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The New Palace, the Hermitage in Bayreuth and Fantaisie Palace are all filming locations for the new Netflix series "The Empress".
Empress Elisabeth, also known as “Sissi” or historically correct “Sisi”, has been given a Netflix series with six episodes. “The Empress” entered the Netflix top ten at number 2 just a few days after its series launch on 29 September 2022.
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International Emmy for best drama series
And that’s not all: the historical drama, which was largely filmed in Bayreuth and the surrounding area, won the International Emmy for Best Drama Series on 20 November 2023. The Netflix series about Austria’s former Empress Elisabeth beat productions from South Korea, Argentina and the UK in New York. This is the second time that the award in the main category of the television prize for non-US productions has gone to Germany, following the 2016 prize for “Deutschland 83”. Around 100 million viewers have watched the series, which received a second season in November 2024.
This is the trailer for the Netflix series:
Would you like to hike in the footsteps of Sisi and Franz? These are the filming locations:
First filming location: The Hermitage in Bayreuth
The Hermitage is a historic park with two castles on the outskirts of Bayreuth.
- In the Marble Hall in the Old Palace, Franz announces his engagement to Elisabeth, much to everyone’s surprise.
- Sisi rides along the arcade at a gallop and is prevented from leaving the imperial estate by a policeman.
- On the evening of the engagement, Sisi meets her drunken father in the Lower Grotto and asks him to leave.
- Sisi goes for a walk with her ladies-in-waiting in the canal garden and discovers a heron.
- A tea party is held in the tea pavilion.
Second filming location: The New Palace in Bayreuth
The New Palace is located in the centre of the town and is an outstanding example of Bayreuth Rococo.
- Japanese room: Sisi and her family have arrived in Ischl and realise that some suitcases are missing.
- Palm room: Sisi and Franz lie on the original oak parquet floor and look at the dragons and mythical creatures on the ceiling to calm down.
Third filming location: Fantaisie Castle to the west of Bayreuth
Fantaisie Palace and Park are located on the western outskirts of Bayreuth. The special feature of this park is that it combines design elements from the Rococo, Empfindsamkeit and Historicism styles.
- Fantaisie Palace: Sisi and her family arrive in Ischl and await the Emperor.
- Fantaisie Park, cascade: families go for a walk and stroll down the stairs.
- Park Fantaisie, Labyrinth: fencing duel between Franz and his brother Maximilian.
Other locations in the region:
- Bamberg: Wedding scenes at the cathedral portal, cathedral square and new residence, Müller iron foundry
- Pommersfelden: Schloss Weissenstein becomes the imperial palace Schönbrunn
- Paradise Valley, halfway between Bayreuth and Bamberg: Elisabeth and the wife of the Russian heir to the throne go for a walk in the forest with ladies-in-waiting & hunting scene, Elisabeth rescues the Russian heir to the throne
- Eyrichsof Castle near Ebern: Hunting lodge on a hunting trip with the son of the Russian Tsar
- Staffelberg near Bad Staffelstein: Sisi rides up the rock and looks out over the Alps
This is what it looks like in the Netflix series:
On erlebe.bayern you can discover more about the filming locations of the series, as well as other film locations in the region.
