Hofburg
The Hofburg was orignially a medieval castle, but today only the castle chapel ('Burgkapelle') demonstrates its medieval past.
The Hofburg was extended to a magnificent residence when the Habsburg's power increased. That's why one can find almost any architectural style, from gothic to art nouveau. Nowadays this enormous complex is home to "Österreichische Nationalbibliothek" (National Library), "Schatzkammer" (Imperial Treasury), and houses a collection of musical instruments, another collection of weapons, a "Museum für Völkerkunde" (Museum of Ethnography) and famous "Spanische Hofreitschule" (Spanish Riding School).
Vienna's Imperial castle also houses exotic butterflies in a marvellous art-deco glass house!
Address: Innerer Burghof 1, Kaisertor; Telephone: (0)1 533 7570; E-mail:
info@hofburg-wien.at; Website:
www.hofburg-wien.at; Transport: U-Bahn to Herrengasse; tram D, J, 1 or 2 to Burgring; bus 2A or 3A to Hofburg; Opening time: Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Collection: daily 9am to 5pm (until 5.30pm in July and August); Admission: Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Collection: €9.90 (adults), €4.90 (children 6-18); other concessions available
Spanish Riding School
The Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, is a traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses, which perform in the Winter Riding School in the Hofburg. Not only is it a center for classical dressage, the headquarters is a tourist attraction in Vienna that offers public performances as well as permitting public viewing of some training sessions. The presentation builds on four centuries of experience and tradition in classical dressage. The leading horses and riders of the school also periodically tour and perform worldwide.
Address: Michaelerplatz 1; Telephone: (0)1 533 9031-0; Website:
www.spanische-reitschule.com; Transport: U-Bahn to Herrengasse, or tram D, J, 1 or 2 to Burgring; Opening time: Museum: daily 9am to 6pm; training sessions: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 12pm; Admission: €5 (museum); €12 (training sessions); concessions available. Performances range from €18 (standing room) to €165
Museum of Fine Arts (Kunsthistorisches Museum)
Opened in 1891 to house the imperial family’s vast art collection, Vienna’s Museum of Fine Art was designed by Gottfreid von Semper and Karl Hasenauer. It was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance to firmly establish the building’s link with one of history’s great artistic periods. Today, the museum, which is located in Marie-Theresien-Platz, holds one of the most important art collections in the world. The Gemäldegalerie (picture gallery) contains works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Dürer and Titian, and the largest collection of work by Brueghel in the world.
Address: Maria Theresien Platz; Telephone: (0)1 525 24-0; E-mail:
info@khm.at; Website:
www.khm.at; Transport: U3 to Volkstheater station; Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm; Thursday 10am to 9pm; Admission: €10 (adults); concessions available. Guided tours cost €2.00. Admission is until half an hour before closing
Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace with its surrounding buildings and the huge park is one of the most significant cultural monuments in Austria. The castle was build to rival French Versailles in Baroque beauty and importance but House Habsburg lacked funds to outdo its rivalling nation France.
In earlier times it served as summer residence to various Habsburg rulers.
Don't miss out on a tour of the residence itself and a chance to admire the magnificent apartments of Maria Theresia, her sitting rooms, bedroom and the parlour in which 6 year old Mozart used to play for the Empress, as well as the parlours and apartments of Imperial couple Franz Joseph and Sisi. The interior is an orgy of frescoed ceilings, crystal chandeliers, huge mirrors and gilded ornaments.
When you are a tad tired after visiting almost 40 rooms bear in mind that you have seen less than 3% of the residence's 1441 rooms!
Address: Schönbrunner Schloss Strasse 13; Telephone: (0)1 8111 3239; Website:
www.schoenbrunn.at; Transport: U4 to Schönbrunn station, trams 10 or 58, bus 10A; Opening time: Palace: daily 8.30am to 5pm (April to June, September, October); 8.30am to 6pm (July, August); 8.30am to 4.30pm (November to March). Park: daily at 6am (6.30am from November to March), closing times vary according to the season, between 5.30pm and 9pm; Admission: Grand Tour: €12.90 (adults), €6.90 (children 6-18). Various other tour options available. Maze and Labyrinth: €2.90 (adults), €1.70 (children)
Giant Wheel
As high as a 20-story building, this huge ferries wheel rises 209 ft. above the ground in Vienna's famous city park, the Prater. A ride on it is like no other you will experience in a lifetime. Ten or more passengers stand in each of 15 carriages, completely enclosed cars with windows all around. The slow-moving giant, constructed in 1873 at a cost of one million English crowns, was designed primarily for sight-seeing rather than for thrills. As you ascend, the only sound you hear is the wind as it whistles and sobs through the great web of cables which support the 230-ton wheel. Lulled into a sense of false security by the gentle back-and-forth motion of your slowly rising carriage, you may be completely unprepared for what happens when you reach the apex of the towering landmark. All the passengers who have, of course, been looking away from the center of the wheel, now turn and move en masse to the opposite side of the carriage so that they may look at the view from the other side as they descend. It's not hard to imagine what that sudden surge of humanity does to your carriage. It begins rocking violently, taking the stomachs of first-time riders completely by surprise. Once the swinging slows down, however, you can again relax and enjoy the panoramic view until the giant of Vienna deposits you safely once again on terra firma. Perhaps, like many riders, you will immediately rush to buy another ticket in order to repeat the memorable experience. If you don't have the time, you may watch for a glimpse of it on the TV late show at home; Joseph Cotton uses the wheel for a meeting place with Orson Welles in The Third Man (1949).
Address: Prater 90; Telephone: (0)1 729 5430; E-mail:
info@wienerriesenrad.com; Website:
www.wienerriesenrad.com; Opening time: Daily 9am to midnight (May to September); daily 10am to 10pm (March, April and October); daily 10am to 8pm (November to February); Admission: €8 (adults), €3.20 (children 3-14), concessions available
Belvedere
The two magnificient palaces on the Belvedere grounds lie in the middle of a splendid park. They were constructed for Prince Eugene of Savoy by J.L. von Hildebrandt, a famous Baroque architect.
At this time the Belvedere Palaces were still located outside Vienna's defences, but today they are a part of Vienna`s third district which is not far away from the very centre of Vienna. The Palaces' architecture and interior design are typical for Rococo style.
Address: 27 Prinz Eugen Street; Telephone: (0)1 795 570, or (0)1 79 557 134; Website:
www.belvedere.at; Transport: Upper Belvedere: Tram D to Schloss Belvedere or Trams 18 or 0 to Südbahnhof; bus 13A or 69A to Südbahnhof; Opening time: Daily 10am to 6pm; Admission: €12.50; includes entry into both parts of the Belvedere. Upper Belvedere: €9.50; Lower Belvedere: €7.50. Concessions available
Vienna State Opera
Vienna Opera House is situated in the frist district of Vienna at the southern end of the Kärntnerstrasse. August von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll built the State Opera House from 1861 to 1869.
The Vienna Opera House has a world-wide reputation for its first-class opera performances and is also known because of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. A night at the State Opera is one of the most impressive events any visitor to Vienna can experience.
Address: Opernring 2; Telephone: (0)1 51444 2250; Website:
www.wiener-staatsoper.at; Transport: Take the U-Bahn lines U1, U2, U4 or the 59A bus to Karlsplatz or Oper stations; Opening time: Guided tours are offered Tuesday to Sunday; check dates and times online or via telephone; Admission: Guided tour: €5 (adults), €2 (children). Opera tour and Opera museum combination ticket: €6.50 (adults), €3.50 (children). Other combinations and concessions available