Did you know that this elegant villa once housed a princess? Welcome to Villa Windischgrätz a late Biedermeier villa dating back to the first half of the 19th century. It’s more than just a pretty building though. This seemingly quiet place holds a fascinating history.
Originally built perhaps for the Lederer-Trattner family the villa served as a summer residence. Its humble beginnings contrast sharply with its later inhabitants. In 1899 August Ritter von Miller-Aichholz expanded the villa adding a new staircase terrace and loggia. He also updated the facades.
Then in 1929 Princess Elisabeth Marie Windischgrätz purchased the villa. She was the daughter of Austria’s Crown Prince Rudolf and granddaughter of Emperor Franz Joseph. This extraordinary woman transformed the villa. She filled it with precious furniture from her former residence Schloss Schönnau and her apartment in Vienna’s Marxergasse. She also loved the large park. It boasted silver firs cedars chestnut trees and a very old blood beech tree. The grounds were truly magnificent a sight to behold.
Unfortunately the villa’s glory days were interrupted by World War II. Russian soldiers occupied the villa. After the war French General Béthouart took up residence. The villa was requisitioned and not released until 1955. Princess Elisabeth Marie and her second husband the socialist politician Leopold Petznek had to renovate the building. After her death in 1963 the magnificent interior furnishings were sold. Some pieces went to Austrian museums.
The Vienna municipality acquired the villa in 1966. It was then used to house the Municipal Scientific Documentation Center. Today the villa stands as a testament to the layers of history that have shaped Vienna. Its stately façade with a prominent central section and a garden-side relief depicting Venus and Adonis whispers stories of princesses politicians and the changing times of Vienna. The villa remains a remarkable sight. Despite the changes the building still retains some of its original Empire stucco original windows a Rococo fireplace and several doors. A reminder that even amidst urban development history perseveres. And so does the elegant Villa Windischgrätz.