Eckartsau Castle . The imperial hunting lodge with world history.

The palace did not flourish again until the reign of Archduke Franz Ferdinand d'Este, who, as a passionate hunter, appreciated the Danube meadows, which were rich in game. In 1897/98, Franz Ferdinand had Eckartsau expanded into a comfortable country residence according to the plans of the imperial building advisor Viktor Siedek. For the heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand I the castle was a place to hunt and love.

As a passionate garden lover, the archduke also devoted himself to the redesign of the extensive park. As is well known, the assassination attempt in Sarajevo, which claimed the lives of the heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand and his wife in 1914, opened the last chapter in the history of the Danube monarchy, which came to an end in Eckartsau Palace.

November 1918: The war is lost and the Habsburg monarchy is doomed. Emperor Charles I and his wife Zita from the House of Bourbon-Parma travel from Schönbrunn to a bleak future. A few hours after the emperor and empress arrived in Eckartsau, a republic was proclaimed in Vienna before the parliament. The dethroned emperor, however, prepares for a longer stay in the palace. Hoping for a political turn in his favor, he waits for events to develop in the capital and corresponds with foreign countries.

After the end of the monarchy, Eckartsau Palace and the former imperial aureoles became the property of the Republic and were made accessible to the public for the first time in the form of guided tours.

1918: Exactly 100 years ago: In November 1918, Emperor Karl and his family leave Vienna and settle in Eckartsau Castle. Here they await their future fate.

2018: Experience the exciting story of the end of the Danube Monarchy up close at the site of the event. Immerse yourself in the world of the Habsburg monarchy in the commemorative year 2018 "100 Years of the Republic of Austria - 100 Years of the End of the Monarchy". Visit the special exhibition "Karl & Zita - In the Shadow of History".