Priscilla Presley will attend the Vienna Opera Ball as a star guest. She lived in Memphis for many years alongside the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. In 1982 she left Graceland open as a music pilgrimage site. Today it is one of the most visited US attractions, with 600,000 visitors annually, and is considered a National Historic Landmark.
Elvis Presley bought the house in the Music City Memphis 1957, at the slim age of 22. He was impressed by the 1939 twenty-three-room colonial-style villa. The name Graceland comes from the previous owner, Stephen C. Toof, who passed the former farm on to his daughter Grace in 1894.
If you want to immerse yourself in the well-organized hustle and bustle of Elvis mania without waiting, it’s best to buy your tickets in advance online. The Mansion Tour takes you inside Elvis’ mansion. An audio guide tells you more in German about the peculiarities of the rooms with many personal items and souvenirs. Priscilla Presley was able to have fun with the redesign: with colors, patterns or the furniture in the style of the 1970s. Bright, vibrant hues and eye-catching patterns were her thing.
The absolute highlight is the jungle room with its bush and tiki decoration, tropical plants, animal prints and solid wooden furniture. Everything is as it was when the superstar resided here and celebrated family celebrations and lavish parties. Celebrities from music, film and entertainment such as Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis had fun, especially at the jam sessions. Karaoke and pool parties until the early hours of the morning were all the rage. The Memphis Mafia is always there: friends, family and acquaintances.
There are still plenty of highlights waiting in the visitor and event center Elvis Presley’s Memphis, such as colorful costumes, gold records, Grammys and American Music Awards. His guitars and pianos are presented. Also film clips and posters, because Elvis was also known worldwide as a movie star.
You can hear recordings of hits like Heartbreak Hotel, Suspicious Minds, Hound Dog and Love Me Tender. Elvis lived in Graceland for twenty years. He died in his bathroom on August 16, 1977, aged just 42. He is buried, alongside other family members, in the estate’s meditation garden.