Billi Thanner’s Ladder to Heaven Illuminates Hotel Schloss Seefels

Techelsberg / Pörtschach / Vienna, 26 August 2022 – From the night of Friday, 26 August 2022, Billi Thanner’s LADDER TO HEAVEN will illuminate the tower of Hotel Schloss Seefels in Techelsberg, near Pörtschach on Lake Wörthersee, for the first time in glowing neon silver, creating a striking landmark in the public realm.

The Ladder to Heaven was commissioned by Helena Ramsbacher and Dr Hans-Peter Haselsteiner for the tower specially designed for Hotel Schloss Seefels. This permanent art installation consists of a 21-metre-high, matt-silver neon ladder with 21 rungs.

Looking upwards means giving free rein to our dreams, wishes and hopes. It means finding the courage, strength and perseverance within ourselves, replenishing our energy and confidence, and wishing for the very best for ourselves and others – regardless of gender, age, religion or culture.

“Looking up from below is the first rung, merely preparation for preparation itself. And when you look more closely, you realise that it really only begins at the very last rung. Human beings often transcend themselves in many different ways, and each time they do, they fill their lives with their true meaning. The Ladder to Heaven becomes a ladder of meaning, again and again, until we recognise that the lowest rung is equal to the highest. To me, this means that we live our lives on different levels and at different ranks. The ladder teaches us that what matters is not the life we lead, but the level at which we live it. No one needs to worry, although this may only become clear to us when we stand on the upper rungs of the ladder,” explains Billi Thanner, describing the significance of the Ladder to Heaven for her.

A LANDMARK AND A PLACE OF SPIRITUAL ENERGY

With Billi Thanner’s LADDER TO HEAVEN, created for the tower of Hotel Schloss Seefels in Techelsberg near Pörtschach on Lake Wörthersee, this picturesque Alpine lake – famous for its cinematic scenery – has gained an impressive and powerful landmark that glows enchantingly at night. The installation can be seen from the Pyramidenkogel, from Velden and from the lake’s southern shore.

Schloss Seefels was built in the second half of the 19th century. Its original owner, Emanuel Herrmann (1839–1902), commissioned the building as a late Gründerzeit villa with the character of a castle. The polygonal tower at the end of the elongated building stands out prominently when viewed from the direction of Velden. The castle is situated directly on the lakeshore, on slightly elevated ground.

WATER AND LIGHT

The interplay of water and light has always captivated humanity. Water is both a place of energy and a source of strength. We have been connected to this element since the very beginning. In the womb, surrounded by amniotic fluid, we feel safe and protected for months.

Water carries us and transports us back to our primordial state – a state of peace and divinity. It is a primal force that has been regarded as sacred throughout the ages. Water quenches our thirst for life.

At this place of energy, we replenish our strength, recharge our physical and mental reserves, and gather vitality. Like fire, light is one of the most significant phenomena in all cultures. Light symbolises redemption and enlightenment.

With Billi Thanner’s LADDER TO HEAVEN, Hotel Schloss Seefels becomes a truly exceptional place of energy and spirituality, offering magical encounters and unforgettable moments.