What connects Hotel Hochschober with the legendary Silk Road?
A journey full of stories, encounters, and heartfelt hospitality. Just as the ancient caravans traveled between East and West, the Hochschober family was drawn to distant lands – inspired by foreign cultures, fascinated by the diversity of the world.

Along our "Hochschober Silk Road," you will discover lovingly collected treasures and memories from these travels: tea culture, handcrafted art, and curiosities that speak of grand adventures and small wonders. Each piece opens a window into another world – inviting you to rediscover the magic of this ancient trade route. Welcome to your personal journey of discovery!

 

 

GUARDIAN LIONS
Guardian lions protect the house and its residents from negative influences.
Two guardian lions, perched on console tables, mark the beginning of the Hochschober Silk Road. Such figures are common in China, especially at the entrances of traditional buildings like Buddhist temples and pagodas. Their role: to ward off evil and protect those within. At Hochschober, two lions also stand guard at the Chinaturm.
The male lion, symbolized by the right-hand figure, rests his paw on a (world) globe, representing worldly power. The female lion, on the left, protects a lion cub under her paw.

 

CLAY FIGURE
The origin story of this figure, presumably a warrior, remains unknown.

 

CALLIGRAPHY CHARACTER
The character for "Emperor" is a gift from a guest who cherishes China and is an artist.
Chinese script is one of the oldest in the world, about 3,000 years old, consisting of over 100,000 characters. Daily life requires far fewer—approximately 3,000 to 5,000.
Each character stands for a syllable and often represents an entire word. While written language is unified throughout China, pronunciation varies regionally. Mandarin, spoken by nearly 900 million people, is the most common dialect.

 

SILK CARPETS
These carpets come from a trader who himself traveled the Silk Road many times.

 

KALACHAKRA MANDALA
Barbara and Peter Leeb brought this "Wheel of Time" back from Kathmandu in 2011.
Discovered during a journey through Kathmandu, this mandala represents the blueprint of a stupa seen from above. The Kalachakra Mandala is used for meditation, even by the Dalai Lama himself.
A master monastery painter spent seven months creating this piece, using natural mineral pigments and 24-karat liquid gold on special linen.

 

TEAHOUSE FURNITURE
Furniture in the Ming dynasty style, sourced from antique markets in Tianjin.
During our research trips into the world of Chinese tea culture, we found ourselves drawn to the traditional teahouse style of the Ming dynasty: elegant simplicity, beautiful curves, and precious woods. The pieces you see in the Chinaturm and the Silk Road were all carefully selected in Tianjin, close to Beijing.

 

OPIUM BED
This low couch once stood in a licensed opium lounge.
In 19th-century China, opium lounges were common. Wealthy citizens even had private opium rooms for entertaining business associates.
Although these salons were often luxurious, the societal consequences were grave. It wasn’t until after Mao Zedong’s rise to power in the mid-20th century that opium addiction in China was significantly reduced.

 

FLOOR CARPETS
Selected for their colors that reflect the vibrant spirit of the Silk Road.

 

STONE BUDDHA
This lucky Buddha was found in Tianjin during a 2004 journey.
The word "Buddha" means "The Awakened One."
Buddha statues symbolize enlightenment, happiness, and higher states of consciousness. Each posture and hand gesture (mudra) conveys its own meaning.

 

SILK WALL TAPESTRIES
These wall hangings tell stories from life along the Silk Road.
Brought back from the 2005 Silk Road journey, they depict temples, sailing junks, caravans, and festive scenes – all vibrant reflections of the ancient trade route.

 

PORCELAIN WALL PANELS
Acquired from an antique market in Tianjin.
Porcelain-making has been integral to Chinese culture for millennia. These four blue-and-white panels depict idyllic landscapes and highlight China’s artistic legacy.

 

CARVED VASE
An extraordinary vase, a gift on loan from a loyal guest.

 

SCHOLAR’S STONE (SUISEKI)
A guest's gift combining Chinese and Japanese traditions.
Suiseki, the art of naturally-formed stone appreciation, originated in China before spreading to Korea and Japan.
In the Silk Road area, this scholar’s stone sits on a wooden base, reflecting meditative harmony with nature.

 

GLAZED CERAMIC FIGURES
These mythical creatures once adorned the original Chinaturm roof.
Though the original tiled roof had to be replaced by a more resilient copper roof, a few of these magical creatures—like dragons and phoenixes—remain on display.

 

TRAVEL DESTINATIONS AND DREAMS
Globes and ancient maps invite you to dream and explore.
The Silk Road was not just a trade route—it was a cultural bridge. Our maps and globe remind us: every great journey starts with a dream.

 

REVERSIBLE TIGER PAINTING
A gift symbolizing guaranteed success, no matter how you turn it.

 

CHILD AND GRANDFATHER PAINTING
Brought back by Barbara Leeb from her 2005 Silk Road journey.
A deeply personal piece that reminds her of the special bond with her own grandfather.

 

CLAY PICTURE
A gift from tea master Hue Van Ngo Layman.
Artist Heinz Lackinger creates his "Images of the Earth" out in nature, crafting from natural clay found in peaceful surroundings.

 

MIRROR WITH SUNBURST FRAME
According to Feng Shui, this mirror wards off negative energies.

 

HOUSE ORGAN
This historic organ, made around 1725, tells a personal family story about Peter Leeb’s passion for music.

 

APOTHECARY CABINET
Brought back by Peter Leeb from a Traditional Chinese Medicine research trip.

 

BROWN PAINTING
Unfortunately, the origins of this artwork remain unknown.

 

CHINATURM FROM ABOVE
A gift from a Chinese artist, offering a bird’s-eye view of the Chinaturm.

 

BLUE-AND-YELLOW VASES
Gifts and loans from guests and lovers of Chinese culture.

 

SEA AND LAND MAPS
A symbol of the Silk Road as a network of trade, exchange, and communication.
The original Silk Roads were ever-changing webs of routes, both overland and by sea—vital arteries of trade, knowledge, innovation, and sometimes even disease.
Today, with China’s modern "Belt and Road Initiative," the Silk Road spirit lives on into the future.