Palais Coburg

Palais Coburg stands on the Braunbastei, a 16th-century bastion in central Vienna. The Neoclassical palace was designed by Karl Schleps and built between 1840 and 1845 for Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Its tall portico of freestanding columns earned it the nickname Spargelburg, or ‘asparagus castle’. The house belonged to the Kohary branch of the Saxe-Coburg family until the 1970s. Sarah Aurelia Halasz, widow of Prince Philipp Sachsen-Coburg, was its last private resident. The building is now a five-star boutique hotel with 33 suites. In 2015 it hosted the signing of the Iran nuclear deal. The palace’s grand rooms retain their original proportions and details from the 19th century. Guests move through high-ceilinged salons with marble fireplaces and parquet floors. The hotel’s interiors combine historic decoration with modern luxury. Outside, the palace overlooks the Ringstrasse and the city’s old fortifications. The Braunbastei terrace offers views towards St Stephen’s Cathedral. Inside, the Winter Garden conservatory provides a quiet retreat. The hotel’s restaurant serves regional dishes in a setting of polished parquet and soft lighting. The Spargelburg’s columns still frame the entrance, marking the transition from street to palace.