November 2023
2023-11-26 Südbahnhotel Semmering (public)
Visit to the historic Südbahnhotel on the Semmering on November 26, 2023. The photographic series documents the legendary Belle Époque grand hotel of the Semmering railway region, capturing its architecture and morbid charm in 25 photographs.
25 photos
Snow-covered main entrance of the Südbahnhotel, Semmering, November 2023 The main entrance of the Südbahnhotel at Semmering, Lower Austria, stands closed under snow in November 2023, its concrete canopy carrying raised metal letters spelling "SÜDBAHNHOTEL". Two potted palms flank the weathered timber doors at house number 27, a remnant of the grand hotel opened in 1882 for guests of the Semmering Railway. 
Historic "Rechts gehen drücken" enamel sign on Südbahnhotel door, Semmering A dark oak door at the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, carries a historic enamel sign reading "Rechts gehen drücken" alongside a brass push bar, photographed in November 2023. The sign bears the maker's mark of H. Irmler, a Vienna-based Kunstschlosser (art locksmith), documenting the hotel's original early-20th-century fittings. 
Torn Sheet Music Fragment on Floor of Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 A torn fragment of handwritten sheet music lies on a dust-covered patterned floor inside the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed on 26 November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 beside the Semmering Railway, stands largely disused and is documented here during a public access date. 
Chain-hung enamel pendant lamp in stripped service room, Südbahnhotel Semmering A black enamel pendant lamp hangs on a chain from the ceiling of a stripped, unrenovated service room in the Südbahnhotel Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed in November 2023. Surface-mounted cable runs and illuminated green emergency exit signs cross the peeling lime-plaster walls of the Südbahnhotel Semmering. 
Snow-Covered Südbahnhotel Wings Seen Through Multi-Pane Window, Semmering, November 2023 Snow blankets the courtyard and ochre-rendered wings of the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, viewed through a multi-pane interior window in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 beside the Semmering Railway, has stood largely unused since closing to regular guests in the 1970s. 
Brass Door Handles on Historic Glazed Double Doors, Südbahnhotel Semmering Curved brass pull handles and a cracked ivory push plate mark the glazed double doors of the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel opened in 1882 as a resort hotel built by the Südbahn railway company and has stood largely unused since the 1970s. 
Padded Door with Brass Handle and Torn Leather at Südbahnhotel Semmering A padded soundproof door at the Südbahnhotel Semmering in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed in November 2023, retains its original brass lever handle and long escutcheon plate. The door's studded upholstery has split near the top, exposing a curled flap of leather and the fibrous backing beneath. 
Broken wall mirror reflecting fitted wardrobe in Südbahnhotel Semmering guest room, November 2023 A cracked wall-mounted mirror in a disused guest room of the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, reflects a cream-painted fitted wardrobe, an upholstered armchair and a parquet floor in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel opened in 1882 as a resort of the Austrian Southern Railway and has stood largely unused since the 1970s. 
Disused metal bed frame beside snow-framed window wall, Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 A rusted metal bed frame stands against the tall glazed window wall of a disused room at the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, in November 2023, overlooking snow-covered conifers. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 by the Austrian Southern Railway company Südbahn-Gesellschaft, has stood largely unused since the 1970s. 
"Adamant" brass drain plug in historic bathtub, Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 A brass overflow fitting labelled "ADAMANT" sits in a crazed enamel bathtub at the Südbahnhotel Semmering in Semmering, Lower Austria, Austria, photographed in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 alongside the Semmering Railway, retains original sanitary fittings from its era as an imperial-era resort hotel. 
Abandoned armchair and bench beneath peeling wallpaper, Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 An abandoned guest room in the Südbahnhotel Semmering, Semmering, Lower Austria, retains a worn upholstered armchair and bench in November 2023. A sheet of wall covering printed with newspaper pages has peeled away from the wall of the Südbahnhotel Semmering and fallen across the bench. 
Disused Guest Room with Orange Chaise Longue, Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 A disused guest room at the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed in November 2023, retains an orange upholstered chaise longue, matching armchairs and a herringbone parquet floor. The Südbahnhotel opened in 1882 as the flagship resort of the Semmering Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. 
Striped Armchair and Abandoned Furniture in Südbahnhotel Semmering Guest Room, November 2023 A striped upholstered armchair, wooden side table, empty drawers and a stripped mirror frame stand abandoned in a guest room of the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 by the Austrian Southern Railway, has been largely closed since the 1970s and retains its original herringbone parquet flooring. 
Abandoned attic guest room with chaise longue, Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 An abandoned attic guest room in the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed in November 2023, retains its herringbone parquet floor, a small writing table and a chaise longue beneath a sloping ceiling. The Südbahnhotel opened in 1882 as a resort of the Austrian Southern Railway and has stood largely unused since the 1970s. 
Elevator Shaft and Stairwell at Südbahnhotel Semmering, Lower Austria, November 2023 The disused stairwell and open elevator shaft of the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, built from 1882 by the Imperial Royal Southern Railway company and largely closed since the 1970s, retains its historic cable-driven lift running through the stairwell core. 
Wrought-iron staircase balustrade with spiral scrollwork, Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 A wrought-iron staircase balustrade with a dark wooden handrail stands in a service stairwell of the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed on 26 November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 alongside the Semmering Railway, has stood largely unused since the 1970s, leaving interior fittings such as this balustrade in place. 
Rolled carpets with inventory tags stored in a Südbahnhotel Semmering room, November 2023 Rolled grey carpets and upholstered furniture sit in storage inside the disused Südbahnhotel on the Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed on 26 November 2023. Handwritten paper inventory tags pinned to the carpet rolls mark the hotel's remaining furnishings, catalogued after the 1882 spa hotel ceased regular guest operation. 
Historic elevator shaft and stairwell inside the Südbahnhotel, Semmering, Lower Austria A disused elevator shaft rises through a stone stairwell at the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 by the Austrian Southern Railway company, retains original iron balustrades and cage ironwork around the shaft alongside crumbling plaster walls. 
Guest Room Doors with Brass Handles, Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 Open panelled guest-room doors line a darkened corridor inside the disused Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed on 26 November 2023. The nearest door frame retains its original brass lever handles and an exposed mortise lock plate stripped back to bare, chipped white paint. 
Removed Double Washbasin Leaning on Parquet Floor, Südbahnhotel Semmering A dismounted double porcelain washbasin with cross-handle taps rests against a wall on the herringbone parquet floor of the disused Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 by the Austrian Southern Railway (Südbahn), served as a resort hotel for Viennese guests before closing to regular hotel operation in the 1970s. 
Frost-Covered Arched Window Framing Snowy Semmering Landscape, Südbahnhotel A frosted, arch-topped window in the disused Südbahnhotel Semmering, Lower Austria, frames snow-covered hillsides and forested slopes of the Semmering pass in November 2023. Ice crystals have formed a curved sweep across the lower half of the single-glazed pane, leaving only the upper section clear enough to see through. 
Vaulted stone-pillared hall with painted ribs, Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 Stripped vaulted hall with stone pillars and painted rib decoration inside the disused Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed on 26 November 2023. Polychrome floral and geometric bands trace the groin vaults above a floor left as bare screed, with dark carved wainscoting along the left wall. 
Glazed connecting corridor with peeling walls, Südbahnhotel Semmering, November 2023 A disused glazed connecting corridor runs through the Südbahnhotel Semmering in Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed in November 2023. White-framed casement windows line both sides of the corridor above walls stripped back to bare plaster, with a green emergency exit sign still mounted on the ceiling. 
Potted palm trees overwintering in a derelict room at Südbahnhotel Semmering Six fan palms in burlap-wrapped root balls stand overwintering in a disused room of the Südbahnhotel in Semmering, Lower Austria, in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 alongside the Semmering Railway, has stood largely unused since 1976 and now shelters garden plants in rooms with peeling plaster. 
Grand Piano and Bentwood Chair on Chequered Tile Floor, Südbahnhotel Semmering A closed grand piano covered with a lace cloth stands with a bentwood chair in an alcove of the Südbahnhotel Semmering, Lower Austria, photographed in November 2023. The Südbahnhotel, opened in 1882 along the Semmering Railway, retains original black-and-white chequered tile flooring in its unrestored interiors. You might also like
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