Palais Kaunitz-Wittgenstein

The Palais Kaunitz-Wittgenstein stands in Laxenburg, a village south of Vienna in Lower Austria. Built in 1703, it is a Baroque palace set among gardens and parkland. The building began as a summer house before becoming a museum, school and community hall. Since 2010 it has housed the International Anti-Corruption Academy. The estate once belonged to a military commander who started the first house here in 1695. After his death, a powerful nobleman bought the land and enlarged it into a grand palace. The palace is worth visiting for its layered history and the figures who shaped it. The first owner, Dominik Andreas von Kaunitz, commissioned the Baroque structure. The architect is thought to be Domenico Martinelli, who also designed Slavkov Castle. Later, Wenzel Anton Kaunitz, grandson of the founder, added neoclassical interiors and frescoes by Joseph Pichler. The Wittgenstein family lived here in the early 20th century, including the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s sister Klara. The building’s past uses show how it has served culture, education and diplomacy across centuries. Inside, visitors find neoclassical rooms with painted ceilings and a grand staircase. The former banquet hall still shows Pichler’s frescoes. The surrounding gardens and parkland stretch out from the palace walls. The building now serves as the headquarters of an international organisation. Its quiet setting in Laxenburg contrasts with its grand past. The palace remains a place where history and modern purpose meet.