Gezicht op Hotel Tauber in Wenen, Oostenrijk 1865 - 1891

Hermann Heid captured this photograph of the Hotel Tauber in Vienna, Austria, sometime in the late 19th century. Heid’s photograph exists within the historical context of Vienna during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As the empire expanded, Vienna became a cosmopolitan hub, but also a site of increasing social stratification and nationalist tensions. Hotels like the Tauber catered to a wealthy, often international clientele, embodying a certain vision of imperial grandeur. The photograph presents us with the hotel’s ornate facade, complete with classical sculptures and elaborate architectural details. This aesthetic reflects the values of the time, where art and architecture were often used to project power and status. Hotels functioned as temporary homes for travelers but were also spaces where identities were performed. The hotel is quiet, but within it, we can imagine a cross-section of society, each individual carrying their own history.