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The Hofburg was the seat of the Habsburgs for over 600 years, until the
monarchy was ended in 1918, one of many consequences of World War I. The
Hofburg was long
regarded as one of the most important and powerful centers of European
politics. Through the judicious use of marriage and the determined use of might, the Empire eventually
extended across a large swath of Europe.
The Hofburg complex of buildings, a small city really, was constructed over
a span of centuries. It appears that successive rulers added a wing,
facade, or new addition to the complex which eventually included over 2600
rooms, many of which were used by one emperor and not by the next.
The
buildings were designed to be impressive palaces, but were, also, fortified
and ringed by gates and thick
walls that served as defensive bastions. Repeated invasions by the
Ottoman Turks, Napoleon and others taught the Habsburgs the value of
building fortresses that masqueraded as palaces.
While some of the buildings in the Hofburg now serve as the center of
government for the democratic Republic of Austria, most of the complex has
been converted into museums celebrating the Habsburgs, their treasures and
their collections of "curiosities" gathered over the centuries.
It is within this complex that you will find the Habsburg's Kaiser
Apartments, the Sisi Museum, the Imperial Silver Collection
 , the Habsburg
Treasury and the Spanish Riding School (think Lipizzan/Lipizzaner horses),
the Albertina Art Museum and the Neue Hofburg along the Heldenplatz, which
hosts the reading room of the Austrian National Library, as well as a number
of interesting museums (for example, museums on Ephesus, Papyrus, Arms and
Armor and others).
The National Bibliothek (Library)
with its Grand Room designed by Fisher von Erlach is stunning and not to be missed. Others may be attracted to the
Burgkapelle (Chapel of the Imperial Palace
) where the Vienna Boys Choir
performs at mass every Sunday in season. If you are interested in attending
a mass performed by the Vienna’s Boys Choir, you will need to make
reservations months in advance, as this is a popular venue.
In addition, the excellent
Museum of Fine Arts and
Museum of Natural History
, located in the Marie-Theresien-Platz,
are also part of the Hofburg and sit near the Museum Quarter, the site of
even more museums (We cover the best Museums in Vienna
here).
There is even more to see, as you can also visit two nicely designed gardens on either side of the Habsburg. The Volksgarten (the People’s
Garden
) is a
great place for a stroll, especially to the exquisite Temple of Theseus
.
The Burggarten (the once private garden of the Habsburgs
) is
park-like and noted for its statue of Mozart fronted by red plantings in the shape of a
G-cleft.
With the development of the
Schönbrunn
Palace under Empress Maria Theresa in the early 18th century, the Hofburg became the Habsburg’s
Winter Palace and the Schönbrunn served as the
Summer Palace.
We begin our detailed descriptions of what you will see at the Hofburg
here.
We provide detailed information on:
The Sisi Museum
The Kaiser Apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph
The Silver Collection
Other Hofburg
Attractions
(Treasury, Spanish Riding School, Albertina and more)
Household Trivia of the Hofburg
The Schönbrunn Palace has a shorter history than
the Habsburg, but exceeds it in beauty and opulence. The Schönbrunn
served as the Summer Palace for the Habsburgs, but did not attain this
standing until the 18th century when the Empress Maria Theresa took an
interest in revitalizing and extending the property, which was formerly a
grand hunting lodge.
 The Schönbrunn Palace and Park is a UNESCO World
Heritage site that is internationally famed as an example of a Baroque
“princely residential ensemble.” The property includes the extravagant
palace (and its well-preserved rooms), an extensive park with fountains,
statues, Gloriette, gardens and Zoological Garden (the world’s first (1762)
and oldest), as well as its numerous outbuildings to service the palace,
capable of holding the Schönbrunn’s one-thousand workers.
Visiting the Schönbrunn is one of the highlights of a
trip to Vienna and you should budget most of a day to see for a tour of the
palace
and the many attractions in the park. For more details on the Palace,
photos of the palace and grounds, as well as some notes about choosing a
tour, click
here for our detailed guide to and photographs of what you will see while visiting the Schönbrunn Palace
and Park, as well as some tips about touring the palace.
Detailed Tour of the Schönbrunn
Next, explore our Menu on the right to find other types of sightseeing
in Vienna.
Alternatively, if you want to find out about a specific attraction and know
its name, look
for it in our
index to the best places to visit in
Vienna.
If you need to find information about another travel destination, try
Googling our site or the Web
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