The first room in the imperial apartment of Maria Theresa and Francis I is the Blue Chinese Salon, named after the yellow wall coverings with blue medallions in Chinese motifs. This was the emperor's original council chamber, while the later Vieux-Laque Room was his study. After the sudden death of Francis I, the study was transformed by his devoted wife into a memorial room, decorated with black lacquered panels from Beijing.
Among the rooms that follow, you’ll find the Napoleon Room, the former bedroom of the imperial couple, where the general resided during the two occupations of Vienna, and the Porcelain Room, the empress's study, lined with carved wood paneling, painted in white and blue, in imitation of porcelain.
You will also pass through the sumptuous Millions Room, whose name is a reference to the opulence of the materials used, such as the fine pink wood on the walls where Indo-Persian miniatures are embedded.
Now press pause, and press play again when you come to the striking Gobelin Salon, where you can admire the fine textile artworks from Brussels, that cover the walls and armchairs, depicting the twelve months of the year and the signs of the zodiac. After this, move on to the Archduchess Sophie's Study: this was originally Maria Theresa's library, as evidenced by the compartments behind the flap paneling where the bookshelves are located.
The next room you will come to is the Red Salon, from the color of the damask fabric covering the room, followed by the Eastern Terrace Cabinet, where the frescoes blend ingeniously with the structure of the vault.
Now press pause, and press play again when you reach the Rich Room.
The room is dominated by the magnificent bed made for the imperial wedding of Maria Theresa and Francis I, celebrated in 1736. It was originally located in the Hofburg residence. After years of neglect, in 1980 the couple’s bed was finally reassembled here in this castle, where protected by a glass case, it can now be admired once more as a symbol of an imperial marriage.
An interesting fact: Maria Theresa's love for her husband was so intense that a sheet of paper was found in her prayer book detailing all the happy moments of her marriage, even counting them in hours!
Language: English