Follow the traces of aristocratic life at the Liechtenstein CITY PALACE and GARDEN PALACE
Explore aristocratic life in Vienna off the beaten path. The Liechtenstein CITY PALACE and GARDEN PALACE are exclusively accessible via public or private guided tours, giving you and your travel companions a chance to dive deep into the life and history of aristocratic Vienna. You will be given an unforgettable encounter with unique works of art and a collection tradition that spans more than 500 years.
Plan your visit: Public guided tours are held on Fridays twice a month, and registration is required. While the tours are in German, English audio guides are available for free. Private guided tours in several languages are available on request.
Conveniently located in the city centre, the Liechtenstein CITY PALACE sits behind the Burgtheater. The Princely House of Liechtenstein, one of Europe’s oldest noble families, used to reside in one of Vienna’s most lavish palaces. The Liechtenstein CITY PALACE was first purchased by Prince Johann Adam Andreas I von Liechtenstein at the end of the 17th century and transformed into the city’s foremost example of High Baroque architecture.
Today, you can walk two floors of breath-taking staterooms: silk wall coverings pop in saturated blues and reds, elaborate gilding covers almost every inch of the ballroom, and heavy chandeliers dangle from Baroque stucco ceilings.
Your guided tour serves as an opulent showcase of the Princely Family’s economic power in Austria, which hasn’t subsided. Between 2008 and 2013, the House of Liechtenstein undertook the capital’s most comprehensive restoration in recent years. Roughly 150,000 pieces of gold leaf were used to refurbish the palace’s gilding, weighing in at 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms).
Even the palace flooring tells stories of Viennese history. Famed cabinet maker Michael Thonet installed his precious parquet in the 19th century, and today they are conserved by precise humidity and temperature regulation.
Another rarity can be found on the CITY PALACE’s walls: A selection of masterpieces from the private art collection of the Prince von und zu Liechtenstein. Neoclassical and Biedermeier masterpieces by Amerling and Waldmüller round out the stylistic mix, which was typical in 1800s Austria.
Liechtenstein GARDEN PALACE hides in plain sight: it’s an oasis of manicured gardens and stunning architecture in one of Vienna’s cosiest neighbourhoods, just north of Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse boulevard in the 9th district.
The Liechtenstein GARDEN PALACE, named for its manicured gardens, is one of Vienna’s most opulent and under-the-radar destinations for lavish Baroque architecture. Prince Johann Adam Andreas I von Liechtenstein commissioned the palace around 1700 and took inspiration from the lush imagery of classical Italian art.
One of the first things you encounter on the ground level of the palace is the Golden Carriage inside the Sala Terrena. Underneath a frescoed arcade hall, the opulent French Rococo vehicle shines in illustrious gilding. The carriage is part of the Princely Collection, which finds a fitting home inside the astonishing palace. Works by van Dyck, Raphael, Rembrandt, and Rubens are on view one level above, along with the Badminton Cabinet, the most expensive piece of furniture ever auctioned.
Another highlight on the second floor is Hercules Hall, a ballroom-sized space with ceiling frescoes depicting the Greek hero’s admittance to Olympus. The ceiling was completed between 1704 and 1708 and has been preserved to its original Baroque colouration— marvel at the marble columns and the larger-than-life paintings along the walls.
Finally, visit the palace’s Princely Library, a grand, wood-panelled room holding around 100,000 volumes from the 15th to the 19th centuries.
In 2022, the exhibition series MARCH at the PALACE celebrated its inaugural year. This annual special exhibition, from the 1st to the 31st of March, focuses on princely personalities, the history of princely collecting, new acquisitions, selected aspects of the collections, or new contextual perspectives. Entry is free of charge.
Walking across the part-French-Baroque, part-English garden towards the pale-yellow complex, the Mediterranean influence will be apparent. The gorgeous garden is open throughout the day to visitors and locals who want to relax in flower beds.
What better way to end the exploration of the two palaces than immersing with a few glasses of wine in an oasis of calm? Enjoy the unique atmosphere, delicious wines and culinary delights in the wine bar at the Liechtenstein GARDEN PALACE.
Discover a selection of the finest wines from the Hofkellerei of the Prince of Liechtenstein and well-known friends, selected culinary specialities, excellent coffee and homemade pastries.
