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Vienna Hofburg - Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Collection
Vienna Hofburg - Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Collection episodes
- 41 - RaabOn the wall is a painting by Georg Raab potraying the empress on the occasion of her silver wedding anniversary in 1879. In the portrait she is wearing the famous set of ruby jewellery, part of the Habsburg crown jewels which no longer exist today. A replica of this famous jewellery is displayed in the stele beside the painting.1 min
- 42 - WinterhalterThe young empress begins to suffer from insomnia, a lack of appetite and a persistent cough. As a preventative measure against lung disease her doctors recommend that she is sent to Madeira. For the first time Sisi is again free of any obligations and can enjoy life far from the stifling constraints of the court. When Elisabeth returns to the Viennese court after an absence of two years, a profound transformation has taken place. The once graceful but shy and melancholic young girl has become a self-confident, proud beauty. This is the period in which the famous portraits by Franz Xaver Winterhalter were painted. The most famous of this series, painted in 1865, is without doubt the portrait displayed here which shows Elisabeth wearing a ballgown known as the “star dress” together with the famous diamond stars in her hair. Elisabeth owned a set of 27 diamond stars, some of which she later bequeathed to her granddaughter, Archduchess Elisabeth, daughter of Crown Prince Rudolf. The glass stele contains a replica of these diamond stars.2 min
- 43 - Queen of HungaryElisabeth increasingly makes deliberate use of the power of her beauty to achieve her own ends. She has little interest in active politics and interferes in her husband’s affairs of state only once, in aid of the Hungarian cause. Elisabeth feels a great affection for the proud and temperamental Hungarian people, who have been subject to absolutist rule since the suppression of the revolution in 1849. She becomes the fervent champion of Hungarian interests and has close contact with leading Hungarian representatives. It is without doubt due chiefly to her efforts that Franz Joseph eventually signed the Compromise of 1866 which recognised Hungary’s historical rights and established the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. In 1867 the coronation of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth as King and Queen of Hungary takes place in the Cathedral of St Matthew in Budapest.2 min
- 44 - The Hungarian coronation robesDisplayed in front of the portrait of Elisabeth as Queen of Hungary is another dress. This is a replica of the gown she wore at the Hungarian coronation. It was made for her by Worth, the famous couturiers in Paris. When Franz Joseph and Elisabeth emerged from St Matthew’s after the coronation ceremony they were hailed by cheering crowds. Elisabeth withdrew as soon as possible to exchange her heavy gown with its train for a simple tulle dress. The stele beside the dress contains a reconstruction of the Hungarian coronation jewellery, which no longer exists today.1 min
- 45 - Pomp and circumstanceElisabeth fulfils her duties as empress with increasing reluctance. She dislikes pomp, finds court ceremonial tedious and despises the rigid hierarchical structures and intrigue at the Viennese court.1 min
- 46 - RidingThe empress takes refuge from the court in sporting activities, the cult of her own beauty and in travelling. One of Elisabeth’s greatest passions since childhood has been riding. Her father had taught her acrobatic riding as a child, and now the empress trains intensively, becoming one of the best and most daring horsewomen in Europe. Her exploits when out hunting to hounds go to the bounds of what is humanly possible. Here for the first time we encounter a side of Elisabeth’s personality that consciously seeks to challenge her own limits, among other things in extreme sporting achievements where she deliberately exposes herself to risk.1 min
- 47 - BeautyElisabeth was regarded as one of the most beautiful women of her time and was conscious of her reputation. The major part of her daily routine was devoted to her beauty regime. Elisabeth was particularly proud of her thick, ankle-length hair, the dressing and styling of which occupied two to three hours each day. In order to preserve her much-admired beauty Elisabeth tried out countless recipes for cosmetic preparations. Here you can see some of the original recipes. Elisabeth swore by such bizarre methods as raw veal worn overnight underneath a leather face mask. Elisabeth was especially concerned to preserve her slender figure. She was about 5 feet 8 inches or 172 centimetres tall and weighed between 99 and 103 pounds or 45 and 47 kilos, and her waist measured an incredible 20 inches or 51 centimetres. Elisabeth tried numerous different diets to maintain her weight. Her personal weighing scales played an important role in her routine: Elisabeth weighed herself daily and with advancing age tried ever more excessive diets. The rumours that she drank raw meat juices are, however, false – the raw veal was tenderised in a meat press and the resulting juices seasoned and boiled before Elisabeth drank them. The story that the empress consistently starved herself in order to remain slim should also be consigned to the realm of legend; receipts from various pastry shops show that Elisabeth was extremely fond of confectionery and ice-cream.4 min
- 48 - HealthThough fit and aware of her health, the empress was also under constant medical supervision. She knew that dental hygiene was essential to both her health and beauty. The dental instruments belonging to her personal dentist and letters from her close friend Countess Ferenczy provide evidence of regular treatment.1 min
- 49 - CentreAfter the tragic suicide of her only son, Rudolf, in 1889, Elisabeth becomes increasingly bitter, withdrawing more and more into herself, becoming reclusive and unapproachable and wearing only black.1 min
- 50 - Display case with fans and mourning jewelleryFans, veils and parasols become indispensable accessories for the empress from an early stage, enabling her to conceal her face from the gaze of curious strangers. Elisabeth hated being stared at. Aged fifty she wrote: “Perhaps later on I will go around in a veil all the time, and not even those closest to me shall see my face again.“ To go with her mourning dress, the empress wore jewellery made of black paste stones and jet. It was customary to avoid using precious gems for mourning jewellery, the plainness of the material serving to emphasise retreat from the world during the mourning period.2 min
About Vienna Hofburg - Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Collection
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Until 1918 the extensive palatial complex at the heart of Vienna was the political centre of the monarchy. Today it fulfills the same role for the democratic Republic of Austria. The rooms where the…
Congress of Vienna met and danced and where Emperor Franz Joseph held audiences, now houses the offices of the Federal President, the ministers of the chancellor’s office and the secretaries of state. This sprawling, asymmetric complex of building with its 19 courtyards and 18 wings is also home to numerous cultural institutions, ranging from the Spanish Riding School to the Austrian National Library. The Vienna Hofburg is a must for anybody wanting to explore the world of the Habsburgs. A single ticket opens the doors to three fascinating locations of Austria’s imperial heritage. In the Imperial Silver Collection magnificent dining services, centrepieces measuring up to 30 metres in length and exquisite napery give an impression of the lavish pomp of imperial banquets. The Sisi Museum conveys a complex picture of Empress Elisabeth with numerous, partly very personal objects on display which afford fascination insights into the official and private worlds, of this unique woman. Visitors to the Imperial Apartments will gain an insight into the world of Austrian’s most illustrious imperial couple. The nineteen rooms in the apartments occupied by Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Elisabeth, comprising studies, residential suites and reception rooms, are all furnished and decorated to the highest standards of historical authenticity, and in their comparative restraint form a fascinating contrast to the exuberant splendor of the imperial summer residence at Schönbrunn.