When the IIASA Charter was signed on October 4, 1972, Schloss Laxenburg just south of Vienna was chosen as the Institute's headquarters.

One of the three main residences of the imperial Habsburg family, the palace was originally known as the Blue Court (Blauer Hof). It had been owned in the first part of eighteenth century by Friedrich Karl Graf von Schoenborn. At that time, Schoenborn commissioned famous baroque architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt to extend the Blue Court. Parts of the facade then built, including the park side of the northeast wing, still exist. In 1766, Empress Maria Theresa enlarged the building to its present size.

During and after the Second World War, the Schloss fell into a state of disrepair. Then in the years between 1972 to 1981, it was completely renovated for IIASA.

Inside the main entrance ...
We begin our tour by entering through a small door in one of the vast gates of the main entrance. In earlier times, the gates had allowed carriages to be driven into the palace, where passengers could alight indoors between the two main staircases. The present glass partitions and stone pavement date from the 1973–1976 restoration.

The Reception occupies the glassed-in office in the main hall opposite the entrance. To the left we see the Visitor's Lounge. Photographs of the members of IIASA's Governing Council (one from each of IIASA's National Member Organizations) hang on the wall in the lounge.

... and up the main stairs ...
The walls of the entrance hall stairs display portraits of past IIASA directors and Council chairmen.

... to the Library
What is now the IIASA Library was once the apartment of Crown Prince Rudolf, who was born in Schloss Laxenburg on 21 August 1858. The Crown Prince lived here with his wife Stefanie, and their only child, Elisabeth, also born here. After his suicide at Mayerling, his widow continued to live in Laxenburg.

The library retains some of the stuccoed ceilings from the days of the monarchy, but has otherwise been completely modernized. Its countless volumes and many scientific journals deal with the main issues of IIASA's research, namely sustainability and the human dimensions of global change. The room shown at the right above is the library's journal reading room.

The Elisabeth Room

The Elisabeth Room, which faces the southwest, was once Empress Elisabeth’s bedroom. Its red silk-covered walls, white and gold ceramic stove, huge portrait of Maria Theresa, and original white and gold rococo furniture make it one of the most imposing rooms of the Schloss.

In this room, Elisabeth is said to have spent her honeymoon with Emperor Franz Josef, who traveled to his office in the Hofburg in Vienna each day, leaving his severe mother Sofie as company for his bride of just 16 years.

Today, the Elisabeth Room is the meeting room of the IIASA Director.

The Kaisergang, Silberkammer, and Paradise Garden
The Kaisergang or “emperor's walkway” connected the living areas with the dining/reception/theatre areas, allowing the emperor to go back and forth under one roof.

The Silberkammer was originally one large room used to store the imperial household silver and china. In the period between the two World Wars, it served as the village cinema. It is now sub-divided into several offices.

The Paradise Garden has neatly laid walkways and a well-groomed lawn. Before its restoration, it had fallen into a desolate state following years of neglect and severe destruction during and shortly after WWII.

An office in an imperial room
Thirteen historical rooms facing the park to the southeast and east have been restored to their original splendor. The ceilings are stuccoed and the walls are covered with silk fabric, each room in a different color. The doors are covered with silk too, and it it weren’t for the door-handles, they would be virtually invisible. Gold leaf covers the stucco as well as the wood framed fields on the walls and doors.

In Habsburg days, only these rooms were heated. The glazed brick stoves still remain, but central heating has been installed inconspicuously below the windows. The stoves are unique and range in style from high rococo to neo-classic.

The Bohemian crystal chandaliers are identical to those hanging in the Imperial Dining Room (accessible through the Kaisergang). The rooms are connected by double doors. Court etiquette demanded that both parts of a door be opened when the emperor passed through. For lesser beings, one door was considered sufficient.

Today, most of these restored rooms serve as offices for IIASA researchers.

The Belvedere
Built late in Maria Theresa's reign, the Belvedere was the domain of her many children. Trompe l'oeil frescoes cover the walls on all three floors of the tower. The initial impression is one of entering a path in a park. Soft greens, an earth-brown carpet and diffused light contribute to a picture hardly changed since its creation. On the middle floor, which is essentially a landing, a fresco of a courtyard adds perspective. The top floor gives us the impression of an airy pergola with white colonnades supporting the open roof and tall arches overlooking distant landscapes. Unfortunately, only two arched frescoes in the Upper Belvedere could be restored.

Today the Belvedere serves mainly as a meeting room, particularly for smaller groups.

The General Purpose Building
Finally, we come to the GPB or General Purpose Building. Built in the 1970s for additional office space, this is a modern facility, only a few minutes walk from the main building. It houses the warehouse, printshop, technical services, and several other departments and projects.

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Last updated: 07 Oct 2009