SCHLOSS VELDEN, AUSTRIA

SchloSS VeldenHotel

The CasTle aT lake WoerTh andreas augusTin

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Hotel Schloss Velden

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Christoph KhevenhüllerGeorg Baron Khevenhüller (1533–1587), Carinthian GovernorBarthelmä (Bartholomäus) Khevenhüller, Baron Aichelberg (1539–1613), Carinthian Governor and Lord of Landskron Castle, the builder of Schloss Velden. Hans Count Khevenhüller-Frankenburg, (1538–1606), Imperial Envoy at the Spanish Court Franz Christoph Count Khevenhüller-Frankenburg (1588–1650), Imperial Envoy at the Spanish Court

Ludwig Andreas Count Khevenhüller (1683–1744), Field MarshalJohann Joseph Prince Khevenhüller-Metsch (1706–1776), Head Chamberlain of Maria Theresa Johann Carl Khevenhüller (1839–1905), Participant in the Austrian Volunteer Corps in Mexico.Maximilian Khevenhüller-Metsch, today’s owner of Hochosterwitz Castle

Important Khevenhüllers

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Interesting parallels between the utterly beautiful magnificent Renaissance building by Khevenhüller (left) and the annexes built by Jabornegg & Pàlffy in 2007. The inner

courtyard was preserved, but new rooms were added around it and it was opened towards the east for a view of the lake. The flowerbeds in the courtyard were laid out

thematically. Today, the main building is lower than the original.

Left: Coloured copperplate engraving from Johann Weikhard Baron Valvasor’s ‘Topographia Archiducatus Carinthiae Modernae’, around 1680.

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The gate to the castle at the time of Johann I, Prince of Liechtenstein (top), who took up quarters here as first permanent guest in 1832. As he preferred leisurely clothes he did not appear in his dress uniform in Velden. The first tourists were depicted like the couple below.

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Even in mild winters the lake may freeze solid. Imagine how cold the children must have felt. Frail and scrawny, shaking with cold, they had to walk to school, to the castle, every morning, even in the winter, from 1821 onwards. Two rooms accommodated the Velden primary school. The old castle had plenty of rooms that were not used anyway. And this worked very well before Velden had its own school house built.

In the summer of 1832 the castle rented out guest rooms for the first time. A yachtsman, the merchant Anton Truher from Klagenfurt, used the castle as accommodation. Johann I, Prince of Liechtenstein, who had contributed to the Peace of Schönbrunn with France in 1809, arrived in Velden that same year. Over a period of 10 years, starting from 1832, he had rented rooms with a view of the lake in the castle. The annual costs were 20 Gulden. Liechtenstein enjoyed retreating to Velden during the summer months. It was he who had worked out a constitution for the Principality of Liechtenstein in 1818. Johann was a great admirer of English garden design — to the profit of the park around the castle. He died on 20 April 1836 in Vienna, where his Austrian family seat, the beautiful Palais Liechtenstein is located.

Nature had become the focus of attention everywhere. By this time, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Wanderer’s Nightsong and its opening line Up there all summits are still was a classic. Carl Friedrich Zöllner had set to music Das Wandern ist des Müllers Lust (To wander is the miller’s joy) in 1844. Many a family breezily sang this song on Sunday walks through the countryside, led by the head of the family. The Biedermeier, that self-contained era of the newly established bourgeoisie, which considered itself a preserver of domestic peace in the wake of turbulent times, had reached its peak.

Restaurant Seespitz has been known as an inn in front of the old castle since about 1822. Of course, it was a different building in those days. In 1842, the innkeeper Jakob Kugy founded his lakeside restaurant on the very spot where we are sitting today at the Seespitz. This was remarkable insofar as the cosy spot was not really located on a main route, but way off from the Reichstrasse between Klagenfurt and Villach. Visitors thus had to have this very target in mind to be able to enjoy the location and the cuisine. What we see here is indeed an early form of tourism which slowly started developing at that time.

In 1848 the revolution, while basically not changing the monarchic system of the country and therefore a failure, also brought down Austria’s government of that time. Emperor Franz Joseph I ascended the throne. The Biedermeier of Metternich ended abruptly and the young emperor promised his people a new kind of freedom. Hundreds of publications were printed overnight to celebrate a new press free of censorship. It was the dawn of a new era that our grandparents — who were not even born yet — would later call ‘the good old times’.

For the village communities it brought about a significant change in their master-servant-relationships. Farmers were freed from serfdom; allegiance and compulsory labour were abolished. The abolition of the feudal system and jurisdiction required a totally new administration. The first communities developed. In 1849/50 Velden turns into an independent community.

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Franz Moro is one of the fathers of tourism and Velden’s lakeside baths. His family founded the first bathing institution, continued by the Ulbing family.

Left: Journey from Vienna to Velden: Scene at the Payerbach—Reichenau railway station where the actual mountain route of the Semmeringbahn begins. The first-class cars and the restaurant car were at the train’s rear. People avoided sticking their heads out of the window as the small glowing coal particles emanating from the chimney had often caused severe eye injuries.

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as Hotel Ulbing, a first-class house, but also the Schlosshotel and its first guests in that summer season: Mrs. Camilla Weishut, the wife of an industrialist with her four children, and two ladies from Vienna. In August, Baron Felix von Bruselle, treasurer in the service of the Emperor, arrived with his wife, son and a toddler from Graz, followed by a pharmacist, a factory owner and a chemist from Vienna.

Velden, the Lake Woerth jewel which had been discovered only recently, attracted visitors from all over Europe. The k.u.k. Südbahn brought visitors to Carinthia. It took ten hours from Vienna to travel by train via the mountain track crossing the Semmering, and 11 hours from Budapest. From Berlin via Prague it took 20 hours, from Prague via Vienna 12.5 hours, from Rome 22 hours and from Paris 35 hours.

Travelling via the Semmering, the green Styria and finally Carinthia was as spectacular then as it is today. With a last short stop in Klagenfurt, the steam engine thundered along on its Lake Woerth route, followed by the second- and third-class cars. 45 minutes later it arrived in Velden. The sky wore a deep blue, the lake sparkled like an emerald, and the air was mild, with the sweet aroma of holidays. If you let your imagination flow, you can still experience it today, with much shorter travel times.

Guests stayed for weeks instead of days. Families arrived to spend large parts of the summer here. Each year, on 18 August, the Emperor’s birthday, communities organised major celebrations. The festivities always lasted several days in Pörtschach and Velden, culminating in a ball. When in 1899 the Emperor came to Carinthia for military exercises, he visited Wahliss in Pörtschach and the entrepreneur showed him his properties. The Emperor enjoyed being shown around the area and also visited the villa number IX.

On 18 July 1900 Ernst Wahliss died in Vienna. His daughter Katharina Maria, who had married a Casati (1874–1965), inherited the hotel. Somewhat reluctantly at first, she finally took the helm, renovated the Parkvilla, modernised the spa and purchased the area of the Dietrichstein trust company, which once belonged to the castle. Many annexes such as today’s ceremonial hall date back to that time. The court behind the castle is shaped in an ‘L’. Today’s ‘0’ developed a hundred years later. As promising as all the innovations were, the young lady was soon overwhelmed by the costs. Her father’s ‘mistress’ was much more expensive than she had thought.

Soon, she seems to have become more than fed up. In 1909, Mrs. Casati sold the whole property at a remarkably low price — for 375,000 Kronen — to a Vienna-based association supporting children in need. Velden was shocked at this affront: from luxury hotel to holiday home for poor students.

The community attempted to limit the damage. This could not be done to an upcoming tourist resort. A holiday home for poor children in Velden’s castle? Making both ends meet, it repurchased the Schlosshotel for 500,000 Kronen the same year, appointed a supervisory board and began searching for a hotel director.

Thus, the community itself turned into an hotelier. All leading hoteliers in Velden were members of the council and yet — or perhaps because of this fact— they didn’t succeed in managing the hotel effectively.

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After World War I the separation of Carinthia and its integration into the South Slavic Federation was impending. When the Carinthians had to decide whether they wanted to belong to Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia or to what was left of Austria, their choice was Austria. A fight ensued. To counter the advance of Slovene troops which occupied the country, an organised Carinthian defence formed against the directive of a lame and hesitant Viennese government. The defence was strategically planned by a provisional federal state government in Spittal an der Drau. During the Carinthian defence the castle served as the headquarters of Captain Karl Eglseer from December to May 1919.

The fights were dramatic; the Yugoslavs occupied Schloss Velden for more than a month; the interior decoration was devastated. In front of the castle lay the ruins of the burnt- down Seerestaurant.

On 10 October 1920 a decisive referendum was held in Southern Carinthia’s border area, where the Slovenes accounted for approximately 70% of the entire population. 59.04% of the vote went to Austria — a considerable part (some 40%) of the Carinthian Slovenes had voted to remain in Austria.

In 1920 Velden has a population of 1,190. Despite the preceding war there is a relatively balanced ratio of 638 women and 552 men. The war has caused a recession, the financial situation is strained. Tourism returns only slowly to Carinthia. The community even decides to take up a

loan as summer guests need to be supplied with food. The following ad is placed in the Neue Freie Presse:

‘Alpine lakeside and climatic resortVELDEN AT LAKE WOERTHSummer season opened.Guaranteed board.Information at the Mayor’s office.’

Sophie Günzl, the oldest daughter of hotelier Christof Mösslacher, rented the Seerestaurant and the Seevilla (Schlossstöckl). When inspecting ‘her’ Schlosshotel, she found it to be devastated and asked Franz Baumgartner for help. The great Lake Woerth architect arrived and started planning. Many of his plans, however, for instance the construction of a sanatorium, failed to see the day. But the Seerestaurant would offer a key example for successful lakeshore construction. The building had two floors, with a terrace open on three sides. From the loges on the second floor one was able to observe the people downstairs as they entertained themselves in the hall. A roof terrace with blue chairs and tables opened up great vistas over the lake.

The summer seasons brought new guests but hardly any regulars. The hotel had been without a management for more than ten years; then it had closed. The Great War had turned the memories of earlier times into the ’good old days’. It was a long time since members of the nobility had walked through the castle door. Sometimes an illustrious name on would turn up the guest list, but many had lost their usual spending power. The last Austrian Emperor lived without financial means in his exile in Madeira, where he died in 1922. Wandering around Europe, the once powerful Habsburgs had no land and no titles. The continent had a

Crisis? What crisis? The people from Velden are a sunny folk, even in difficult times. Here is a snapshot taken in the Schlossbad, always and at all times the most exquisite and elegant lakeside bath.

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Swan song of the monarchies: in the centre the Siamese King Prajadhipok Sakdidejana (Rama VII) who laid

the foundation stone for the political structure of today’s Thailand before he abdicated.

In the summer season of 1929 Nelly took guests on panorama flights over the lake. On the amateur photo one makes out the new attic rooms of the

hotel. Right: Austria’s Federal President Wilhelm Miklas in Velden.

The exiled Spanish monarch Alfonso XIII visits Velden with his entourage, spending a beautiful week in August

at the Schlosshotel.

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In 1928, Baumgartner and Bulfon extend the castle’s roof. 12 rooms are added. While the towers are not integrated, three times three street-facing windows are added below three circular roofs. The façade of today’s main building develops.

Alexander Spitzmüller-Harmersbach, the last minister of finance of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, his wife Ernestine and his son Octavian visit the Schlosshotel that same year. Nobody knows that he will be called to Vienna once again as a trouble-shooter in the early 30s, at the peak of the Great Depression. Velden became his retirement residence, where he died in 1953.

In the summer season of 1929 Nelly appeared. Not a creature dwelling in the lake like a certain Scottish legend but a flying boat taking tourists from Velden on panorama flights over the lake. It started and landed in front of the castle and the price for one tour was 100 Schillings. Today’s hotel owners are considering joining the fun and reinstalling a flying boat. Flying was very popular at that time. Hermann Köhl, the first pilot who crossed the Atlantic from the East to the West, i.e. from Europe to the United States (Lindbergh had been successful from the West to the East one year before, in 1927), visited the Schlosshotel.

From 1933, Austrian tourism suffered from Hitler’s extortionate thousand-Mark sanction forcing every German tourist to come up with the almost exorbitant sum of 1,000 Deutschmarks before being permitted to enter Austria. The background was the following: Hans Frank, the Bavarian Minister of Justice, had been expelled from Austria after a diatribe against the Austrian Federal Chancellor Dollfuss. The sanction was Hitler’s revenge. Tourism, one of the main sources of foreign exchange, had been hit hard. While 3,400

German guests had visited a large Velden in 1932, only 192 came in 1934.

In search of a beautiful place many a weary exiled monarch whose office had fallen prey to the spirit of the time (annulment of the world’s large monarchies from Russia to the Austro-Hungarian throne), visited the Lake Woerth holiday paradise. Schloss Velden became a playground for exiled monarchs. In 1935 Spain’s former King Alfonso XIII visited Velden with a large entourage, spending a beautiful week in August at the Schlosshotel. As he had moved into permanent quarters at the Grand Hotel in Rome, the excursion into the much cooler Velden was a relief during the Italian August holidays.

The unhappy King of Siam Prajadhipok Sakdidejana (Rama VII) also rediscovered his smile in Velden. He had laid the foundation stone for the political structures of today’s Thailand, when – pressured by the Peoples Party – he signed the country’s first constitution on 10 December 1932. He abdicated in 1935.

First monarchy, then republic – if only it were easier. Austrians found it hard to adapt to the new form of government. The country became plagued by upheaval in a quasi-civil war. Following the Nazi coup in 1934, which culminated in the assassination of Federal Chancellor Dollfuss, Austria’s Federal President Wilhelm Miklas took a summer holiday in Velden. He did not stay at the hotel, but enjoyed his meals at the Schlossrestaurant. A Nazi commando had planned to kidnap him in Velden, but failed to do so. Unimpressed, Miklas visited the fifth international tennis tournament held at the Schlosshotel’s splendid new tennis courts.

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What a performance! Perfect combinations are passed on. Moving forward together, moving backward in harmony – a performance arranged like choreographies by Maestro Petipa. The ensemble members are headed by a person who dances round the tables among them. Like a lucullan corps de ballet they buzz through the room, coordinating to satisfy our needs. Their first soloist is the Maître d’hôtel.

Oh please forgive me, I’ve wandered off a bit, revelling in the culinary heaven of Silvio Nickol, chef de cuisine at the fine dining restaurant Schlossstern. I’m particularly enthusiastic about the performance of the service staff.

We’ve had the first summer season after the re-opening of the hotel and Silvio Nickol’s cuisine has won the hearts of gourmet critics. While in earlier years the owners of the hotel used to pray to God the chef would make a return the next summer season – with the notable exception of Franz Schruf who came back 25 consecutive years – things are somewhat different at the Schlossstern today.

Stars and ToquesThe British at the Castle

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During the Autokorso, a Car Parade (staged for the first time in 1951), tourists from all over the region crowded the streets to watch the glossy luxurious limou-sines rolling along the promenade.

The scene was reminiscent of an advertising spot: attractive people (primarily women who decorated the bonnets), rich or at least hand-some drivers, beautiful flower arrangements, and expensive limousines.

Up to 5,000 (!) cars participated. You may thus rest assured that automobile events at Lake Woerth started off with a high standard.

Rubbing shoulders with the stars: racy cabriolets and their driv-ers like internationally renown playboy Gunther Sachs (top) – who caused a furore in Velden – or teen heartthrob Peter Kraus. With a little bit of luck you saw both of them (centre left).

Rock’n’roll fever at Schloss Velden. See previous double page: There is always something going on!

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The hot stone has a soothing effect, its curve perfectly adapting to my body (it is actually the other way round, of course). I’m dozing on one of the two heated stone loungers, at the far end of the sauna, right in front of the snow grotto. It is one of the very few snow grottos in the world. There is one in Dubai, I have heard, and another one on the North Pole.

Farther back, in the womb of the hotel, my wife takes great delight in a lunar-cycle treatment. There is nothing better, she says. According to its respective cycle, either waxing or waning, the power of the moon optimally supports purification processes. They are experts here at the castle, dedicating 3,000 square metres (32,300 square feet) to the well-being of guests, with saunas, steam baths, relaxation areas, massage rooms, a tea bar, and the large pool.

‘A fitness centre and a professional golf simulator round off the programme’ you would probably read in an advertising brochure. Daniela, one of the personal trainers, has taken me on a Nordic walking tour across Carinthia (at least it felt like it). Thereafter,

Golden TimesHigh Society

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Hildegard Knef was the woman of many a man’s dream. Kirk Douglas, who starred as Vincent van Gogh at that time, resided at the castle. Somerset Maugham, British novelist and lover of luxurious hotels,

visited the Schlosshotel and so did Ian Lancaster Fleming, the father of James Bond. Today, the snow grotto would probably inspire him to conceive a very complex crime. The new Schlosshotel provides many

details a luxury-loving spy would enjoy.Swedish actress Ingrid Bergmann and Egyptian actor and super star Omar Sharif made a stopover here on their way to a film shooting in Yugoslavia, where they both starred in the movie ‘The Yellow Rolls-

Royce’. Bing Crosby – the number of his records sold had made him a millionaire — visited with his wife. Left: A price list of that time.

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The Golden Times of Austrian tourism faced a new phenomenon in the Seventies: international charter flights. People travelled faster by plane from Munich to Ibiza or Frankfurt to Mallorca than by driving the car to Carinthia. In the winter they chose destinations like Bali, the Seychelles or the Caribbean. That, at least, was Austrian tourism’s excuse. The truth, however, was less simple.

The generation of hotel founders had grown old, their children eager to take over. Some of them had been sent to the new tourism schools mushrooming after the war: Bad Gleichenberg, Klessheim, or Hofgastein, to name just a few. Others did not want to follow in their parents’ strenuous footsteps. They were not interested in 15-hour workdays at the hotel, their prosperity largely depending on the weather. And instead of being able to enjoy the proceeds at the end of the season they would have to invest them again: into the heating system, new bathrooms, jetties and the like. Frustrated, many dedicated themselves to learning something ‘proper’ and became lawyers or physicians instead; tourism fugitives so to speak.

As investments decreased, the highs of the post-war era were followed by stagnation. Bravely, the castle struggles on through this difficult time. Singer Franco Andolfo sings his tunes at the Schlossbar, still entertaining the guests. When at one point rumour has it he might move to Seefels a crisis looms. But there is no need to worry. Franco stays. Even the renowned Austrian business magazine trend calls Andolfo the ‘Saviour of Lake Woerth.’ This should have been a reason to worry.

The very elegant head waiters, true grand seigneurs, mixed prominent and less prominent people when assigning the tables. The lake was the scene of numerous parties during the

summer. People got together for five o’clock teas; there were Miss or Mister contests, dance and hula hoop competitions.

They all came here: car dealers from Vienna and leading politicians from Klagenfurt. The international jetset, commuting between Saint Tropez and St. Moritz, flocked to the Schlosshotel in Velden every year, at least for two or three days. Gunther Sachs in particular who came time and time again. Obviously he liked the place. But, then again, who didn’t?

Sachs, in fact, had plans. When in January 1978 Sophie Günzl died at the age of 90, leaving behind two heirs, the economic situation of the Schlosshotel at that time would have justified selling it as the best solution for all involved. In 1990 the second owner, Elsa Böhm, died as well, bequeathing the hotel to her son. Now, there were three heirs and apparently they wanted to sell the castle.

Enter Sachs, who makes his bid and buys the hotel. Born in 1932, the German multimillionaire, who had primarily gained a reputation as a playboy, thus elegantly hiding that he was also in charge of the Fichtel & Sachs family business, was also a mathematician, economic scientist, photographer and documentary filmmaker. It was this Gunther Sachs who bought Schloss Velden and promptly closed it for the foreseeable future in the winter of 1990. Being so popular though, the Schlosshotel needed to open again as soon as possible. The re-opening was planned for 1991.

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An architecture competition was held. The competitors were David Chipperfield, Future Systems (both from

Great Britain), UN-Studio, Ben van Berkel (Netherlands), Skidmore, Owings & M. (USA/Great Britain), Peter Lorenz,

Wetschko & Roth & Winkler, Klingbacher & Falle and

Jabornegg & Pàlffy (Austria). Jabornegg & Pálffy won the competition on 16 January 2004.

Our aerial views show the old castle in winter (small picture) and the new area encircling and expanding the

original building.

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A family of ducks was swimming across the pond. Mother duck, her head lifted up to the sky, swam amidst the low-hanging branches of the willow trees. Where will she be when reconstruction starts, I wondered to myself?

Two years later, on the evening of Sunday, 27 May 2007, I checked in with my wife. We were the first guests of the new Schlosshotel. Officially, the hotel had not even opened yet but we happened to be there already, unofficially. We stayed in one of the large suites and I remember – just to give you a better idea of the situation – that the hangers and hair- dryer arrived after us.

I stepped out onto the south-facing balcony. An elegant white sun lounger tempted me to enjoy the first warm rays of the spring sun.

The new apartments at the Schlosspark were almost finished. In front of them lay the small pond, still there, drawing a smile to my face as I remembered that walk a couple of years earlier. Then I saw something sparkle in between the twigs, there was movement near the old pavilion. I stood up, watching. In fact, they were back. They had managed to check in before me.

The ducks were back.

More than 7,000 curious people from Velden flocked to the Schlosshotel on opening day to admire the 100 million Euro baby. On a red carpet they were shown the renovated part of the ancient building. Everyone was strongly impressed. A friendly man, leisurely clad in jeans and T-shirt, talked to me about hotels and the world. Apparently, he was very relaxed. He had just founded a hotel and resort management company and would manage this hotel. His name was Horst Schulze, his company Capella, his hotel manager here in Velden was German born Henning Reichel.

The new morning opened a new chapter in the history of the hotel. On Monday 28 May 2007, at 10:30 a.m., Hotel Schloss Velden was officially re-opened. A spectacular ‘Awakening

of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle’ was performed with a lavish choreography.

That’s how the castle built in 1603 woke up again in 2007 after a 17-year sleep. Stretching out powerfully, it looked very young and fit considering it was 400 years old.

Woken with a kiss.

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1545 Baron Barthelmä Khevenhüller buys land in Velden1590 Khevenhüller starts with the castle’s construction1593 Completion of the main building1603 Presumable completion of the castle, the overall costs amounting to 40,000 Gulden 1613 Death of Barthelmä Khevenhüller1631 Counter Reformation: confiscation of the Khevenhüller possessions1639 Count Siegmund Ludwig Dietrichstein buys the mansions and castles of Landskron and Velden for 90,000 Gulden1688 New owner Franz Adam Dietrichstein1754 Franz Karl Baron Manner rents an apartment and the postal station at the Schloss from Franz Ludwig Dietrichstein. Now Velden finds itself along the postal-carriage route Klagenfurt–Villach–Venice–Bolzano–Trent and via Lake Garda to Mantua.1758 Franz Karl Baron Manner rents the whole castle including the grasslands, fields, meadows, millpond and fishpond.1762 After the fire, Franz Karl Manner buys the castle’s ruin, mill, fishpond, ground and the Meierhaus.1773 Manner hands over the estate to his daughter Anna Merl.1790 Anna Merl and her husband Johann Jakob Merl are the new owners.

1810 Peter Galler buys the estate and the postal station1824 Josef Wrann becomes new owner in February but already in May has to sell the whole property and the postal monopoly in1824 to the new owner Jakob Kappitsch from Tarvisio. A lake front cabin is part of the estate.1832 Prince Johann Liechtenstein rents the anteroom of the castle with a view of the lake for 10 years. 1842 Jakob Kugy establishes the Seerestaurant in the former Seewirtshaus next to the castle. He had opened the inn around 1830 in the cabin purchased from carpenter Andreas Wurzer in 1821.1843 Simon Kappitsch, the son of Jakob Kappitsch, takes over the castle and the estate.1858 Death of Jakob Kugy. His son-in-law Thomas Glaser takes over the Seerestaurant and the brewery.1881 A large fire destroys 32 houses in Velden; a primary school is accommodated in the castle. 1884 Simon Kappitsch dies, bequeathing the castle and its properties to his daughter Maria Kappitsch, married Huss, who operates the estate as a farm.1889 Georg and Amalia Simon buy the castle and the Meierhof planning a hotel operation. 1890 Josefa Glaser, the widow of Thomas Glaser, sells the Seerestaurant to Georg and Amalia Simon.1891 Ernst Wahliss purchases the Schloss, the Seerestaurant and the additional property for 45,000 Gulden.1900 Death of Ernst Wahliss. His widow and his daughter Anna Elisabeth take over the management of the hotel. By distribution of the Wahliss estate, his daughter Katharina Maria Casati inherits the hotel operation. A phase of reconstruction and renovation follows until she buys the rest of the castle’s estate from the Dietrichstein trust. 1909 K.M. Casati sells the entire castle and its properties to a Viennese association for children of poor families.

The castle in the bay of Velden, 1720

History in Brief

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1909 In the same year, the municipality repurchases the estate, appoints a board and looks for a manager. 1909–1926 Christof Mösslacher manages the Schlosshotel. He is chairman of the administrative board.1910 Anna Leuttier becomes the manageress.1911–1916 Leaseholder Ferdinand Geyer (estate is divided, operated by the municipality) 1912 Demolition of the castle’s wall, development of the Kurpark. Lease agreement with Ferdinand Geyer and Anton May for the entire establishment at an annual 40,000 Kronen.1913 Karl Erdhofer from St. Wolfgang leases the lake properties of the castle for 15,000 Kronen in the first year and 17,000 Kronen in the second and third year.1914 Lease agreement is cancelled, new lease agreement with Ferdinand Geyer for 17,000 Kronen. 1914–1917 Anna Pirker, widow of the province’s judicial councillor, becomes hotel director of Schloss Velden.1915 No hotel operation. The Schloss is seat of the Army Administration. 1917 The Schloss serves as provisional hospital. 1918 In the autumn, the Seerestaurant has burnt down. Franz Baumgartner is commissioned with the construction of a new building. Authorisation and implementation of his plans in 1919. 1918-1919 Command Centre during the Carinthian defence.11.2.1919 Schlosswirtschaft GmbH leases the Schloss.6.6.—31.7.1919 Yugoslavian occupation of the Schloss.1920 Sophie Günzl, the daughter of Christof Mösslacher, leases the Seerestaurant and the Seevilla (Schlossstöckl). The Schlosswirtschaft company operates the hotel and bath.

1920s Illegal gambling house in the rooms of the former lakeside bath (Schlossbadeanstalt). 1924 Baumgartner establishes a movie theatre, the Schlosskino is born. 1930 Baumgarnter renovates the Badeanstalt. 1933 Schlosskino turns into Green Hall1949 The elevated tiers of the Schlosskino are levelled, ground level is established, the tapestry changed. The ‘Red Hall’ is born, used for private events.1987 From now on the Schloss is listed as a historical monument, including the arcades, the Red Hall and the annexed attic.1990/91 Gunther Sachs buys the Schloss for 120 million Schillings from Böhm, Fodermayer and Günzl.1991 Dismantling of the Kursaal and the terraces. 1992 Dismantling of the Stöckl. 2003 The Kärntner Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank and the Kärntner Holding Beteiligungs-AG sign an option contract for the purchase of the Schloss with Gunther Sachs. The purchase price for the Schloss and 6.5 hectare (16 acres) of land amounts to Euro 22 million. 2004 Construction begins after plans by Jabornegg & Pálffy involving an investment of Euro 100 million.2007 Monday 28 May, re-opening of Hotel Schloss Velden with a Sleeping Beauty performance. Management Company: Capella Hotels and Resorts, hotel directors: 2007 General Manager Henning Reichel. The hotel is

accepted as A Select Member of The Most Famous Hotels in the World.

Chef Silvio Nickols receives the first Michelin Star for the restaurant Schlossstern.2008 General Manager Roland Paar. Silvio Nickols receives the second Michelin Star for the restaurant Schlossstern. 2009 General Manager Elmar Greif*

* up-to-date history on www.famoushotels.org

History in Brief

ISBN German edition: 978—3—900692—31—5 English edition: 978—3—900692—32—2 Italian edition: 978—3—900692—33—9

The Windsors, Prince Liechtenstein, Ingrid Bergmann, Lionel Richie, Somerset Maugham, Peter Kraus, Princess Royal Mary, Silvio Nickol

The STory of a famouS hoTel

BuilT aS The reTreaT for a prince, converTed inTo a hoTel for The perfecT vacaTion, grown inTo a world claSS reSorT. The hiSTory of SchloSS velden iS The faScinaTing Tale of one of The legendary and unique hoTelS of europe.

A Winter Tale, by Manfred Markowski

SCHLOSS VELDEN, AUSTRIA

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