Visit Sissi's Place

Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary

Born Elisabeth of Bavaria, known as Sissi, she was married to Emporer Franz Joseph, Emporer of Austria and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire. She was considered to be a free yet sexy spirit who abhorred conventional court protocol. She has inspired filmmakers and theatrical producers alike. Sissi led a rather sad life after her marriage. She was unhappy with the strict etiquette practiced by her husband's family (the Hapsburgs), her children were denied much contact with her and were raised by her mother-in-law, and her only son died tragically by an apparent suicide. Nonetheless, Sissi still managed to make her mark. Famous for her extensive travel, expert riding skills, and exquisite beauty, she set the mark in fashion and physical fitness in her time. Sissi was considered the most beautiful woman in the world. Painted often when she was young, in her late 20s she would allow no more portaits done of her, saying she wanted the world to remember her as beautiful.

The Achilleion

She also built the Achilleion Palace in Corfu. This villa was built between 1890 and 1891 by Sissi, whose beloved son Rudolf and his lover died mysteriously (most likely a double suicide) at Mayerling in 1889. The empress identified him with Achilles, and so the villa is really a memorial to Rudolf and her grief. There are many statues and motifs associated with Achilles and many include dolphins, for Achilles' mother was the water nymph Thetis. As you approach the villa from the entrance gate, you will see a slightly Teutonic version of a neoclassical summer palace. Take a walk through at least some of the eclectic rooms. Among the curiosities is the small saddle-seat that Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany sat on while performing his imperial chores. He bought the villa in 1907, after Elizabeth was assassinated in 1898.

The terraced gardens that surround the villa are now lush and tropical. Be sure to go all the way around and out to the back terraces. Here will you see the most famous of the statues Elizabeth commissioned, The Dying Achilles, by the German sculptor Herter; also you cannot miss the 15-foot-tall Achilles that the Kaiser had inscribed, "To the greatest Greek from the greatest German," a sentiment removed after World War II. But for a truly impressive sight, step to the edge of the terrace and enjoy a spectacular view of Corfu town and much of the eastern coast to the south.