Becher Haus
The Uebeltal Ferner glacier
boards , doors , our table was a door . At the time I was told that the Becher Haus was in a similar condition , but that it remained out of bounds to visitors , any visitors .
Continuing with my guidebook , I learned that there was a lot more to know about the Becher Haus and that Becher Haus was not the huts true name , the name just refers to the Becher Spitze and the lump of rock on which it sits overlooking the splendid cirque of mountains surrounding the Uebeltal Ferner glacier .
No , the huts correct name is Kaiserin Elisabeth Haus , known in history as the Empress of Austria , the reluctant Princess and fondly remembered even to this day as Sisi , the wife of Kaiser Franz Josef .
And this is where the story gets very interesting being full of intrigue , plots and twists that in someway mirrors life at the time in many of the Royal courts of Europe including the British even to this day [ any names come to mind ] but moreso the Austrian Hungarian Empire and Habsburg Dynasty prior to the First World War . So who was Sisi ? But before answering that , lets look at the Becher Haus itself . At 3196m high it was the original Castle in the Clouds of the Stubai Alps .
Becher Haus terrace
During the great wealth of the late 19th century and development of the Deutscher und Oesterreichischer Alpenenverein Alpine Clubs there was quite a lot of rivalry going on who could build the best huts with kudos being given to the great cities of Germany , Berlin , Dresden , Munich , Hamburg , Frankfurt , in Austria Vienna , Innsbruck , Klagenfurt , Salzburg that in around 1890 the DuOeAV Sektion Hannover elected to honour Sisi by funding and building the Kaiserin Elisabeth Haus on the Becher Spitze . Their ambitious plan was such , that once the hut was constructed to arrange for Kaiserin Elisabeth to visit the hut being physically transported by men and Ha�linger horses to the hut accompanied by her ladies in waiting and others of the Habsburg Royal Court .
While construction of the hut was successful , with the hut opening in 1894 , the Royal visit never took place due to very tragic circumstances .
Now you know how the hut got its name lets look at Sisi , the reluctant Princess .
Empress Elisabeth of Austria was born into the Royal Bavarian House of Wittlebach on Christmas Eve of 1837 being one of nine children . Remember this is before German uni�ication in 1871 .
Stunningly beautiful with long jet black hair at 16 she was chosen by the young 23 year old Kaiser Franz Josef to be his wife though it was always intended at least by his mother Archduchess Sophie that he would marry her elder sister Princess Helene . How angry she must have been having the limelight stolen from her by her younger sister , but how lucky was she to escape the clutches of the dreaded Archduchess Sophie .
Leaving Bavaria at 16 Sisi was unprepared for the restrictions of the Habsburg court life wholly dominated by her mother in law Archduchess Sophie . Though Sisi captivated the public and her husband alike she found court life oppressive . Educated and enquiring once queen she travelled frequently particularly to Hungary much to the Courts annoyance who tried constantly to have her remain in Vienna . But she was Queen and got her way .
Cruising the North African Coast She said I always want to be on the move , every ship sailing away �ills me with great joy , which she did several times before Austria became land locked by cruising the North African coast and visiting the Canary Islands with Madeira being a favourite destination . After the suicide of their son Crown Prinz Rudolf in 1889 , that ’ s another story , Sisi travelled extensively to try
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