Anyone who goes to Vienna must stop at…… at least two places. One is the home of the Habsburgs…..The Imperial apartments at the Hofburg. The second is Demels, the “sweetest” little candy shop I have ever been in.
Visiting the Hofburg, you will see the rooms of Empress Elizabeth, “Sisi”, and her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph. Theirs is quite a story. They had one son, Prince Rudolf, who killed himself along with a women at Mayerling……one of the royal country homes. Elizabeth, who loved her husband, contracted an STD from him that changed their lives forever. A true life soap opera. Elizabeth had a 16 or 18 inch waist. She was know as a great beauty who’s hair grew down to her ankles. It took two hours each day for her hair to be dressed. I think she would have been a happier women if it had been cut to shoulder length! As you walk though the ornately decorated rooms you can start to realize how suffocating court life must have been. She hated it and would leave Vienna for years at a time……leaving her children to her domineering MIL and her husband. She had good reason. Her life ended tragically when she was in her early 40s. She was stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist while she was on one of her many trips. There are many books written about this family who ruled much of Europe for centuries…….a very interesting read………………We saw the Imperial silver and gold gilt collection comprising all types of objects and dinner wear, plus the humongous china collection. In the photo above you can see the floral desert plates…..there were 8 cases filled with just these dishes….each one different. There must have been 20 complete dinner sets for 100 to 200 guests…..the mind boggles. They had a staff of hundreds just to maintain the place, and this was where they stayed just in the winter. There were many hunting lodges and of course, Schonbrunn…..the summer place……..photos to come.
Demel’s was founded in 1785, but moved to it’s present location in1888. It is a jewel. The pastry counters and displays of candies and chocolates is truly magical. I don’t think I have ever seen candies and chocolates displayed so beautifully. Of course the ornate interior is just the right setting for all of these marvelous treats. We sat in the back room where you can look through the glass wall and watch them making all of the products. Only one problem…..we found very few places in Vienna to be air conditioned…..so we did not have hot coffee with out sweets.
As you can see from the photos above….around every corner is a statue or marvelous building………. the whole city really is “eye candy”!……next stop Schonbrunn.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Louis!!!! And we’ll be there this time next week! On your next trip you must go to the Augarten Porcelain facility in Vienna where you can still buy hand pained china of “Austrian Flowers”. I didn’t see the Silberkammer when there last and don’t remember it being open. It, along with the National Treasury, are musts for me this visit. I also found the royal apartments oppressive. Demels! The mere sight of it makes my mouth water! Did you see there the candied violets that Sisi had delivered to her daily? Despite all the grandeur, the poor woman did not have a happy life.
Yes, I looked at everything in Demels! I did see the candied violets, but they take a required taste…..give me chocolate!
VIENNA PHILHARMONIC FEATURED ON TV TONIGHT
Just a heads-up for those in the Washington, D.C., metro area (because I don’t know the TV channel for those living elsewhere), the Vienna Philharmonic will be featured on tonight’s “Great Performances,” WETA at 9:00 p.m., MPT at 10:00 p.m. The performance is listed as part of the orchestra’s summer 2012 concert series. With all these lush photos and nostalgic talk of Vienna, it might be just the ticket we all can enjoy. Also, several of Louis’s items are on the “Lisa Robertson Show” tonight. All these showstoppers!
Oooh, this one’s nice too. Love the pastry/candy shop! Those dessert plates with the botanical flowers on are so pretty; I can envision a very lightweight airy cotton lawn blouse with these botanical flowers scattered all over, and of course a periwinkle blue version of same blouse … a girl can dream …
Just love these postcards; many many thanks!
Cathy in PA, sitting in the silver vintage trailer in the woods, listening to the brook rill and the crickets sing