Whispers of baroque elegance echo from the Palais Starhemberg-Schönburg. This palace stands as a testament to Vienna’s rich history. Today the Palais Starhemberg-Schönburg serves as a sought-after event location.
Let’s delve into the story of this magnificent building. Built in 1705 and 1706 the Palais Starhemberg-Schönburg has quite a history. Gundaker Thomas Starhemberg commissioned Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt to design it. Starhemberg wished to erect a baroque palace on land his family owned since 1450. The location was then in Vienna’s suburbs.
In 1811 Joseph Nepomuk Graf Keglevich de Buzin acquired the Palais Starhemberg-Schönburg. He hired architect Franz Jäger to remodel it in the Empire style. The library hall was created during this time. The single-story side wings were expanded by one floor. Mansard roofs were replaced with tented roofs. The French garden was likely transformed into an English park.
The Schönburg-Hartenstein family purchased the Palais Starhemberg-Schönburg in 1841. They remodeled all rooms except for the magnificent library. In the 1970s ownership was divided among three heirs. Two-thirds of the shares were sold to Conti Bank. Later entrepreneurs Danek and Marian Gertner acquired them. In 1979 they became the sole owners by acquiring the last share from Caroline Schönburg-de-Laserna.
The Gertner Immobilien GmbH now owns the Palais Starhemberg-Schönburg. The Palais suffered neglect for decades. Plans to convert it into a hotel failed due to historic preservation regulations. Citizen initiatives also opposed the expansion of the side wings.
A generational change led to a comprehensive renovation in the early 21st century. The Palais Starhemberg-Schönburg was largely restored to its original condition. It was adapted as an event location. Restoration work took place from 2007 to 2008. The facade and roof were restored. The surrounding park was revitalized. The Federal Monuments Office and Vienna Old Town Preservation Fund provided financial support. Since July 2008 the Palais and its grounds have been available for events.
The Palais Starhemberg-Schönburg presents itself as an elongated rectangle. A transverse oval extends into the courtyard. The broad vestibule occupies more than a third of the palace front. It originally had three large arched gates separated by double pilasters. These have since been closed. Staircases were installed on both sides of the vestibule. They lead up to the grand hall. The steps of all staircases are made of hard Kaiserstein.
The most representative rooms are the octagonal banquet hall. It is located on the first floor. The library with its unique inlays is also on this floor. The vestibule features a double staircase. All rooms are in the Empire style. The library dates back to the early 19th century. The other rooms acquired their present form in the mid-19th century.
A two-armed staircase connects the park to the banquet hall. The staircase tapers toward the building. Two stone sphinxes from the original baroque garden remain. They flank the entrance to the property. These silent guardians are the last sentinels. They remind us of the Palais Starhemberg-Schönburg’s rich past.