On this very site, centuries ago, roamed lions, tigers, and even Vienna’s first elephant! Welcome to Schloss Kaiserebersdorf, a place with a history as grand and varied as its architecture. Schloss Kaiserebersdorf started its life as a fortified castle, gifted by Emperor Barbarossa in 1162. Over the centuries, it changed hands, endured sieges, and was even captured by the troops of Matthias Corvinus in 1485. But Schloss Kaiserebersdorf’s story really took a turn when it fell into the hands of the Habsburgs. Emperor Maximilian I, in 1499, saw the potential of this strategic location. He transformed it from a simple castle into a magnificent Renaissance-style hunting lodge and pleasure palace. Imagine the grandeur of the court during those years! His grandson, Emperor Maximilian II, further enhanced Schloss Kaiserebersdorf by establishing the first menagerie in Europe here. This wasn’t just any zoo. This was a collection of exotic animals unlike anything Vienna had ever seen. Sadly, the menagerie was later moved to Schönbrunn Palace. Schloss Kaiserebersdorf, however, continued to be a witness to history. It served as a military hospital, a barracks, and even a prison. Today, while still a functioning prison, the legacy of Schloss Kaiserebersdorf echoes through its imposing structure, a silent testament to the emperors, animals, and events that shaped its destiny.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to