“I looked at the house that we are to live in and must confess to you frankly that I find it both uninhabitable for this year and incapable of any practical improvement.”, said Empress Maria Ludovica to her husband Emperor Franz I after she had been shown the new quarters for the annual stays of the imperial family in Baden on June 10, 1813.
Despite the empress’s protest, the house became the Imperial House in Baden bei Wien and Franz I spent his summers there until his death in 1835.
The Palais was originally built on the main square by the French architect Charles de Moreau for Prince Nicholas II Esterhazy. The building has a three-storey early classicist (late Josephinian) façade with a banded ground floor and a column-flanked rectangular portal with a balcony above it on the main floor, whose straight window and door canopies rest on volute consoles.
In 1917, the Imperial House became a historically significant place when the army high command was moved to Baden. Emperor Karl commanded his armies from the Imperial House. After the move of the Royal Court from the Blue Court in Luxembourg to the Imperial House on 6 February 1918. The court remained there until July 1, 1918.
After the end of the war, the Imperial House fell into a "Sleeping Beauty" sleep until it was acquired by the city of Baden in 2008. After extensive renovation, temporary exhibitions have been taking place on the first floor since 2013.
Today, the Imperial House sports an exhibition centre with a range of interesting topics. In the summer of 2024, there was a fascinating exhibition on the history of the baths in Baden - highly recommended, should you visit Baden bei Wien any time soon.
The museum is not accessible as it is located in the first floor with no lift. There is a small museum shop at the reception.
There is no museum café but, mind you, you are in the main square so juts go our and have your drink there.
Kaiserhaus BadenHauptplatz 17, 2500 Baden
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