The Empress' mystical hideaway - a house as a reflection of her personality Idyllically nestled
into the former imperial hunting grounds now the Lainzer Tiergarten lies the 'Palace of
Dreams' as Empress Elisabeth once called her villa. Emperor Franz Joseph had it built as a
present to her in the hope that it would encourage his wife to travel less and spend more time
in Vienna. The romantic villa was realised during a comparatively short construction period by
the architect Karl von Hasenauer famous for his numerous buildings along the Ringstrasse. In
style the building was inspired by the country houses of Austria's upper classes. A statue of
Hermes Greek god of travellers and the deceased holds a prominent position in the garden and
gave the villa its name. What relationship did the restless Empress have to her hideaway in the
imperial hunting grounds? Which style elements a subject close to Elisabeth's heart did she
immortalise in the Hermesvilla? In her salient portrayal Michaela Lindinger curator at Wien
Museum and Elisabeth researcher offers a key to understanding this important Viennese 'cult
site'.
