This is the site of Crown Prince Rudolph’s suicide. He was the 30 year old son of the Hapsburg Emperor.
Rudolph married Stephanie and a daughter, Elisabeth, was born in 1883. They grew apart. In 1888, Rudolph met 17 year old Baroness Mary Vetsera who madly adored him and became his mistress. She was prepared to die for him.
In the hunting lodge at Mayerling, they made a murder-suicide pact in 1889. This is the site of the hunting lodge, the church built and a small museum around the incident.
Crown Prince Rudolph was buried as a Catholic, but Mary was buried 4 times as the authorities tried to hush up the incident. Her final coffin is on display and it has been looted and damaged.Read more
September 8, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C