Princess Sophie of the Netherlands (Wilhelmine Marie Sophie Louise; 8 April 1824 -- 23 March 1897) was the only daughter of King William II of the Netherlands and of his wife Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia. She was heir presumptive to her niece, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, for seven years, from the death of her brother until her own death. She married prince Carl Alexander von Saksen Weimar Eisenach in 1842 and became grand duchess of Weimar.
LISZT HOUSE - WEIMAR
The classical building is located on the western boundary of the Park on the Ilm and at the beginning of the avenue leading to Belvedere Palace. It was originally built as a gardener’s lodge at the very end of the 18th century. In 1819, master builder Clemens Wenzeslaus Coudray redesigned the house and adapted it architecturally to match the building opposite. The house served as a studio for Friedrich Preller the elder and Hermann Wislicenius from the 1850s until Liszt moved there in 1869. This is where Liszt’s second period of residence in Weimar began. He had already lived at Villa Altenburg in Jenaer Strasse with Princess Carolyne von Sayn-Wittgenstein from 1848 to 1861 during his term of office as the court’s musical director. Upon returning to Weimar with the invitation of Grand Duke Carl Alexander, he used the so comfortably furnished apartments by the Grand Duchess Sophie until his death in 1886. Liszt only spent the summer months there; winter and spring were spent in Rome and Budapest. The Weimar summers of this genius, who was admired throughout Europe, were distinguished in particular by his teaching work. Liszt instructed numerous young, talented pianists from Germany and abroad free of charge at his home. Just a short time after his death, Carl Alexander opened part of the premises to the public as a memorial site. The original furnishings of the living rooms and study were preserved.
LISZT - GROßHERZOGIN SOPHIE & GROßHERZOG CARL ALEXANDER
