The Von Trapp House: Still Standing In Austria?

The Villa Trapp in Salzburg, Austria, was once the home of the famous musical family, the Von Trapps, whose story was fictionalised in the film The Sound of Music. The house is still there and is now a hotel, where guests can stay in the rooms of various members of the Von Trapp family.

The Villa Trapp in Salzburg is the original home of the Von Trapp family

After the von Trapps left, the villa was occupied by Heinrich Himmler, who built an underground bunker on the grounds. Following World War II, the property was bought by a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood, who sold it to the von Trapps. However, the family did not return to live there, and the villa was rented out in the 1990s.

Today, Villa Trapp is a hotel where guests can stay in rooms that belonged to various members of the von Trapp family. The hotel retains much of its original charm and is a popular destination for fans of "The Sound of Music". It is located in a quiet area close to the centre of Salzburg and is surrounded by the city's largest private park.

The villa is maintained in the style of the period when the von Trapp family lived there. It offers a glimpse into the family's life and how they escaped from Nazi-occupied Austria. Visitors can stay in the family's rooms and walk through the villa and the park, experiencing the history and nostalgia of the place.

Overall, Villa Trapp in Salzburg is a well-preserved piece of history and a testament to the von Trapp family's legacy, offering a unique experience for visitors interested in the story behind "The Sound of Music".

The Von Trapps escaped the Nazis and their story was fictionalised in The Sound of Music

The Villa Trapp in Salzburg, Austria, was the home of the famous musical family, the Von Trapps, whose escape from the Nazis was fictionalised in the film, The Sound of Music. The family's story was far from over after they left. Heinrich Himmler, one of the Nazis' key leaders, moved into the Villa Trapp, even building an underground bunker.

The Von Trapps travelled to America, where their entry and subsequent applications for citizenship are documented in the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration. The Sound of Music was based on the first section of Maria von Trapp's book, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, but there were many alterations and omissions.

For example, Maria came to the family in 1926 as a tutor for one of the children, not as a governess to all of them. She married Georg von Trapp in 1927, 11 years before the family left Austria, not right before the Nazi takeover. She fell in love with the children at first sight, not their father, and only agreed to marry him when advised by nuns to do God's will.

The family did not secretly escape over the Alps to Switzerland. Instead, they travelled by train to Italy, pretending nothing was amiss. They then went to London before boarding a ship to New York to begin a concert tour in Pennsylvania.

The Villa Trapp itself is not the grand palace depicted in the film but a large, 22-room historic home built in 1863. Georg von Trapp and his children moved there in 1924 following the death of his first wife. After the war, a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood, bought the property from the Von Trapps, who had their ownership restored.

The Villa Trapp is now a hotel, where guests can stay in rooms that belonged to various members of the Von Trapp family.

The Villa Trapp is now a hotel where guests can stay in the rooms of the Von Trapp family

The Villa Trapp, the residence of the world-famous Von Trapp family, is now a hotel in Salzburg, Austria. The family's story inspired the musical "The Sound of Music", the most popular musical of all time. The villa has been maintained in the style of its period, including two luxurious, 60-square-metre suites.

The Villa Trapp was previously inaccessible to the public, but now guests can stay in the family's rooms and walk through the villa and the park. The building is located in a quiet area close to the centre of Salzburg and is surrounded by the city's largest private park.

The villa is not as grand or luxurious as the property used in the film "The Sound of Music", which was an enormous 300-year-old palace. Villa Trapp is a large, 22-room historic home built in 1863. Georg von Trapp and his children moved there in 1924 following the death of his first wife.

After the von Trapps escaped the Nazis, the villa was occupied by Heinrich Himmler, who built an underground bunker on the grounds. Following the war, a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood, bought the property from the von Trapps. The priests rented out the property in the 1990s, and it became a hotel in 2008.

The house features in Sound of Music tours of Salzburg

The Villa Trapp, the original home of the Von Trapp family, is still standing in Salzburg, Austria. The house is featured in Sound of Music tours of Salzburg, which attract 300,000 fans every year. The house is maintained in the style of the period, including two luxurious, 60-square-metre suites. The villa is surrounded by Salzburg's largest private park.

The house is quite different from the one depicted in the film, which was actually the Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron, a 300-year-old palace. However, the Villa Trapp is still worth visiting for fans of The Sound of Music. It offers a glimpse into the history of the real Von Trapp family and how they escaped from the Nazis (by train, not over the Alps!). The house has an old-fashioned charm and offers a comfortable, nostalgic stay.

The Villa Trapp has a somewhat chequered history. After the Von Trapps left, it was occupied by Heinrich Himmler, who built an underground bunker on the grounds. Following the war, the property was bought by a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood, who rented it out in the 1990s. It became a hotel in 2008.

The hotel has received mixed reviews, with some guests complaining about the service and refund policies. However, for fans of The Sound of Music, it offers a unique opportunity to step back in time and experience a piece of history.

Heinrich Himmler moved into the Villa Trapp after the Von Trapps left

The Villa Trapp in Salzburg, Austria, was home to the famous musical family, the Von Trapps, depicted in the film "The Sound of Music". The family escaped the Nazis, leaving their Austrian home behind. After the Von Trapps left, Heinrich Himmler, Reichsführer and head of the SS storm troopers, moved into the Villa Trapp. Himmler was one of the key leaders of the Nazis and was responsible for Hitler's reign of terror inside Germany and its occupied territories. He was also one of the architects of the "Final Solution", the Nazi program for exterminating the Jews.

Himmler's motives for choosing the Villa Trapp are unclear. However, it is known that he built the white wall surrounding the property and conscripted slave labour to do so. He then had all the labourers shot, possibly due to fears of security breaches. While living in the Villa Trapp, Himmler used the home as his summer residence. He converted one of the children's rooms into his office and installed a barracks for SS officers on the grounds. He also built an underground bunker, which still exists today.

After World War II, the American military commanders who occupied the Salzburg region returned ownership of the property to the Von Trapp family. The family then sold the property in 1948 to the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, a Catholic community. The community today uses the building for provincial offices and as quarters for the Kolleg St. Josef, a facility for seminarians.

The history of Himmler's occupation of the Villa Trapp casts a dark shadow on the house. However, the current residents, the Catholic community, are also proud to live in the home of Georg von Trapp, a man who stood up against the Führer. The story of the Von Trapp family and their brave escape from Nazi-occupied Austria inspired the beloved musical film "The Sound of Music". While the film takes creative liberties with the family's story, it immortalizes their legacy of courage and resilience.

Frequently asked questions