"Once a huge elephant
came to our land
from the south.
This is the house where he stopped by
and ate and drank
plenty of good wine.
Full, happy and satisfied
he then continued his journey.
This happened in 1551."
This saying decorates the entry to
Hotel Elefant. The house was first mentioned in an official document in the 14th century.
The hotel has borne today's name "Hotel Elefant" since the 16th century, when archduke Maximilian, King of Böhmen, visited the hotel with his elephant "
Soliman" in 1551. The archduke was passing through with his elephant on his way to Vienna, where he gave the elephant as a present to the empress.