Austria - Carinthia

Elli Riehl’s Puppenwelt

Winklern, Karnten, Austria Visit Website

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Elli Riehl, who was born in Villach in 1902, always wanted a “little house in the mountains.” When she became a widow at the age of 28, she fulfilled her dream and moved to a small farmhouse in the country. She loved being out of doors and took long walks where she became friends with all the local families and adored all their children. Elli then began to make dolls based on the people in the valley, concentrating especially on young children. Elli Riehl’s passion for dolls continued until she died in 1977. A small farmhouse next to her workshop has been converted into a museum, beautifully displaying in glass cases over 600 examples of her work. Each of the small dolls is a masterpiece, exquisitely crafted and dressed to perfection with clothes all sewn by Elli. Do not pass up this museum—even if you aren’t much interested in dolls, this exhibition is enchanting. I promise you will come away smiling. The whimsical, happy children and adults depicted are absolutely irresistible. The museum is open from April 1 to May 31 and September 16 through October 15 from 9 am to noon; and from June 1 to September 15 from 9 am to noon and 2 to 6 pm, tel: (04248) 23.95.