Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up in Thal, a small village located near Graz in Austria, and had humble beginnings. The actor grew up in a strict, low-income household where his father worked as a local police chief. He remained ambitious for his future and is now one of the biggest and most beloved icons worldwide. While the actor has moved to a sprawling estate in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, his roots in Thal remain strong, all thanks to an Austrian investor. The man bought the ‘Terminator’ actor’s childhood home at an auction all the way in 2009, and it has now been transformed into a museum for the star.
About Arnold Schwarzenegger’s childhood home in Thal
Located at Linakstrasse 9 in Thal and originally built all the way back in 1806, it once used to be a forester’s house for the Counts of Herberstein, according to The Daily Herald. Later, it was converted into the official residence for the local police commander of the area, who was Arnold’s father, Gustav Schwarzenegger. He worked as the local police chief, and the Schwarzenegger family lived on the upper floor of the building. Another family occupied the ground floor of the space. The actor and politician lived in the house up until August 1966, when he moved out at the age of 19 to pursue his weightlifting career.
Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up in the upper floor of the house, while another family occupied the ground floor. When he was a child, he did not have proper access to water and electricity. (Instagram)
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s childhood home went up for auction and was bought in 2009
According to the outlet, in 2009, Austrian investor Christian Baha, who is the founder of the Vienna-based hedge fund, acquired the privately owned property at an auction for USD 656,000 at the time.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s childhood home is now a museum
The home, which was sold off in 2009, is now a museum entirely dedicated to the veteran star’s journey in the industry. The space explores his career as a weightlifter and an actor, as well as a politician, showcasing how he came to be. The official description on the museum’s official website reads, “Since 2011, visitors to the museum, formerly the forest lodge of the Counts of Herberstein, have been able to trace the beginnings and career of Austria’s most famous son. Numerous exhibits illustrate his extraordinary life story and the most important stages of his life, such as his childhood and youth, bodybuilding, film career, and time as governor. Experience Terminator & Co. up close and immerse yourself in the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger!” The space now holds memorabilia and items from his childhood days, mannequins of some of his most popular roles in Hollywood, and merch and collector’s items that fans from all over the world can come and visit.The conversion of the residence into a museum was spearheaded by Peter Urdl, former mayor of Thal, who was also a childhood friend and schoolmate of Schwarzenegger. When the actor got to know of the idea, he personally contributed hundreds of items from his personal collection to be displayed at the museum, which has been all set in a chronological manner. Some of the things from his childhood that have been put up for display include his childhood bed, early drawings, and his first set of homemade training weights, along with trophy replicas and dumbbells as well.Lastly, to mark his time as a governor, the space also includes a replica of the governor’s desk he used while serving as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 to 2011.
The actor himself contributed a lot of items that now sit in the museum. (Instagram)
Who is Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American actor, former professional bodybuilder, businessman, and politician. The Austrian star is 79 years old and has worked extensively across three different industries to create a name for himself. His entry into the entertainment industry started with his acting debut in the 1970 fantasy-comedy film ‘Hercules in New York.’ Some of his other notable works include the ‘The Terminator’ franchise, ‘Conan the Barbarian,’ ‘Total Recall,’ ‘Predator,’ ‘Commando,’ ‘True Lies,’ ‘Twins,’ and many others.Beyond acting, in 2003, he entered politics and was elected the 38th governor of California during a recall election. He served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011 before returning to acting.DISCLAIMER: Figures presented in this article are derived from various public sources and are considered approximate unless explicitly noted. We may include direct input from celebrities or their teams when available. We are open to feedback at toientertainment@timesinternet.in.
