Hotel Imperial – Wien / Vienna, Österreich / Austria (bilingual Deutsch / English)

Hotel Imperial – Wien / Vienna, Österreich / Austria (bilingual Deutsch / English)
Author

Andreas Augustin

Pages

144

Photographs
Illustrations

410 historic and contemporary pictures and illustrations; Cover painting and postcards by Manfred Markowski

Leather-bound edition

No

Binding

Hardcover with dust jacket

Includes

1 postcards, 1 reading ribbon

ISBN

978-3-900692-46-9

Size/Weight

245 x 225 mm, 880 g

Also available in

German/English

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Price: € 53.00

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One of Vienna's most famous palaces has been turned into a hotel. That was in 1873. The decade preceding this change saw Vienna under construction. Franz Joseph, a young and dynamic emperor, had the Ringstrasse built. One ­architectural jewel after another emerged around this necklace of stone: the City Hall, the Burgtheater, the Parliament, the Vienna State Opera. Here, too, stood the luxuriously appointed private palace of the Prince of Württemberg. But the prince sold his palace, and in 1873 it was converted into a hotel. The Imperial.

Its central location, magnificent furnishings and first class management immediately make it Vienna’s leading hotel, the establishment frequented by officials of state, great artists and international travellers. The Imperial’s outstanding cuisine puts it in a league with the finest restaurants on the continent. Richard Wagner lived here for weeks. It was Bismarck's Viennese residence.

Charlie Chaplin thought it the finest hotel he had ever lived in, an opinion shared by the Queen of England. All Vienna’s most distinguished visitors have resided at the Imperial, from state visitors to celebrated tenors. When in Austria, they like to stay in the Royal Suite, one of the most beautiful and ­grandest hotel suites in the world. This book presents you the history of a unique Viennese institution, from the 1870s to the present day; a look behind the scenes of a hotel which is one of the finest in the world.

This book is bilingual (English and German).


Notizen eines Reisenden

Im 1873 – HalleNsalon hängt der größte Maria Theresia Luster der Welt. Es sind eigentlich drei Luster, die zu einem zusammenwachsen sind. Man verrät mir, er hätte 7764 verschieden große österreichische Kristallteile. 288 Lampen erleuchten ihn. Zusammengestellt wurde er von Isaac Glas in Verona.
2014 wurde der „Komponisteneingang“ von der Bösendorferstraße zum offiziellen zweiten Eingang und somit der 1873 – HalleNsalon zum zentralen Treffpunkt im Herzen des Hotels. Die Eingangshalle präsentiert sich glanzvoll renoviert, das Café Imperial modernisiert, das „Opus“ (wie es die Wiener bald nennen werden) ersetzt das alte Restaurant Imperial. Zum ersten Mal grüßt nun in der Empfangshalle die Familie Württemberg von den Wänden – ein charmanter Querverweis auf 150 Jahre Geschichte.


Traveller‘s Notepad

7764 different Austrian made crystal tears hang from the majestic Maria Theresa chandelier at the 1873 – HalleNsalon. 288 light bulbs are in it. It was built by Isaac Glass Verona.
2014 saw the opening of the new composers’ entrance, now open to all hotel guests. The 1873 – HalleNsalon became a true meeting point in the heart of the hotel, the lobby has received a face lift, too. The Café Imperial has been modernised and Opus, a new restaurant, replaces the former Imperial restaurant. For the first time the Württemberg family greets visitors from the walls – a rather charming reference to 150 years of history.

Wir danken für die Unterstützung bei der Produktion dieses Buches.
We thank the following people involved in the production of this book.

Klaus Christandl, Erhard Noreisch, Dr. Petra Engl-Wurzer

Archiv / Hotel Imperial: Michael Moser
Oscar del Campo, Thomas Schön, Riccardo Giacometti, Daniela Stoppel, Michael Hatzfeld, Franz-Josef Macho, Josef Prosek, Martina Barreto-Schabler, Wolfgang Panzer, Thomas Gattinger, Evert Schuele, Viktoria Arnold, Ilona Holzer, Caroline Müller, Andreas Bienenstein, Rupert Schnait, Siegfried Kröpfl, Heidar Fityani, Stefan Hierzer, Harald Hitner, Harald Fuchs, Stefan Weber, Sylvester Huber, Marielle Millowitsch, Andrea Konert, Philip S. Rosenstingl, Harro Schott, Manfred Grassauer, Gregor Hasengschwandtner, Friederike Kozelsky-Schara, Matthias Brunner, Franz Giefing, Marek Gajewski und viele andere.

Besonderer Dank an Friederike Matschinger und Ralf Bernhart.

Fotos: Bill Lorenz, Archiv des Hotel Imperial, Jaime Ardiles-Arce, David Peters, Fotozentrum K. Reiberger, Atelier Doris Kucera, pictures born / H. Nessler, Thomas Vockenhuber, Matthias Hamel, Archiv der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek (Bildarchiv Austria), Archiv Dr. M. La Speranza, Wien, Famous Hotels Main Archives, Vienna, Musikverein / Peter Schramek, Privatsammlung Hedi Graf, Siegfried Lauterwasser (Herbert von Karajan / Karajan Zentrum Wien), Professor Adolf Frohner, Dave Davis (Tinted History), Jakob Tuggener Foundation, Tretick, Stanley (Kennedy), Allan Warren (Peter Ustinov), Wolfang Bohusch (Valsassina Ensemble), Marion Dönhoff Stiftung (Marion Dönhoff). Alba Communications GmbH/APA-Fotoservice/Hinterramskogler

Assistenz in der Geschichtsforschung: Dr Andrew Williamson, Dr Marcello de la Speranza, Mag Carola Augustin

Das erklärte Ziel war es, einen geschichtlich korrekten, aber doch möglichst unterhaltsamen Überblick zu vermitteln. Dieses Werk erhebt also keinerlei Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit.

Historische Fotografien wurden entsprechend restauriert und koloriert und sind daher Gegenstand des Urheberrechtsgesetzes. Jede Verwertung von Teilen dieses Werkes unterliegt der ausdrücklichen schriftlichen Zustimmung von The Most Famous Hotels in the World.

All historic data has been carefully selected during research with the objective of providing a general historical overview. This work does not therefore claim to be complete. Historic photographs have been restored and occasionally tinted, and are therefore – together with the entire work – ­subject to copyright. 
The reproduction and distribution of any part of this work without the explicit written consent of The Most Famous Hotels in the World™ will be prosecuted.

Concept & Design: Ramazotti Michelangelo

Gesamtleitung: Andreas und Carola E. Augustin

Copy editor (English): Thomas Cane

ISBN: 978-3-900692-46-9
© The Most Famous Hotels in the World® / Andreas Augustin

aa@famoushotels.org | www.famoushotels.org
EDITION RACONTEUR by famoushotels
1st edition © 2014

Publisher's recommendations


Dear wonderful Readers; 

Do you reserve time to read and to prepare your next journeys? This year look out for our new book GRAND HOTEL LVIV (Ukraine) — a bold statement of civil resistance in a war-torn country. 
THE GALLE FACE TREASURY takes you to the exotic island of Sri Lanka. It's one of my heartfelt memories of a wonderful hotel, its owning family and staff. But also it's fantastic history — being the mousetrap for every traveller of note who travelled from West to the South Eastern regions of Asia.

I recommend the new edition of HOTEL METROPOLE HANOI.

The first copies of THE HALF MOON TREASURY are being released – exclusively to our readers (and before its official launching date). 

We have released a reprint of our successful book THE WESTIN EXCLESIOR ROME, the most famous hotel on Via Veneto. 

Upon request, we dispatch all our books personally autographed (as you know).

Have a save journey!

Andreas Augustin

aa at famoushotels dot org

‘Wherever you go, try to stay at the most famous hotel, even if you can only afford the smallest room!'

Aristotle Onassis

1906–1975

Greek who rose to become one of the world's most wealthiest men

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