Liechtenstein Garden Palace (Gartenpalais Liechtenstein)

The basics

Vienna was the home of the Royal House of Liechtenstein for generations, until the Anschluss (annexing of Austria into Nazi Germany) in 1938 forced the family back to their tiny mountain principality between Switzerland and Austria. They left two baroque palaces full of treasures: the City Palace and the Garden Palace. After decades of gathering dust, Prince Hans-Adam II's private collection of artwork, known as the Princely Collections and showcasing works from the 16th to the 19th centuries, was transferred back to Vienna and installed into the ornate Garden Palace. The architecture of the Garden Palace is also a masterpiece, with opulently frescoed apartments decorated by the Austrian baroque master Johann Michael Rottmayr and complemented with sweeping marble staircases and ceiling paintings by Andrea Pozzo.

The Garden Palace is now a space for private events, and the art collection can only be viewed by joining a public tour (provided in German, with English audio guides available).

Things to know before you go

• A visit here is a must for art and architecture enthusiasts.

• Tickets for the guided tours can be purchased online; choose a single-entry ticket to the Garden Palace or a combined ticket for both the Garden and the City Palaces.

• Between the state rooms, apartments, and gardens, there is a lot of ground to cover. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to do a lot of walking.

• The palace and gardens are accessible to wheelchair users.

How to get there

There are two Liechtenstein palaces in Vienna, and the Liechtenstein Garden Palace should not be confused with the City Palace, located on Bankgasse in the center of the city. The Garden Palace is set in the Liechtensteinpark, off Fürstengasse to the north of the Ringstrasse. It’s accessible by public transportation from the city center.

When to get there

The interiors and Princely Collection in the Garden Palace can only be visited via a guided tour in German (English audio guides are provided). Tours are generally offered on Fridays when there are no events scheduled.

The Princely Collections

The Princely Collections are one of the most prestigious private art collections in the world. Highlights include the elaborate, inlaid 16th-century Badminton Cabinet and a number of Renaissance and baroque paintings and sculptures, including 30 paintings by Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens. You'll also find pieces by Frans Hals, Anthony van Dyck, Rembrandt, and Raphael. A unique carriage, gilded and adorned with painted side panels of cherubim painted in the workshops of Boucher, was made by Parisian craftsman Nicolas Pineau in 1738, and is a rare survivor of the French Revolution.