Picture this Schloss Klessheim bathed in the warm Austrian sun. Its baroque facade gleams. The Triton Fountain sparkles. This isn’t just any palace. It’s a story etched in stone. A tale of prince-archbishops and emperors.
Schloss Klessheim began as a modest manor house. Prince-Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun had bigger plans. He envisioned a summer residence. A palace of pleasure. He commissioned the renowned architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Construction began in 1700. The design was inspired by north Italian Mannerist style. It was called Lustschloss Favorita.
Unfortunately Archbishop Thun died in 1709. Work stalled. His successor wasn’t interested. It wasn’t until Archbishop Leopold Anton von Firmian that construction resumed. He completed the palace in 1732. He scaled back the original plans though. The result still boasts a magnificent ceremonial hall. There’s an extended terrace and ramp to the gardens. The impressive Triton Fountain stands guard. Paolo d’Allio and Diego Francesco Carlone created the stunning interior stucco work. Following Fischer von Erlach’s designs of course.
Later in the 18th century an English landscape park was added. After Salzburg’s secularization in 1803 Schloss Klessheim passed to the Habsburgs. Archduke Ludwig Viktor made it his home. He expanded the palace. He employed Heinrich von Ferstel the architect. He died there in 1919. His heirs sold it to the Austrian state.
During the Nazi era Schloss Klessheim had a darker role. Hitler used it for conferences. He hosted Mussolini Horthy Antonescu Tiso and Pavelić. Here in 1944 he secretly ordered Operation Margarethe. This led to the deportation of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz. There was even an assassination attempt on Hitler here. It failed.
After the war Schloss Klessheim was restored. It hosted international guests. Richard Nixon met Bruno Kreisky here in 1972. Since 1993 it’s been home to the Salzburg Casino.
Today you stand before a building with a rich and complex past. It’s witnessed grandeur and tragedy. It’s a testament to Austrian history. From its baroque beginnings to its modern casino. Schloss Klessheim continues to captivate. It is a truly unforgettable place.