Habsburg Monarchs Amassed 160,000 Furnishings

Whenever a new Habsburg monarch moved into one of the dynasty's palaces, they brought furniture matching their own taste and sent the previous furnishings into storage. Empress Maria Theresa formalized the practice in 1747 by founding the Imperial Furniture Depository, which stored, repaired, and restored the royal furniture. The Austrian state consequently inherited more than 160,000 pieces spanning five centuries, including furnishings from Schonbrunn, Hofburg, Belvedere, and Schlosshof palaces.

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