Palais Damian, Vienna Travel Guide

Palais Damian, situated on Lange Gasse in Vienna's Josefstadt, offers a glimpse into the city's baroque past. Constructed around 1700 for Karl August von Damian, a wealthy timber merchant, the palace originally featured open arcades and a flat roof. It was initially known as 'Haus zum Strobelkopf,' a reference to the Viennese term for timber merchants. The architect remains unknown, though some speculate Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt may have contributed to the design.In 1774, Daniel von Zepharovich, a high-ranking civil servant, acquired the Palais and commissioned Matthias Gerl to renovate it. These renovations included adding an upper floor and side wings, which created a courtyard. The arcades were enclosed, and a wall was built around the palace.Over the years, Palais Damian has been home to several notable figures. In 1785, Karl Abraham Wetzlar, a banker and art collector who was also a friend of Mozart, rented the Palais. The Wetzlar family eventually purchased it in 1800 and resided there for about half a century. Later, the Löwenthal-Linau family owned the Palais and leased it to various tenants. From 1885 to 1897, Moritz Szeps, the publisher of the 'Neues Wiener Tagblatt,' lived here.The City of Vienna acquired Palais Damian in 1936. During World War II, it housed the Vienna Boys' Choir. Today, it serves as the headquarters for the KOBV, an association for people with disabilities in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland. While the palace's exterior, with its projecting side wings and courtyard, evokes a grand impression, the interior has been largely converted into office spaces, and only a small portion of the original garden remains.