The palace was originally supposed to be called “Villa Waldruh”, but a different name was ultimately chosen. It was built by Emperor Franz Joseph I for his wife Empress Elisabeth in the French and Italian Renaissance style. The architect was Carl von Hasenauer, who realized the villa in the imperial hunting grounds. We explain the background to the palace and how you can visit it today.
The story behind the dream castle
The castle was planned and built in the 1880s. It was finally ready for occupancy in 1886. The idea behind the construction was that Sissi would spend more time in Vienna if she had a nice place to stay. She was also the one who gave the villa the nickname “Castle of Dreams”. Every year from the completion of the building until Elisabeth’s death in 1898, she spent some time in May or June at the villa, around which a park was created until 1890.
A statue dedicated to the villa’s final name was erected in this park in 1888. It was commissioned by Sissi and created from white marble by the Berlin sculptor Ernst Herter. Hermes, the messenger of the gods, was to guard the villa and gave it the name “Hermesvilla”. The castle was sold in 1911 and finally became the property of the Republic of Austria in 1937. During the Second World War, the Soviets plundered the villa. In the 1970s, it was gradually opened to the public.
Disney and the Hermes Villa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4m6xuwy-YU
In 1962, director Arthur Hiller made the Disney-produced film “Flight of the White Stallions”, which was shot in Vienna. The film is about the rescue of the Lipizzaner stallions from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna by the Austrian officer and Olympic rider Alois Podhajsky. He is played in the film by Robert Taylor. The stables of the Hermesvilla served as the location for the film, which was released in the USA in 1963. The film contributed significantly to the revival of interest in the Hermes Villa.
The Hermesvilla today
Today, the Hermes Villa is part of the Historical Museum, which is why you can regularly visit exhibitions here. The empress’s bedroom has been faithfully restored and the history of Franz Joseph and his wife is presented in the imperial apartments. Both original furniture and private objects belonging to the aristocratic couple provide an insight into their lives. You can visit the palace for €8.
The Hermes restaurant is also located in the building. Here you can have breakfast or enjoy Austrian cuisine from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm. Couples in love hold their wedding here with the castle of dreams as a backdrop.
The Lainzer Tiergarten, where the building is located, is now open to the public and admission is free. In addition to the animal enclosures, the zoo offers a nature trail, a forest nature trail and several playgrounds to let off steam. There is also a playground at the Hermes Villa itself. The villa and the surrounding grounds are therefore perfect for family outings, but also for those interested in culture or culinary delights.