Schmetterlinghaus, Butterfly house in Burggarten, Vienna, Austria

The Schmetterlinghaus is a glass pavilion in the Burggarten containing more than 400 butterflies from about 40 species that fly freely among waterfalls, tropical plants, and wooden bridges. The space is designed to be warm and humid, mimicking the living conditions these insects need.

The first glasshouse on this site was built between 1823 and 1826 for Emperor Franz II, designed by Ludwig von Remy using then-innovative iron construction. Friedrich Ohmann rebuilt it in 1901, replacing the historic facade with a Jugendstil one and enlarging the windows; the work took five years. Closed in 1988 for safety reasons, the Palmenhaus was repaired between 1996 and 1998 at a cost of about 13 million euros, and the butterfly house opened in its north-western wing.

The house shows how nature can be cultivated in a city and attracts visitors who want to watch butterflies up close. Its location in the Burggarten connects this place to Vienna's imperial gardens and makes it a green retreat in the heart of the city.

Inside there is constantly high temperature and humidity, so visitors should wear light clothing or leave jackets in the cloakroom. The path through the house is well marked and butterflies can be observed from several levels.

The butterfly house occupies 280 m² in the north-west wing of the Palmenhaus, a glasshouse built in 1901 to Friedrich Ohmann's designs. The Palmenhaus reopened in 1998 after a renovation costing around 13 million euros, and the butterfly house has been housed in its left wing since then.