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Black Room

From this anteroom, guests were invited into the reception room, today’s Salon Strauss.

The Palais Todesco

Overview of the history

The Palace as a Pioneer of Historicism

The Palais Todesco was designed by architect Christian Ludwig Förster at a prime location directly across from the Vienna State Opera (formerly the Hofoper). It was one of the first palaces built in the Historicist style between 1861 and 1864 along the Vienna Ringstrasse.

Historicism refers to an architectural style that was particularly popular in the second half of the 19th century. The impressive interior design of the palais was created by Danish architect Theophil Hansen, who gave the rooms a distinctive atmosphere through elaborate decorations. The living quarters of Eduard von Todesco were especially known as some of the finest interiors of their time. The artist Carl Rahl designed the ceiling paintings, which were executed by his students Christian Griepenkerl and Karl Lotz.

The Apartment

The spacious Beletage apartment was designed for an active social life, organized by Sophie Todesco. There was a ballroom connected to a dining room and an adjacent winter garden. Additional rooms, such as a reception salon, boudoir, study, and billiard room, were arranged around the grand hall. Architect Hansen created unique ceilings for each room, many of which featured elaborate paintings. This detailed design demonstrates the high standards of the Todesco family. In May 1864, the apartment was officially opened on the occasion of their daughter Fanny’s wedding to Henry de Worms.

In 1945, the rear section of the Palais Todesco was damaged during a bombing raid, but the majority of the Todesco apartment remained intact. The building was restored by 1947 and served as the headquarters of the Austrian People’s Party until 1993. In 1976, the palais was listed as a protected monument and underwent extensive restoration. Today, it is owned by the Uniqa Insurance Group. Since 2008, the traditional Gerstner confectionery, formerly the Imperial and Royal Court Confectioner, has been leasing four floors of the palace. The opulent Beletage rooms, known as the “Salons Privés,” are available for private events.

The Anteroom

Ascending the grand staircase, which is adorned with the monograms of the house owners Eduard and Moritz Todesco, visitors enter the anteroom.

This room played an important role as it served as a connection between the formal, residential, and service areas of the apartment. From here, guests were invited into the reception salon, now known as the Salon Strauss.

Christian Ludwig Förster
Floor plan
Theophil Hansen
Eduard Todesco

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Christian Ludwig Förster

The Architect

CHRISTIAN LUDWIG FÖRSTER

Christian Ludwig Förster, born on October 8, 1797, in Bayreuth, moved to Vienna in 1818, where he found a diverse range of opportunities as an architect. His goal was to modernize Vienna’s architecture and align it with international developments, as the city was at risk of falling behind due to its adherence to late Classicism. In 1835, Förster founded the *Allgemeine Bauzeitung* (General Construction Journal), which became a key platform for promoting the emerging historicist style. His ideas on urban expansion were also significant, particularly in laying the groundwork for the demolition of Vienna’s city walls from 1857 onwards.

Förster participated in the competition to design Vienna’s Ringstrasse, and his proposal, titled *The Straight Path is the Best*, was awarded. His design emphasized the axis along what would later become the location of the opera, extending to Kärntner Strasse and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. This highlighted the importance of the site across from the opera, where Förster designed the Palais Todesco for brothers Eduard and Moritz Todesco.

The five-story palais, including two basement levels, was built on freshly reclaimed land on the Basteigraben – an unusual choice for a palais at the time. Unfortunately, Förster passed away in 1863 before the project was completed. His son Emil and his son-in-law Theophil Hansen, who was responsible for the interior design, continued the work until its completion in 1865.

Theophil Hansen

Architect

THEOPHIL HANSEN

Theophil Hansen (1813-1891) was one of the most important architects in Austria during the 19th century. Born on July 13, 1813, in Copenhagen, he studied at the city’s Academy of Fine Arts, where he was introduced to Danish Classicism, primarily by his brother and teacher, Hans Christian Hansen.

In 1838, Theophil followed his brother to Greece. On his way, he passed through Berlin, where he was greatly influenced by the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel. In Northern Italy, especially in Venice, he studied the architecture of Andrea Palladio. In Greece, he delved into ancient Greek architecture, though Byzantine architecture also had a profound impact on him, influencing his early style in Vienna.

In 1846, Christian Ludwig Förster invited Hansen to Vienna. Their collaboration was strengthened by Hansen’s marriage to Förster’s daughter, but it ended after her death. Hansen became one of the key architects behind the development of Vienna’s Ringstrasse. His most notable works from the 1860s include the Evangelical School at Karlsplatz, the Vienna Musikverein building, and the Palais Erzherzog Wilhelm on Parkring (now the OPEC building). Hansen referred to his style as “Greek Renaissance” and placed great emphasis on the interior design of his buildings.

Eduard von Todesco

Unternehmer und Privatbankier

EDUARD TODESCO

Eduard Todesco (1814-1887), der aus einer ungarisch-jüdischen Familie stammte, war in der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts einer der bedeutendsten Unternehmer und Privatbankiers der Habsburgermonarchie. Nach der Revolution von 1848 erlangte er durch seine großzügigen Staatsanleihen und wohltätigen Stiftungen hohe Anerkennung. Dadurch wurde er 1861 in den Ritterstand erhoben und 1869 zum Freiherrn ernannt.

Todesco war Teil der sogenannten “zweiten Gesellschaft”, dem Finanzadel, der im 18. und besonders im 19. Jahrhundert zur Elite des liberalen und kaisertreuen Bürgertums zählte. Zusammen mit seinem jüngeren Bruder Moritz (1816-1873) übernahm er nach dem Tod seines Vaters Hermann das Familienunternehmen “Hermann Todesco’s Söhne”. Eduard und seine Frau Sophie hatten drei Töchter, Franziska (Fanny), Anna (Netti) und Gabriele (Yella), sowie einen Sohn, Hermann, der tragischerweise im Alter von 27 Jahren an den Folgen eines Kutschenunfalls verstarb.