Description
The former hunting lodge of Prince Eugene and Maria Theresa is only three kilometres away from Schloss Hof Estate and a genuine insider’s tip. It radiates a unique fascination of its own, with all the charm of a French chateau de plaisier. Delicate Chinese murals adorn the walls of the banqueting hall, meanwhile, the authentically furnished Game Kitchen awaits with rustic Baroque cosiness and intimacy. Annually changing special exhibitions take place from mid-March to mid-November.
Prince Eugene of Savoy’s private residential jewel
Ernst Rüdiger Count von Starhemberg commissioned Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach around 1693 to design a small hunting lodge. In 1726 Prince Eugene of Savoy purchased Schloss Niederweiden and commissioned a spacious garden to be laid out east of the building. This rococo-type garden already manifests the new trend in horticultural design: whereas Schloss Hof embodies the strict symmetry of the Baroque era, here playful irregularities are a formative principle of the planning.
Remodelling under Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa purchased Schloss Niedeerweiden and Schloss Hof from Prince Eugene’s heirs in 1755 and presented it to her spouse as a gift. In 1765 she commissioned Nikolaus von Pacassi to remodel the building. The oval hall with its new domed ceiling was adorned with illusionistic murals by Jean-Baptiste Pillement, with their motifs of exotic plants, birds and Oriental-type musicians. Today Schloss Niederweiden is used as permanent venue for exhibitions. Also a must-see is the annexed Baroque Game Kitchen with historically authentic furnishings and equipment.
SPECIAL EXHIBITION 2025 - Special Exhibition – Eugene of Savoy: The Man behind the Prince
PUBLIC TRANSPORT from Vienna
Information: www.schlosshof.at
