|
No
other
royal
line
left
its
mark
so
indelibly
on
so
many
centuries
or
European
countries.
Ever
ambitious,
they
shrewdly
acquired
new
territories
preferring
to
do
so by arranging strategic
marriages rather than by conflict.
Little
wonder
that
their
reputation
as
empire
builders
would
at
times,
overshadow
their
contributions
to
the
arts,
culture
and
sciences.
They
were
of
course,
the
Habsburgs. In
1282,
King
Rudolf
of
Habsburg
granted
his
sons
the
fiefdoms
of
Austria
and
Styria.
Thus
began
a
dynasty
and
its
relationship
with its chosen capital
city
that
would
span
over
600
years.
Aside
from
Emperor
Frederick's
dalliance
with
Graz
in
the
15th
century,
the
Habsburg
court
remained
firmly
entrenched
in
the
heart
of
Vienna
throughout
its
entire
history.
The
Habsburgs
have
slipped
into
the
annals
of the dynasty's long
and
illustrious
history.
Yet
the
product
of
talented
artists,
architects,
musicians
and
gifted
scholars
who
were
drawn
to
the
Viennese
court
are
as
remarkable
today
as
they
were
in
the
dynasty's
golden
era. The
Habsburg
heritage
and
cultural
contributions
are
particularly
evident
in
Vienna's
Innere
Stadt
(Old
City
Centre).
In
1857,
under
the
direction
of
Emperor
Franz
Josef,
the
city
wall
and
its
bastions
were
razed.
A
splendid
boulevard,
the
"Ringstrasse"
or
"Ring"
encircling
the
Old
City
was
created
as
a
choice
setting
for
magnificent
state
buildings,
private
mansions,
spacious
squares,
parks,
monuments
and
elegant
cafés.
The
prevailing
style
of
architecture
became
known
as
"Ringstrassen
Style". Highlights
of
The
Old
City
Until
1918,
The
Imperial
Palace
(the
Hofburg)
was
inhabited
by
the
imperial
family.
Today,
this
virtual
center
of
the
empire
includes
the
Imperial
State
Apartments
of
Emperor
Kaiser
Franz
Joseph
I
and
the
Empress Sissi,
the
treasury,
the
stables
of
the
world-renowned
Lipizzan
horses,
Imperial
Burial
Vault
and
over
two
dozen
prized
museum
collections.
In
the
oldest
part
of
the
Imperial
Palace,
the
Schweizerhof,
are
the
Secular
and
Ecclesiastical
Treasuries
with
treasures
like
the
1000-year-old
Imperial
Crown
of
the
Holy
Roman
Empire,
the
Burgundian
treasury
and
the
treasure
of
the
Order
of
the
Golden
Fleece.
The
Gothic
Imperial
Chapel
is
a
remnant
of
the
Imperial
Palace
during
the
Middle
Ages.
Today,
the
Vienna
Boys’
Choir
performs
there
during
High
Mass
on
Sunday.
The
former
royal
stables
have
been
converted
to
one
of
the world's
largest
museum
complexes,
while
another
eminent
Hofburg
museum,
The
Albertina
contains
one
of
the
worlds
largest
and
finest
graphic
collections.
The
architectural
mirror
image
of
the
Museum
of
Fine
Arts
on
the
opposite
side
of
Maria
Theresa
Platz
is
the
Natural
History
Museum
which
also,
was
built
to
designs
by
Gottfried
Semper
and
Karl
von
Hasenauer.
The
numerous magnificent museums
and the wonderful collections they accommodate are
a
statement
of
the
imperial
family’s
passion
for
art.
In
the Hofburg today, one
finds
more
than
two
dozen
top
museum
collections
in
addition
to
cafés,
restaurants,
squares,
and
parks.
Currently,
the
Imperial
Palace
houses
the
office
of
the
President
of
Austria
as
well
as
an
important
congress
center
and
numerous
art
collections.
St.
Stephan's
Cathedral The
private
Church
of
the
Augustinian
Friars
has
been
the
scene
of
many
weddings
of
the
imperial
family.
The
most
famous
of
these
ceremonies
united
Emperor
Franz
Joseph
I
and
the
Empress
"Sissi"
in
1854.
An
excellent
way
to
become
acquainted
with
principal
sights
in
the
Innere
Stadt
is
to
circle
the
Old
City
on
streetcar
line
1
or
2
(Ring
Linien).
From
the
comfort
of
their
tram,
the
visitor
will
see
Otto
Wagner's
Post
Office
Building,
the
Museum
of
Applied
Arts,
Vienna's
City
Park,
the
Vienna
State
Opera,
the
Imperial
Palace,
the
mirror
imaged
Museums
of
Fine
Arts
and
Natural
History,
Parliament,
the
Burgtheater,
the
University
and
the
Stock
Exchange.
For
purposes
of
familiarization
with
Old
Vienna
today,
you
may
access
an
excellent
and
informative
on-line
map
by
following
this
link
to
the
Vienna
Tourist
Board's
web
site.
Other
major
sites
bordering
the
Ringstrasse
are
the
Rathaus
(City
Hall),
Parliament,
Academy
of
Concert
from
the
Golden
Hall,
The
Konzerthaus
and
the
magnificent
Vienna
State
Opera. Cultural
pursuits
aside,
Vienna
responds
to
the
other
impulses
that
would
tempt
the
soul
of
the
visitor.
Department
stores,
fashion
chains,
boutiques
and
trendy
shops
line
Mariahilfer
Strasse,
Vienna's
trendiest
shopping
avenue
that
runs
from
the
Westbanhof
to
the
Old
City,
at
the
edge
of
MuseumsQuartier.
In
the
center
of
the
Old
City
between
the
Hofburg
and
St.
Stephan's,
one
finds
fashionable
stores
and
chic
boutiques
around
Kärntner
Strasse,
Graben
and Kohlmarkt.
Kohlmarkt
is
lined
with
luxury
brands
like
Armani,
Gucci,
Chanel,
Louis
Vuitton
and
Prada.
Nearby
Dorotheergasse
is
lined
with
shops
offering
a
high
standard
of
quality
antiques.
Restaurants,
Coffeehouses,
and
The
"Heuriger" The
coffeehouse
is
a
staple
in
Viennese
life.
A
comfortable
place
to
read
a
newspaper,
meet
friends
or
simply
to
relax
with
an
excellent
coffee
and
perhaps,
a
pastry.
Apart
from
traditional
plush
coffeehouses
and
tiny
espresso
bars,
Vienna
also
has
spacious
café-restaurants,
café-confectioners,
and
combinations
of
coffeehouse
and
scene
bistro,
bookshop,
bar,
music
club,
cabaret
theatre,
etc.
If
a
spray
of
pine
branches
hangs
outside,
and
the
sign
next
to
the
door
says
"Ausg'steckt"
you're
about
to
enter
a
genuine
Viennese
heuriger.
This
is
your
guarantee
that
the
wine
served
in
this
tavern
is
a
product
of
Viennese
vineyards.
Vienna
is
more
than
a
modern
city
at
the
heart
of
Europe;
it
is
also
its
own
wine
region
-
nearly
2000
acres
of
vineyards
can
be
found
within
the
city
limits,
Wines
grown
in
Vienna
are
primarily
Riesling
and
white
Burgundy
grapes
made
into
fruity,
elegant
wines.
However,
Viennese
winegrowers
are
making
more
and
more
red
wines
–
especially
Blaue
Zweigelt.
Vienna's
restaurant
scene
is
vibrant
indeed.
Traditional
favorites
and
newcomers
with
a
Manhattan
chic,
vie
for
patrons
along
with
a
host
of
others
specializing
in
cuisines
both
classic
or
exotic.
Companion articles . . . . Vienna:
Fine
Arts
and
Other
Rarities
The
following
are
links
to
authoritative
sources
of
information
on
Vienna
and
Austria Austrian National Tourist Office
|
