Kurhaus Thalhof, Reichenau an der Rax

The Thalhof stands in Reichenau an der Rax, a market town in the foothills of the Rax massif in Lower Austria. The building itself is a protected monument, first recorded in 1652 as a country estate. Ignaz Waissnix transformed it into a notable inn during the early 19th century. By the Biedermeier period it ranked among the leading hotels, and travel writers praised its setting. Emperor Franz Joseph I stayed here multiple times for royal hunts in the surrounding forests. The hotel became a grand establishment by 1890, attracting Vienna’s Ringstrasse society, aristocrats, artists and writers. Sigmund Freud wrote part of The Interpretation of Dreams while staying at the Thalhof. Peter Altenberg and Arthur Schnitzler were also regular visitors. After severe damage in the Second World War the property struggled to recover. In later decades Helga David revived it as a summer venue for readings and theatre performances. Today the Thalhof operates as an apartment house, preserving its historical atmosphere. Guests walk through rooms once frequented by Freud, Schnitzler and others. The surrounding woods and mountain views remain much as they were when travel writers first described them.