In 1859 Konstantin married Princess Marie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (1837–1920) at
Weimar. She was the daughter of Fürstin
Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (1819–1887) who after her divorce lived with
Franz Liszt since 1848 at Weimar. In 1861 he bought
Palais Dobner-Dobenau [
de] in Vienna, and the couple moved in the following year. His wife became a sponsor of Vienna's cultural life and a supporter of its social institutions. The couple had six children:
Prince Franz Joseph zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1861–1871)
Prince Wolfgang zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1869–1883)
Princess Dorothea zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1872–1954)
Career
Hohenlohe went to school at the Maria-Magdalenen-Gymnasium,
Breslau graduating with the
Abitur in 1848. The same year he joined the military of the
Austrian Empire and served in a campaign in Northern Italy in 1849. In 1854 he entered service at the
Royal court in Vienna. He advanced becoming
Aide-de-camp of Emperor
Franz Joseph I. in 1859 and First "Obersthofmeister" with the elevated appointment to "
Fürst" in 1866.[2] He was seen as the perfect courtier, always in agreement with the political views of the Emperor. As the highest court official, Hohenlohe had many administrative and representative duties and was at the centre of the political and cultural life at the Austrian Court. After the
Ausgleich of 1867, the term
k.u.k. was added to his title signifying that his duties were to both parts of
Austria-Hungary.[1]
In 1857, Emperor
Franz Joseph I of Austria issued the decree "I have resolved to command" (Es ist Mein Wille at Wikisource) ordering the demolition of the city walls and moats. In his decree, he laid out the exact size of the
Ringstrasse, the new representative boulevard, as well as the geographical positions and functions of the new buildings. Hohenlohe was responsible for buildings and properties of the Royal Court along the Ringstrasse as well as the completion of the
Hofoperntheater, and the new construction of the
Hofburgtheater and of two new museums, the
Kunsthistorisches Museum and the
Naturhistorisches Museum. The construction of the
Neue Burg at the Hofburg was not completed until the First World War. Hohenlohe participated in the development of the
Wiener Prater where the
World Exhibition took place in 1873. The Konstantinhügel in the Prater is named after him. Hohenlohe also oversaw work for the
Vienna Danube regulation.[3]
Martina Winkelhofer-Thyri: Prinz Constantin zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1828–1896). Der große Unbekannte am Wiener Hof. In: Alma Hannig, Martina Winkelhofer-Thyri (Hrsg.): Die Familie Hohenlohe. Eine europäische Dynastie im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. Verlag Böhlau, Köln 2013,
ISBN978-3-41222201-7, S. 181–198.