Wolfgang Porsche, the Austrian-German automotive magnate, has put his historic 17th-century villa in Salzburg up for sale following a public uproar over his plans to build a private 500-metre tunnel for his cars through the Salzburg hills. The villa, known locally as the Paschinger Schlössl, was once the home of Jewish writer Stefan Zweig, whose memoirs inspired Wes Anderson's film The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Background of the Tunnel Project
In 2020, Porsche purchased the villa on the outskirts of Salzburg for €8.4 million (£7.2 million). Last autumn, he secured planning permission from city authorities for an estimated €10 million private access road through the rugged limestone hill. The 83-year-old envisioned a tunnel leading from a municipal car park in the city centre to a subterranean garage next to the villa, capable of parking eight cars.
The proposal sparked incredulity and anger among locals, particularly due to the historic nature of the property. Zweig lived in the villa until he was driven out of the city in 1934 by the Austro-fascist regime. Critics argued that the tunnel plan epitomised inequality in a city where many residents face housing shortages and high rents.
Public Backlash and Protest Slogans
Protesters hung slogans around Salzburg, including “A city for everyone instead of a tunnel for one.” The backlash appears to have contributed to Porsche's decision to sell. According to local media reports, the controversy over the tunnel plans was a key factor in his U-turn.
City authorities have dashed hopes that the villa could become a museum dedicated to Zweig. Mayor Bernhard Auinger stated that the city could not afford to buy it. Zweig himself described the house as “romantic and impractical,” noting its charm was that it was “inaccessible to cars” and could “only be reached by climbing the more than a hundred steps” of the Kapuzinerberg hill.
Property on the Market
The 12-room estate is now on the market for €12.7 million (£11 million). The estate agents highlight the planning permission for the tunnel as a key selling point, describing it as a “remarkable, approved private tunnel project” and “unique annex for underground garage” that “elevates the property into a category of its own.” The planning permission, for which Porsche paid €48,000, is valid only until the end of 2028.
A real estate manager for Porsche confirmed the sale to the Salzburger Nachrichten but refused to comment on the motivation behind abandoning the project, describing the row as an “envy-driven debate.” He doubted that Porsche could have lived in the villa as originally planned with his new wife, Gabriele zu Leiningen, formerly married to the Aga Khan.
Calls to Revoke Planning Permission
Opponents of the tunnel are claiming victory, but the Greens in Salzburg are urging city authorities to withdraw the planning permission, arguing it has inflated the property's value. Ingeborg Haller of the Greens told Austrian media: “It cannot be that public land is being used for real estate speculation. This is about equal rights for all. It cannot be that only those who can afford it receive permission for a private tunnel.”
