Augarten#
Augarten, park with palace in 2nd district of Vienna. Ferdinand III had the hunting lodge which had been built on the Danube island of Wolfsau under Emperor Matthias in 1614 expanded and surrounded by a park in 1649. Leopold I bought the Trautson Palais (built after 1654) around 1677 and enlarged the park. In 1683 the entire complex was destroyed by the Turks. At the end of the 17th century the present-day palace was built (called "Alte Favorita" (Old Favorita) in contrast to the Favorita in the Wieden district of Vienna); the Great Hall building, which now houses the Porzellanmanufaktur ("Augarten Porcelain"), was built under Joseph I in 1704. Joseph II added the Kaiser Joseph Pavilion (constructed in 1781 by I. Canevale), enlarged the park and made it accessible to the public in 1775. In 1873 and 1897 further additions were built. The Augarten was a recreation area well into the 19th century. During World War II 2 50 m flak towers were constructed. Since 1948 the palace has housed the boarding school of the Vienna Boys' Choir.