Hofburg Palace

Vienna · Austria · Palace

In the imperial palace the White Lady appeared as a herald of death to the House of Habsburg – and whispers still drift from Sisi's chambers.

The Habsburgs' vast Vienna residence has its own household ghost: the White Lady, held by tradition to be Elisabeth of Lower Bavaria, consort of Duke Otto the Merry. For centuries she was said to appear in the palace corridors as an omen whenever death approached a member of the imperial house – though since the fall of the monarchy in 1918 she has not been seen. The eeriness, however, never left the building: cleaning staff have told of laughter and whispering late at night from Empress Elisabeth's old rooms, when the wings stand empty. The Habsburgs' ghost lore fills entire books, and the Hofburg stands at its centre.

FAQ

Where is Hofburg Palace located?

Hofburg Palace is in Wien, Austria.

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Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.

Image: David Koester · CC BY-SA 3.0 at · Wikimedia Commons