Gala Dinner - 5 October 2012

Alzheimer Europe and Alzheimer Austria invite you to an unforgettable gala dinner which will take place in the Piaristenkeller, a 300-year-old monastery cellar with two imperial museums and a historic restaurant.

Your evening will include a 3 course meal in the beautiful restaurant of the monastery. On the menu is a traditional Viennese meal with Semolina-dumpling soup as starter, Braised Beef with red wine gravy, ribbon noodles and vegetables for main and apple strudel with whipped cream as dessert (vegetarian and gluten free option available on request). Your dinner will be accompanied by a zither player to continue the immersion into typical Austrian entertainment.

 After dinner we continue our trip down “memory lane” and we invite you to take part in the nostalgic “wine and Hat parade” through the Emperor Franz Joseph Hat Museum and to the Imperial and Royal Wine Treasure Vault.

 To round of the evening and to dance the night away, we invite you to “Imperial Clubbing” in the wine cellar.

This will be a night to remember

The cost of the gala dinner is EUR 85 per person for participants registering prior to 30 June. After that, the cost will increase to EUR 95 and for participants wishing to register at the conference, the cost will be EUR 100.

Piaristenkeller

The "Piaristenkeller" is run as a family business and will most certainly be passed down to future generations since the son of the proprietor, Mag. Harald Emberger, has already followed in the tradition laden footsteps of his father with enthusiasm and commitment under the motto "the young generation cultivates the old tradition".

So the historic "Piaristenkeller" restaurant which was originally founded as a monastery wine tavern with the name "Österreichische Stiftskellerei" (Austrian Collegiate Wine Cellars) has survived until today as a popular event restaurant with an impressive ambience and the cosy Viennese atmosphere as well as the traditional zither music..

Emperor Franz Joseph Hat Museum

The Emperor Franz Joseph Hat Museum, along with the Piaristenkeller and the former "collegiate cellar" - then, a meeting place for the officers of the cavalry barracks in the immediate vicinity in the Josefstadt - is accommodated in an absolutely ideal location and has become a museum attraction. During the fascinating guided tours - in contrast to the traditional museum fare - guests may, instead of merely viewing museum pieces, also try on the treasures from the hat collection. This includes the headgear of the elite cavalry regiments of the Imperial and Royal Army as well as flamboyant ladies' hats. On this occasion you will enjoy learning about the nobility and etiquette as well as the charm and flair of Viennese high society in this heyday of hat fashion.

Imperial and Royal Wine Treasure Vault

 Rare wines from the crown estates spanning three centuries may be viewed during the guided tours along with the portrait of the Empress in her Madeira travelling dress (by Horowitz). This is "the loveliest picture of my mother" according to the entry dated 31.12.1898 in the diary of the Empress's favourite daughter, archduchess Valerie. The best tableware for personal use only can also be seen, along with menus of both their Imperial Highnesses that are kept in the "Imperial and Royal Wine Treasure Vault", a splendid saferoom dedicated to her Majesty, Empress Elisabeth I of Austria.