Liechtenstein Museum – Vienna’s Princely Collections

Liechtenstein Museum has the World’s Most Important Private Art Collections:

Named after the princely House of Liechtenstein, one of Europe’s oldest noble houses, the Liechtenstein Museum holds one of the world’s most important private art collections, with masterpieces of European art spanning several centuries.

For generations, the House of Liechtenstein had consistently and systematically acquired art under the Baroque ideal of ‘princely patronage’ – like many other art collections of this period.  An active purchasing policy resulted in a number of spectacular new acquisitions with holdings dating back to the 17th century.

The Princely Collections

The beautiful family collections were among the main attractions for art connoisseurs in Vienna during that time. The Princely Collections cover major European works of art spanning five centuries and are among the world’s most important private collections of art today.

The large Princely Collections were originally open to the public, between 1805 – 1938, at the Liechtenstein Garden Palace and its extensive park grounds in Vienna’s Rossau district. With the onset of the Second World War the Liechtenstein family moved their residence to Vaduz and the collections of art were also moved there towards the end of the war. Vienna was thus abandoned as the home of the Princely Collections.

Art at the Liechtenstein Museum

With the re-opening of the Liechtenstein Museum to the general public in March 2004 some of the art treasures in the Princely Collections were returned to the Liechtenstein Garden Palace in Vienna. These important private collections are now available for public viewing. On display is the long unseen glories of the Princely Collections of Prince Hans-Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein. This intensely atmospheric collection of paintings, sculptures, Kunstkammer objects and furniture are displayed over an area of 2,300 square meters and include paintings by Raphael, Giulio Romano, Rubens and Van Dyck as well as sculptures by Mantegna, Giambologna and Adrian de Fries.

One of the highlights on the tour of the Liechtenstein Museum is the Hercules Hall.  Measuring 600 square meters, the Hercules Hall is the largest secular Baroque hall in Vienna. The enormous ceiling fresco by Andrea Pozzo (1704 – 1708) depicts the life and exploits of the Greek hero Hercules.  Enter the hall and the on-looker’s gaze is immediately drawn upwards into the Olympian pantheon.

Music at the Liechtenstein

The Hercules Hall forms the setting for exclusive gala evenings as well as Sunday concerts. In the setting of this princely residence, you can enjoy works by Bach, Dowland, Mozart and many other great composers.  The Sunday concert series features musicians from the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra.

For art and music lovers, an attendance at a concert is truly worthwhile as together, the Liechtenstein Museum and the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra unite to offer visitors fine arts and music at the very highest level.  See what’s on at the Liechtenstein Museum and book tickets online.

Address:
Liechtenstein Museum
Fürstengasse 1
1090 Vienna

Fürstengasse 1, 1090 Wien, Austria

Things to do in Vienna

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