroque culture. It even appears on a special honorary coin, ‘The Schlosshoff Castle Coin’. You could spend an entire afternoon here exploring the grounds; the palace hosts a magnificent Christmas market, is home to many animals, and has managed to hang on to an authentic imperial feel.
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| Schloss Hof Palace from above |
Definitely
well worth setting a couple of hours aside to visit if you are ever in this
part of Austria.
*** Photo credits : www.schlosshof.at ***
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