Winter Palace of Prince Eugene

Last updated
Winter Palace of Prince Eugene
Native names
German: Winterpalais Prinz Eugen
German: Stadtpalais
Winterpalais Prinz Eugen.jpg
Location Innere Stadt, Vienna, Austria
Coordinates 48°12′20″N16°22′22″E / 48.20556°N 16.37278°E / 48.20556; 16.37278
Built1695-1724
Built for Prince Eugene of Savoy
Architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt
Architectural style(s)high-Baroque
Austria Vienna location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of Winter Palace of Prince Eugene in Vienna

The Winter Palace of Prince Eugene (German : Winterpalais Prinz Eugen), also known as the City Palace (German : Stadtpalais), is a high-Baroque palace in the Innere Stadt district of Vienna, Austria. Located on a narrow street at Himmelpfortgasse 8, the palace was used as the winter residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, who spent his summers at the Belvedere. The Winter Palace was designed and constructed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach from 1695 to 1700, and by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt from 1702 to 1724 following his predecessor's plans. [1] [2]

Contents

The palace was acquired through auction by Empress Maria Theresa for the imperial court in 1738, along with most of the prince's other buildings. In 1752, the palace was converted by Nicolò Pacassi into the seat of various state institutions. The palace housed the finance ministry of the Austrian Empire from 1848 to 1918 and the dissolution of the Habsburg Empire. Since 1919, the palace has housed the Ministry of Finance. From 2007 to 2013, the palace was extensively renovated. The Winter Palace of Prince Eugene is considered "one of the most magnificent Baroque edifices in Vienna". [3]

History

In 1694 and 1695, Prince Eugene of Savoy purchased several old houses on Himmelpfortgasse in Vienna, [4] including an early Baroque theater. In 1695, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach won the prestigious and lucrative contract to build a palace at this location for the prince. [5] In 1697, Fischer von Erlach began constructing the seven-bay palace, [1] and by 1698, painters were already working on the ceiling frescoes. [4] Fischer von Erlach's construction manager was Andrea Simone Carove. The stonemasonry was done by the Viennese master Johann Thomas Schilck. The large portal with side reliefs—Hercules fighting the giant Antaeus on the left, and Aeneas saving his father from burning Troy on the right—was sculpted from Kaiserstein by Lorenzo Mattielli. During this first phase of construction, the remarkable staircase with Kaiserstein steps and the Atlas figures were completed. [2] The sculptures from Zogelsdorfer stone in the stairway were executed by Giovanni Giuliani. [1] Material deliveries were made by master Reichardt from Moenchhof Fux.

In 1702, the project was taken over by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. During this phase of construction, some of the halls were completed, in particular the gold cabinet with oil paintings. Following the acquisition of the eastern properties, the facade was extended in 1708 by 12 meters. The stonework for this work was provided by the Kaisersteinbrucher master Giovanni Battista Passerini and Elias Hill. In 1710, the chapel and a gallery were added. The central focal point of the blue saloon with its frescoes by Marcantonio Chiarini dates from this time. In 1719, the palace was widened through the acquisition of the western area. The stonework was provided by Elias Hill. Lorenzo Mattielli crafted the entrance reliefs and courtyard fountains. [1]

Upon the death of Prince Eugene in 1736, his niece Anna Viktoria of Savoy inherited the prince's property. After her marriage to Joseph Friedrich von Sachsen-Hildburghausen on 17 April 1738—he was a military commander and administrator for the Habsburgs—she put all of Prince Eugene's properties up for auction. The palace was acquired by Empress Maria Theresa for the imperial court in 1738, along with most of the prince's other buildings. In 1752, the palace was converted by Nicolò Pacassi into the seat of various state institutions. The palace housed the Finance Ministry of the Austrian Empire from 1848 to 1918 and the dissolution of the Habsburg Empire. Since 1919, the palace has housed the Ministry of Finance.

During World War II, the Winter Palace did not escape undamaged. On Sunday 8 April 1945 at 2:00 pm, in the course of a bombing raid by the Soviet Red Army, a bomb shattered the roof of the palace and another bomb exploded in the attic. The ceiling painting by the French painter Ludovico Dorigny was damaged, but was eventually restored by experts from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. [6] From 2007 to 2013, the palace underwent extensive renovations. On 18 October 2013, the main rooms of the Winter Palace state apartments became accessible to the public as the Belvedere's new exhibition venue in Vienna's Innere Stadt. [7]

Description

The Winter Palace has a twelve-bay flat Baroque façade with three portals, each given double corbels that support a balcony and decorated balustrade. [5] In place of standard columns or pillars, Fischer von Erlach designed bas-reliefs depicting military scenes from ancient mythology—Hercules fighting the giant Antaeus on the left, and Aeneas saving his father Anchises from burning Troy on the right. These images from the classical world are meant to invoke Prince Eugene's glorious military accomplishments. [5] Above each portal are tall windows of the piano nobile, made distinct from the other windows by their reversed segmented pediments with insert cartouches. [5] The façade is broken up by colossal pilasters with flat composite capitals that extend the full height of the building to the cornice. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Eugene of Savoy</span> Military commander in the service of Austria (1663–1736)

Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy-Carignano, better known as Prince Eugene, was a field marshal in the Army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th and 18th centuries. He was one of the most successful military commanders of his time, and rose to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baroque architecture</span> 16th–18th-century European architectural style

Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the early 17th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means to combat the Reformation and the Protestant church with a new architecture that inspired surprise and awe. It reached its peak in the High Baroque (1625–1675), when it was used in churches and palaces in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Bavaria and Austria. In the Late Baroque period (1675–1750), it reached as far as Russia, the Ottoman Empire and the Spanish and Portuguese colonies in Latin America. In about 1730, an even more elaborately decorative variant called Rococo appeared and flourished in Central Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belvedere, Vienna</span> Historic building complex in Vienna, Austria

The Belvedere is a historic building complex in Vienna, Austria, consisting of two Baroque palaces, the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. The buildings are set in a Baroque park landscape in the third district of the city, on the south-eastern edge of its centre. It houses the Belvedere museum. The grounds are set on a gentle gradient and include decorative tiered fountains and cascades, Baroque sculptures, and majestic wrought iron gates. The Baroque palace complex was built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach</span> Austrian architect, artist, and historian

Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach was an Austrian architect, sculptor, engraver, and architectural historian whose Baroque architecture profoundly influenced and shaped the tastes of the Habsburg Empire. His influential book A Plan of Civil and Historical Architecture (1721) was one of the first and most popular comparative studies of world architecture. His major works include Schönbrunn Palace, Karlskirche, and the Austrian National Library in Vienna, and Schloss Klessheim, Holy Trinity Church, and the Kollegienkirche in Salzburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karlskirche</span> Church in Vienna

The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche, is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hofburg</span> Imperial palace in Vienna, Austria

The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty in Austria. Located in the centre of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn Palace was the summer residence. Since 1946, it is the official residence and workplace of the president of Austria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt</span> Austrian baroque architect and military engineer

Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt was an Austrian baroque architect and military engineer who designed stately buildings and churches and whose work had a profound influence on the architecture of the Habsburg Empire in the eighteenth century. After studying in Rome under Carlo Fontana, he constructed fortresses for Prince Eugene of Savoy during his Italian campaigns, becoming his favorite architect. In 1700 he became court engineer in Vienna, and in 1711 was named head of the court department of building. He became court architect in 1723. His designs for palaces, estates, gardens, churches, chapels, and villas were widely imitated, and his architectural principles spread throughout central and southeast Europe. Among his more important works are Palais Schwarzenberg, St. Peter's Church, and Belvedere in Vienna, Savoy Castle in Ráckeve, Schönborn Palace in Göllersdorf, and Schloss Hof.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josefsplatz</span>

Josefsplatz is a public square located at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. Named after Emperor Joseph II, Josefsplatz is considered one of the finest courtyards in Vienna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palais Schwarzenberg</span>

Palais Schwarzenberg is a Baroque palace in front of Schwarzenbergplatz, Landstraße, the 3rd district of Vienna, Austria. It is owned by the princely Schwarzenberg family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palais Augarten</span> Building in Vienna, Austria

Palais Augarten is a Baroque palace in the district of Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria. Constructed in the late seventeenth century by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach on the site of a Jagdschloss and gardens, the palace and gardens were expanded in the nineteenth century under Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Despite extensive damage suffered during World War II, the palace has been maintained almost in its original appearance, and many of the original furnishings can still be found there. Today, Palais Augarten is the home and rehearsal space of the Vienna Boys' Choir, who also have their own school there. The palace is located in the 130-acre Augarten park, which is the oldest Baroque garden in Vienna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palais Kinsky</span>

Palais Kinsky is a Baroque palace in central Vienna, Austria. It was originally built for Count Wirich Philipp von Daun, the garrison commander whose son Leopold became a Field Marshal of Empress Maria Theresa. The palace was later bought by the Kinsky family of Bohemia, and it is sometimes called the Palais Daun-Kinsky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Maria Anna Victoria of Savoy</span> Italian noblewoman

Princess Maria Anna Victoria of Savoy was the daughter of Prince Louis Thomas of Savoy, Count of Soissons, and Uranie de La Cropte de Beauvais (1655-1717).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorenzo Mattielli</span> Italian sculptor

Lorenzo Mattielli was an Italian sculptor from the Late Baroque period. His name has also variously been written as Matielli, Mattiely, Matthielli, and Mathielli. He supplied statuary for palaces and churches in Vienna and Dresden and for the monastery of Melk (Austria).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach</span> Austrian architect (1693–1742)

Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, also Fischer von Erlach the Younger was an Austrian architect of the Baroque, Rococo, and Baroque-Neoclassical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schloss Klessheim</span>

Schloss Klessheim is a Baroque palace located in Wals-Siezenheim, 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Salzburg, Austria. The palace was designed and constructed by Austrian architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach for Prince-Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun in 1700. It became the summer residence of the Archbishops of Salzburg. Since 1993, the palace has been used by Salzburg Casino.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johann Wenzel Wratislaw von Mitrowitz</span>

Count Johann Wenzel Wratislaw of Mitrovice was a Czech nobleman. He was the High Chancellor of Bohemia. He was the member of the Wratislaw of Mitrovice family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domenico Martinelli</span> Italian architect (1650–1718)

Domenico Martinelli was an Italian architect who worked for Carlo Fontana during 1678. He was an evident figure in the shaping of Baroque style in the North Alps. In 2010 a musical tribute called "Project Martinelli" was performed to him in Munich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belvedere Palace Chapel</span>

Belvedere Palace Chapel is a chapel located in the south eastern corner tower of the Upper Belvedere in Vienna, Austria. It was designed by the Austrian architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Trinity Church, Salzburg</span> Church in Salzburg, Austria

The Holy Trinity Church is a Roman Catholic church in Salzburg, Austria. It was designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eleonore Batthyány-Strattmann</span> 17th, 18th century Viennese Court lady

Countess Eleonore Batthyány-Strattmann was a Viennese court lady. The daughter of Imperial Court Chancellor Count Theodor Heinrich von Strattmann und Peuerbach, she was married to Hungarian nobleman and Ban of Croatia Ádám II Batthyány until his early death in 1703. For more than twenty years after becoming a widow she was Prince Eugene of Savoy confidante, companion and some have suggested Éminence grise. One of the most respected women in 18th century Viennese society, she was known as 'Beautiful Lori'.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Parsons 2000, pp. 89–90.
  2. 1 2 Gaillemin 1994, p. 147.
  3. Brook 2012, p. 80.
  4. 1 2 Aurenhammer 1973, p. 85.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Toman 1999, p. 70.
  6. Stephan 1997, pp. 62–87.
  7. "The Winter Palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy". Belvedere. Retrieved 15 October 2013.

Bibliography

  • Aurenhammer, Hans (1973). J. B. Fischer von Erlach. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN   9780713904406.
  • Brook, Stephan (2012). DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Vienna. London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd. ISBN   9780756684280.
  • Dotson, Esther Gordon (2012). J. B. Fischer Von Erlach: Architecture as Theater in the Baroque Era. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN   9780300166682.
  • Gaillemin, Jean-Louis (1994). Knopf Guides: Vienna. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN   9780679750680.
  • Kurdiovsky, Richard (2001). Das Winterpalais des Prinzen Eugen. Wien: Brandstätter. ISBN   3854981171.
  • Mauhart, Beppo (1982). Das Winterpalais des Prinzen Eugen. Wien: Molden. ISBN   3217003616.
  • Meth-Cohn, Delia (1993). Vienna: Art and History. Florence: Summerfield Press. ASIN   B000NQLZ5K.
  • Parsons, Nicholas T. (2000). Blue Guide Austria (Fourth ed.). London: A & C Black Publishers Ltd. ISBN   9780393320176.
  • Schnorr, Lina (2012). Imperial Vienna. Vienna: HB Medienvertrieb GesmbH. ISBN   9783950239690.
  • Schulte-Peevers, Andrea (2007). Alison Coupe (ed.). Michelin Green Guide Austria. London: Michelin Travel & Lifestyle. ISBN   9782067123250.
  • Stephan, Peter (1997). "Ruinam praecedit superbia. Der Sieg des Virtus über die Hybris in den Bildprogrammen des Prinzen Eugen von Savoyen". Belvedere. Zeitschrift für bildende Kunst. 1: 62–87.
  • Toman, Rolf (1999). Vienna: Art and Architecture. Cologne: Könemann. ISBN   9783829020442.
  • Waitzbauer, Harald (1998). Das Winterpalais von Prinz Eugen. Wien: Barockjuwel im Verborgenen.

48°12′20″N16°22′22″E / 48.205556°N 16.372778°E / 48.205556; 16.372778