RECORD TURNOUT AS OPEC FUND JOINS NATIONAL HERITAGE DAY
A first glimpse of the expanded Headquarters excites local visitors
A ustria’s National Heritage Day is traditionally held on a Sunday in autumn and provides the general public with the opportunity to explore buildings, which are usually not accessible. The OPEC Fund has participated in this initiative for several years and with great success. When the institution once again opened its doors for the year 2024 on September 29, it registered a record number of visitors. More than 140 people enjoyed the four tours guided by the art historian Michael Rainer who provided an insightful outline of the history of the OPEC Fund’s Headquarters. It was the first time that the newly renovated Palais Colloredo-Mannsfeld was part of the tour. After a meticulous restoration and artful redecoration the OPEC Fund in early 2024 moved parts of its offices to the new building, while also keeping the renowned Deutschmeister- Palais on Vienna’s Ringstrasse, the city’s most celebrated boulevard. This is also where the tour began with a general introduction to the OPEC Fund and the Palais, which was built from 1864–1868 by the architect Theophil von Hansen as a residence for Archduke Wilhelm Franz of Austria, a member of the royal house of Habsburg. As Mr. Rainer pointed out, the Palais became “something of a calling card” for Hansen, who went on to become one of the most famous “Ringstrassen-
Architekt” with buildings like the federal parliament and the former stock exchange among his most prominent works. Reaching the bel étage via the grand staircase gave visitors an impression of the splendor and beauty of the Palais, which Mr. Rainer called “one of the finest buildings on the Ringstrasse.” Running through the history of the building and its former owners, he praised the OPEC Fund for the “excellent and extensive refurbishment” carried out just before it took up residence in 1982. Visitors were also impressed by state apartments like the Mahsoun Jalal Room, the Board Anteroom, Chairman's Office (the archduke’s previous billiard room) and the Ibrahim Shihata Board Room, the former grand hall of the “Deutschmeister-Orden” (Teutonic Knights). Archduke Wilhelm was himself Grand Master of the charitable order and made the palais the order’s seat. As a surprise and special treat the current Master, Frank Bayard, joined one of the tours and enjoyed a spirited conversation with art historian Rainer. A visit to the Stables on the ground floor demonstrated that Archduke Wilhelm also was a horse lover – a passion that ended tragically when one of his horses bolted at the sound of a train whistle. The accident cost the Archduke his life. One of his nephews transferred his passion for
horsepower to the modern age: Archduke Eugen became the first person in the Austro- Hungarian empire to own a car. The license plate, issued on January 7, 1906, bore the number “A1.” A brief glance into the magnificent staircase of Palais Colloredo-Mannsfeld concluded the tour. The visitors were not the only ones to be impressed by what they saw: The architectural practice Innocad, commiss-
ioned by the OPEC Fund to design and deliver the refurbishment of the palais, won a “honoree mention” by the prestigious Interior Design Magazine ’s 2024 award for the best project in office transformation.
Visitors enjoyed the OPEC Fund’s hospitality
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