All About Royal Families

The Grand Hotel in Zell am See (Austria) was built in 1894 during the Belle Époque. Grand Hotel Zell Am See Austria with the columns After the second World War, the tourism was booming. Even a few movies were filmed in the Grand Hotel. In 1996, the  Family Zeller purchased the Grand Hotel. Now the hotel is well known for its spa. The location can't be better: just near the lake. Lake Zell Am See Austria - own picture The staff are dressed in a traditional Austrian Costume.  The Grand Hotel is the only hotel which remained from the Belle Époque Time.... Old postcard of Zell am See - Source picture: Wikipedia Besides the lake: the Grand Hotel.

Elisabeth Franziska Maria, Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia was born on January 17th. 1831 in Ofen (Hungary). Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska Source picture: Wikipedia Her parents were Archduke Joseph, Palatine of Hungary and  Maria Dorothea of Württemberg. Archduchess Elisabeth married twice.  First she married Archduke Ferdinand Karl Victor of Austria-Este .  They were the parents of Maria Theresa, last queen of Bavaria. Secondly she married Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria . They had 4 children together. One of them, Maria Theresa of Austria was Queen Consort of Spain. Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska was a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.

The Home Mountain of Zell am See is the Schmittenhöhe (see my Royal Destination of January 14th.: Link  ). But the Region offers a lot of more mountains and amazing landscapes. The Region Zell am See often is mentioned in touristic brochures as Zell am See -Kaprun. There are many mountains. The Maiskogel  is called the family mountain. It is not so high as the Kitzsteinhorn. The views are wonderful. Maiskogel Own picture The Kitzsteinhorn (a glacier) is a part of the Hohe Tauern.  There is a Cable Car to visit the Kitzsteinhorn. It is possible to ski here during almost the whole year. In Kaprun tourists can visit the Hohe Tauern . Tauern means literal a Mountain Pass. This area is large and spread over several Austrian States even till the north of Italy (South Tyrol). Hohe Taueren Own pictures From Zell am See- Kaprun there is a possibility to visit the Grossglockner . It is the highest mountain of Austria.  Royal Link In

Francis II ( in Italian Francesco) was born on January 16th. 1836 in Naples (Italy). Francis II  Source picture: Wikipedia His parents were Ferdinand II and Marie Christina of Savoy. There was a link with Austria trough his spouse: Maria Sophie of Bavaria. King Francis II and his wife Source picture: Wikipedia Maria Sophie of Bavaria was a sister of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sisi). In 1861, The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies became a part of the then new Kingdom Italy. Francis II died in 1894 in Arco.