Palais Thurn and Taxis Art House, Bregenz

Palais Thurn and Taxis Art House is housed in a villa built in 1848 for Karl Güllich, a manufacturer of imitation jewelry from Pforzheim. The two-story building was designed in a Neoclassical style, with a hipped roof and symmetrical layout. In March 1887, Prince Gustav of Thurn and Taxis bought the property, giving it its present name. The city has owned the villa since 1915. Before becoming an art space, it was used for various municipal purposes.

Since 1953, the villa has been the seat of the Berufsvereinigung der bildenden Künstlerinnen und Künstler Vorarlbergs (Professional Association of Visual Artists of Vorarlberg). After renovations in 1983–84 by Hans Purin and Heinz Wagner, it reopened as a contemporary art centre with exhibitions that change monthly. The former gardener’s house was also restored and now contains offices, a library, an archive, and a lithography workshop.

The villa stands in a heritage-protected park of about 16,000 square meters. In the late 19th century, the grounds were turned into a landscape park and arboretum with exotic and native trees gathered by Prince Gustav and his gardener, Wenzel Smetana. Today it is considered one of the region’s important historic gardens. Inside, the 19th-century proportions and stucco remain, creating an intimate space for contemporary art.