Eckartsau Castle stands as an imperial baroque hunting lodge located 42 kilometres northeast of Vienna near the Danube River in Lower Austria. The residence gained worldwide historical significance when Emperor Karl and Empress Zita spent their final months there in 1918 before departing into exile, marking the end of Austria-Hungary's imperial era. Expanded in 1897–1898 by Franz Ferdinand into a comfortable country residence, the castle today presents an exceptionally well-preserved interior evoking the imperial period. Set within the beautiful Donau-Auen National Park, Eckartsau combines architectural elegance, historical gravitas, and natural surroundings, offering visitors a tangible connection to Austria's recent imperial heritage.
