The sun was shining, so I decided to take a drive around Vienna. I spotted a beautiful castle and spontaneously stopped. The castle was the former hunting lodge of Prince Eugene of Savoy and Maria Theresa in Marchfeld, Lower Austria. I entered the small castle grounds and was immediately fascinated by this Baroque gem, which Prince Eugene had acquired from Count Rüdiger von Starhemberg in 1726. The small hunting lodge was designed by Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. In addition to the authentic game kitchen, I found the spacious French-style garden to the east of the castle particularly beautiful, with its tall, shady trees and deck chairs inviting visitors to linger. I strolled through the garden and enjoyed the warm rays of sunshine on my skin. What a dreamlike castle, exuding the charm of a French pleasure palace, where permanent events such as the special exhibition ‘Das Spiel mit dem Essen’ (Playing with Food) take place daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from mid-March to mid-November. This special exhibition, running from 15 March to 17 November 2019, invites visitors on a journey into the past, present and future of ‘trading’ and shows the development from the corner shop to the high-tech supermarket. The castle also has a patisserie that prepares wonderful cakes, pies and other delicacies that can be enjoyed in the idyllic garden. I fell head over heels in love with this little hunting lodge and thoroughly enjoyed my short break in the enchanting garden.
