History of the Grand Hotel Wien

136 years of Karl Tietz's famous "Rinstrasse" masterpiece

The legendary Grand Hotel on Vienna's Ringstrasse, was built in the 1860's according to the plans of Karl Tietz, one of the most celebrated architects of his time. The architectural style of this period takes its name from the famous boulevard "Ringstrasse" itself. The era was noted for the charm and elegance of the "K & K" (Imperial and Royal) Monarchy and by a city dancing to the music of the Strauss family.

One of Europe's first Grand Hotels

The Grand Hotel was not only the first luxury hotel in Vienna but also one of Europe's first Grand Hotels. It was situated in an exclusive location; very close to the Musikverein, the Wiener Konzerthaus and the Vienna State Opera. The Grand Hotel was actually inaugurated on May 10th, 1870.

At that time the hotel could accomodate up to five hundred guests and the hotel offered already two hundred bathrooms. The hotel also featured a steam elevator and soon, a telephone would be installed in each room and a beauty salon was opened on the ground floor where the ladies could have their hair coiffured and the gentlemen their moustaches groomed. The Grand Hotel also could boast a truly excellent restaurant.

European Royalty

Royalty from all over Europe chose the Grand Hotel as their base for their Viennese sojourns, taking the habit of leaving part of their luggage in the hotel's depot permanently in order to find it there on successive visits.

The banquet rooms of the hotel were frequently used for great events. In 1894 Johann Strauss was celebrating his fiftieth anniversary as an artist. But the Grand Hotel was not only a famous meeting place for the Viennese society but for artists from all over the world like Enrico Caruso, Pietro Mascagni, Johannes Brahms, Yvette Guilbert, Josephine Baker, or actors Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner.

1950's - The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)

In the 1950's the Grand Hotel took over the prestigious role of providing quarters for one of the capital's first international agencies, the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). In 1979 the IAEA left the hotel for its new home in the International Centre on the Danube and the building was used as an office for the Austrian National Bank and the Bundesbaudirektion.

Major Renovations

Beginning in 1989 the Grand Hotel was given a major renovation. Japan's largest air carrier All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., (ANA) had made the hotel its European flagship. While the historical facade of the Palais Corso was retained, the interior is of a completely new design. The emphasis, therefore, is upon tradition as a framework for state-of-the-art technology. Exquisite fabrics and rare antiques add to the Grand Hotel's unique splendour.

Famous Guests of the Grand Hotel Wien

A

Akos Birkas,
András Schiff ,
André Kostolany ,
André Maylunas ,
Andrea Rost ,
Angela Gheorghiu ,
Angelo Branduardi ,
Antonello Venditti ,
Arthur Cohn ,

B

Barbara Frittoli,
Bärbel Schäfer,
Bhichai Rattakul,
Bianca Jagger,
Bryn Terfel,

C

Carlos Santana,
Chantal Thomass,
Christa Ludwig,
Christiaan Barnard,
Christian Lacroix,
Christian Thielemann,
Christiane,
Hörbiger,
Cindy Crawford,
Claudia Cardinale,
Claudia Jung,
Claudia Schiffer,

D

Dalai Lama,
David Fincher,
Deborah Voigt,
Dennis Russell Davies,
Die,
Jungen Tenôre,
Dieter Laser,
DJ Ötzi,
Dr. Michel Friedmann,
Dr. Oscar Arias,
Dr. Rita Süssmuth,

E

Eberhard Witt,
Edzard Reuter,
Eikichi Yazawa,
Eileen Ford,
Emil Jannings,
Enrique Iglesias,

F

F. K. Flick,
Faye Dunaway,
Francisco Araiza,
Franco Bonisolli,
Frank Elstner,
Franz Klammer,
Franz Welser-Möst,
Frederik Willem de Klerk,
Friedrich Gulda,

G

Gabriela Sabatini,
George Vassiliou,
Giancarlo Fisichella,
Gidon Kremer,
Gila von Weitershausen,
Giora Feidman,
Gunter Sachs,
Günther Jauch,

H

H. D. Genscher,
H.E. Boutros Boutros Ghali,
H.R.H Karim Aga Khan,
H.E. Kofi Annan,
H.R.H Prince Faisal Turki Al Saud,
H.R.H Prince Rahman Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia,
H.R.H. Prince Takamado of Japan,
H.R.H. Queen of Bhutan,
Hanne Boel,
Hansi Hinterseer,
Harald Juhnke,
Hardy Krüger,
Heidelinde Weis,
Heinrich Harrer,
Helmut Lotti,
Hera Lind,
Herb Ritts,
Herbert Grönemeyer,
Hiroyuki Iwaki,
Horst Tappert,

I

Inga Nielsen,

Iris Berben,

J

Jacqueline Bisset,
James Cromwell,
Jennifer Rush,
Jerry Hall,
Jessye Norman,
Joan Armatrading,
Johannes Heesters,
John Neumeier,
José Carreras,
José Cura,
Juan Pons,
Juan-Diego Florez,
Junichi Ishida,

K

Kai Wiesinger,
Katia & Marielle Labeque,
Kenzaburo Oe,
Kid Rock,
Klaus Jürgen Wussow,
Koji Takanohana,
Konstantin Wecker,

L

Laura del Sol,
Lionel Hampton,
Lord Yehudi Menuhin,
Lorin Maazel,
Luciano Pavarotti,

M

Maestro Horst Stein,
Maestro James Levine,
Maestro Marcello Viotti,
Maestro Riccardo Muti,
Makhar Vasiev,
Margarete Schreinemakers,
Martin Scorsese,
Mathieu Carrière,
Michael Tilson Thomas,
Michail Gorbatschow,
Michelle Crider,
Mstislaw Rostropowitsch,

N

Neil Shicoff,
Norio Oga,

O

Ouliana Lopatkina,

P

Pamela Anderson,
Paul Kuhn,
Placido Domingo,
Prof. August Everding,

R

Ramén Vargas,
Raquel Welch,
Roberto Alagna,
Roberto Antinori,
Roger Whittaker,
Rolf Sachs,
Ruggero Raimondi,

S

Sandro Chia,
Semyon Bychkov,
Seymour Cassel,
Simone Young,
Sir Richard Branson,
Sir Roger Norrington,
Stefan Soltesz,
Stephen Hawking,
Susanna Agnelli,

T

Taro Akebono,
Teiko Maehashi,
Teresa Berganza,
The Spice Girls,
Thomas Gottschalk,
Thomas Hampson,

U

U2,
Uwe Kröger,

V

Valdimir Malakhov,
Valerj Gergiev,
Vesselina Kasarova,
Vladimir Ashkenazy,

Y

Yasokichi Konishiki,
Yoshiko Ishida,