Palais Epstein
The Palais Epstein is a palace in Vienna. It was built in the typical historicist the Ringstrasse style and is located between Parliament and the Natural History Museum at the Dr. -Karl -Renner-Ring 1 (formerly Burgring 9).
History
On behalf of the originating from Prague Jewish banker Gustav Ritter von Epstein was built in the historicist Neo-Renaissance 1868-1871 Palais Epstein from the Danish architect Theophil von Hansen. As a construction manager was the young Otto Wagner worked. On the ground floor the bank premises were established in the overlying main floor, the magnificent living quarters of Epstein with details as in the walls of retractable sliding doors between the parlors. Even the not marmorgetäfelten parts of the stairwell walls a surface of stucco lustro ( a, inter alia, made with wax marble deceptively imitierendender Stuck with a tradition over Venice to ancient Pompeii ), which also features many rooms of the Imperial Council or Parliament building today. Instead of Epstein the nobles casino would initially be built, but the high price prevented this project - the land was because of its secluded location between Bellariastraße and Schmerlingplatz, to the people garden, and its proximity to the Imperial Palace and other royal buildings at that time the most expensive on the ring road and only for the banker financed.
As a result, the stock market crash of 1873 Epstein was forced to sell his palace to prevent the bankruptcy of the bank. Bought it in 1876 from the Imperial Continental Gas Association, London, the operating gas stations and public gas lighting in Vienna and in 1883 its Vienna branch moved into the palace. Its director Henry James Drory lived and worked here until 1899. In 1902 the building passed into state ownership (kk Aerar ) and became the seat of the Administrative Court. 1922 had this the Vienna Board of Education soft, a politically dominated by Red Vienna federal agency for which the town administration had asked the federal government a seat as close to the Vienna City Hall. To this end, the interior of the palace was adapted, wall decorations were hidden there and were thus obtained.
In the era of National Socialism, the palace was the seat of the building department of the Reich Government. During this time, the building lost much of extant Jewish furnishings and fixtures.
After the war the palace was used by the Soviet occupation forces as the central headquarters. After the State Treaty of 1955 and the withdrawal of the occupying powers, it was shortly thereafter used as a branch of the Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and the seat of the city council in the academic year 1957/58.
Before this took off in 2000, beat Leon Zelman, head of the Jewish Welcome Service Vienna, front to design the palace due to its changeable, not untypical of Austria user story to the house of Austrian history. He had above all the history of the 19th and 20th century in look, no Viennese museum is specially dedicated to this day. The then National President Heinz Fischer gave but because of the lack of space of Parliament it fixed to use the Palais Epstein especially for the National Council, - without its historical dimension hide.
The building was commissioned by the Federal Real Estate Society ( BIG) offset from January 2004 to October 2005 by a complete renovation and especially the main floor to its original condition; since it serves as an annexe of the Parliament. On the ground floor a permanent exhibition about the Epstein family and the history of the house was furnished. Through the piano nobile (optionally combined with the parliament) organized tours. The salons are availed for cultural events and award ceremonies.
To memorial plaques are located at the street facades of the Palais for Karl and Charlotte Bühler, Otto Gloeckel and Leon Zelman.