Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Austria Vienna Ungarisches Haus (Hungarian House)

Ungarisches Haus (Hungarian House)

The townhouse where the "Blood Countess" Elizabeth Báthory started her murderous career.

Vienna, Austria

Added By
inaleaguewithsatan
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Number 12 Augustinerstraße   inaleaguewithsatan / Atlas Obscura User
Elizabeth Báthory’s townhouse in Vienna.   Buchhändler/CC BY-SA 3.0
Number 12.   inaleaguewithsatan / Atlas Obscura User
Number 12 Augustinerstraße, featuring Mozart.   inaleaguewithsatan / Atlas Obscura User
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
Number 12.   inaleaguewithsatan / Atlas Obscura User
  gingercinnamon / Atlas Obscura User
  gingercinnamon / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The plain facade of this townhouse betrays nothing of the atrocities that may have taken place here when it was the residence of one Countess Elizabeth Báthory.

Elizabeth Báthory is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most prolific female murderer ever, but she might even be the most prolific murderer of all the Western World. She allegedly tortured and killed more than 600 virgin women in order to drink and bathe in their blood, believing it would preserve her youth and beauty.

Some historians believe that these accusations were trumped up as an intrigue to bring down a powerful woman, but the number of testimonies against her as well as Báthory's own confessions make for a convincing case. 

At the turn of the 17th century, the "Blood Countess" intermittently lived in her husband's Hungarian House at 12 Augustinerstrasse, right in the heart of Vienna. The rest of her time was spent at Cachtice Castle, where she eventually moved full-time as she drew more and more suspicion.

The city's nearby markets served as a hunting ground for Bathory's servant Ficzkó, who was instrumental in providing a steady stream of young Viennese maids for the countess. With the promise of food, shelter, comfort, and security, the young women would leave their families to serve the mysterious noblewomen. Ficzkó and other servants would return year after year, luring in more and more young ladies (all of them beautiful), but those who left would never be seen again.

Some were taken to Cachtice Castle, though in the beginning some were employed at the Hungarian House. Though no townsperson dared to question the countess, there were frequently strange sounds emanating from the house at nighttime. Apparently the nocturnal disturbances once even prompted the monks from the Augustinian monastery across the street to pelt the house with earthenware, demanding silence.

It apparently began as simple domestic abuse, flogging them and leaving them naked in the snow—atrocious, to be sure, but not uncommon in these pre-OSHA days. But the abuse the young women suffered at the hands of the countess and her accomplices grew more and more diabolic. Reports included everything from pulling their fingers off to biting the flesh from their faces, and then, of course, draining their blood so that she could bathe in it.

All of this was eventually discovered at her castle, where she was put on an early form of house arrest—simply walled in and never allowed to venture out. You can visit the ruins, but for some Elizabeth Báthory deep cuts, pay a visit to her townhouse in Vienna, the place it all began.

Related Tags

Death Murder 31 Days Of Halloween Houses Homes

Know Before You Go

The house is not open to the public, but you can always visit the Italian restaurant on the corner. Take in the air of absolute evil and check if they use extra virgin olive oil.

Community Contributors

Added By

inaleaguewithsatan

Edited By

Molly McBride Jacobson, rbenn250, gingercinnamon

  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • rbenn250
  • gingercinnamon

Published

October 6, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustinerstra%C3%9Fe_(Wien)
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Báthory
Ungarisches Haus (Hungarian House)
12 Augustinerstraße
Vienna
Austria
48.205801, 16.367988
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Herzgruft 'Heart Crypt'

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Schmetterlinghaus: The Imperial Butterfly Park

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Vienna

Vienna

Austria

Places 66
Stories 7

Nearby Places

Herzgruft 'Heart Crypt'

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Schmetterlinghaus: The Imperial Butterfly Park

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Vienna

Vienna

Austria

Places 66
Stories 7

Related Places

  • The facade of the house.

    Stockholm, Sweden

    Last Home of Descartes

    A plaque marks the house in Stockholm where the French philosopher René Descartes lived up until his death.

  • Stockholm, Sweden

    Ribbinska Huset

    It is said that each of the white stones in the red facade of this medieval house represents the head of a murdered Swedish noble.

  • Villa De Vecchi.

    Cortenova, Italy

    Villa de Vecchi

    The abandoned "Ghost Mansion" was left to decay in the mountains of Northern Italy.

  • Laura Palmer’s House.

    Everett, Washington

    Laura Palmer's House

    This private home is famous for appearing in the cult-classic "Twin Peaks" series.

  • Iulia Hasdeu Castle.

    Câmpina, Romania

    Iulia Hasdeu Castle

    This eccentric folly house was designed by Romanian thinker Bogdan-Petriceicu Hasdeu, with a helping hand from his deceased daughter's spirit.

  • Bradgate House.

    Newtown Linford, England

    Bradgate House

    The alleged birthplace of Lady Jane Grey, who was executed at age 16 for claiming the throne of England.

  • Rope making equipment in the cave mouth, looking out.

    Castleton, England

    Peak Cavern's Rope Factory

    Some of England's last cave dwellers lived and worked within this huge cave.

  • The Zalud house

    Porterville, California

    Zalud House

    The Zalud family experienced a number of tragedies in one decade, giving rise to rumors that the 19th century house is haunted.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.