Hofburg Palace

Vienna, Austria

Hofburg Palace is the former imperial palace in the centre of Vienna. Part of the palace forms the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. Built in the 13th century and expanded in the centuries since, the palace has housed some of the most powerful people in European and Austrian history, including monarchs of the Habsburg dynasty, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was the principal imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn Palace was their summer residence.

Since 1279 the Hofburg area has been the documented seat of government for various empires and republics. From 1438 to 1583 and from 1612 to 1806, it was the seat of the kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, thereafter the seat of the Emperor of Austria until 1918.

The Hofburg has been expanded over the centuries to include various residences (with the Amalienburg), the Imperial Chapel (Hofkapelle), the Naturhistorisches Museum and Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Austrian National Library (Hofbibliothek), the Imperial Treasury (Schatzkammer), the Burgtheater, the Spanish Riding School (Hofreitschule), the Imperial Horse Stables, and the Hofburg Congress Center.

Things to see

Once known as the Court Silver and Table Room, the Imperial Silver Collection lies in the Imperial Chancellery Wing of the Imperial Palace and gives visitors an insight into the culture of dining at court with over 7,000 items on display. Learn about the history of the Silver Chamber, those who ran it and the importance it played in the day-to-day life of the Habsburgs. Since the end of the imperial monarchy in 1918, some of the elaborate Silver Wear is still used for formal state banquets and dinners.

Hofburg Palace is a sprawling hub of imperial power and was home to the Habsburgs for over 600 years. Each member of the family had their own apartments or suites in one of the many wings. Each apartment was lavishly decorated in the Empire, baroque and Rococo style. Let yourself be taken back in time as you journey through this imperial palace and home and marvel at the splendour of the Austrian monarchy.

The Sisi museum is dedicated to the life of legendary Empress Sisi (Elisabeth), examining her true character and habits. With over 300 personal items, discover the true story of this legendary Empress from the clothes she wore, her poetry, her beauty recipes and even an insight into her imperial carriage. On special occasions, unique objects like a milk tooth and her christening robes are also on display for visitors to see.

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Address

In der Burg, Vienna, Austria
See all sites in Vienna

Details

Founded: 1279
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Austria

More Information

www.hofburg-wien.at
en.wikipedia.org
www.wien.info

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


St. Stephen's Cathedral (0,5 km)
Museumsquartier (0,7 km)
Kunsthistorisches Museum (0,5 km)
Augustinian Church (0,3 km)
Albertina (0,4 km)
St. Peter's Church (0,4 km)
Schönbrunn Palace (4,7 km)
Minoritenkirche (0,3 km)
Capuchin Church and Imperial Crypt (0,4 km)


Vienna Central Cemetery (8,3 km)
Klosterneuburg Abbey (11,4 km)
Schloss Esterházy (41,7 km)
Carnuntum (38,2 km)
Heiligenkreuz Abbey (24,3 km)
Forchtenstein Castle (55,4 km)
Perchtoldsdorf Castle (12,3 km)
Eisenstadt Cathedral (42 km)
Blauer Hof (15,5 km)

User Reviews

Kate Naughton (2 years ago)
Beautiful building. Would recommend doing the Prime Free walking tours as it gives some insight into the history of the building which I otherwise would not have known.
Djalma Alvernaz (2 years ago)
It is a amazing place to visit when walking at the Vienna streets. It’s part of the city’s history. There are a lot of space to get a great photos. Go, ExpLLoring and Enjoy It!
Nikolay Tsvetkov (2 years ago)
Amazing building! One of the most popular / famous place in Vienna (Austria)! Very big, beautiful design! One of the biggest "horses" station in Vienna! You can feel the smell from the horse sh*t but this is absolutely fine, of course if you are OK with the smell! Because some people just don't like the smell and just passed through the area! :) Just enjoy and have a great time in Vienna! ;)
Carl Tennant (2 years ago)
You have to go to this place ...€15 to see the morning 2hrs Training was an eye opener.. it was really busy getting tickets although we only had to wait 15mins .. there are two floors to view from so loads to of areas you can see the training session. Toilets in each floor and a great cafe .
kim chen (2 years ago)
Hofburg is quite nice and classical place and there are many exhibitions you can based on your interest to visit. However, the directions are not so clear enough to distinguish all buildings and the places we are going to visit in Hofburg. Additionally, there are many sales selling infamous and expensive opera tickets which need to be careful. Overall, I love the place as it’s beautiful as it is as well as the types of exhibition we visit. (Historical one)
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Palazzo Colonna

The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings built in part over ruins of an old Roman Serapeum, and has belonged to the prestigious Colonna family for over twenty generations.

The first part of the palace dates from the 13th century, and tradition holds that the building hosted Dante in his visit to Rome. The first documentary mention notes that the property hosted Cardinal Giovanni and Giacomo Colonna in the 13th century. It was also home to Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he ascended to the papacy as Martin V (1417–1431).

With his passing, the palace was sacked during feuds, and the main property passed into the hands of the Della Rovere family. It returned to the Colonna family when Marcantonio I Colonna married Lucrezia Gara Franciotti Della Rovere, the niece of pope Julius II. The Colonna"s alliance to the Habsburg power, likely protected the palace from looting during the Sack of Rome (1527).

Starting with Filippo Colonna (1578–1639) many changes have refurbished and create a unitary complex around a central garden. Architects including Girolamo Rainaldi and Paolo Marucelli labored on specific projects. Only in the 17th and 18th centuries were the main facades completed. Much of this design was completed by Antonio del Grande (including the grand gallery), and Girolamo Fontana (decoration of gallery). In the 18th century, the long low facade designed by Nicola Michetti with later additions by Paolo Posi with taller corner blocks (facing Piazza Apostoli) was constructed recalls earlier structures resembling a fortification.

The main gallery (completed 1703) and the masterful Colonna art collection was acquired after 1650 by both the cardinal Girolamo I Colonna and his nephew the Connestabile Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna and includes works by Lorenzo Monaco, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Palma the Elder, Salviati, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Pietro da Cortona, Annibale Carracci (painting of The Beaneater), Guercino, Francesco Albani, Muziano and Guido Reni. Ceiling frescoes by Filippo Gherardi, Giovanni Coli, Sebastiano Ricci, and Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari celebrate the role of Marcantonio II Colonna in the battle of Lepanto (1571). The gallery is open to the public on Saturday mornings.

The older wing of the complex known as the Princess Isabelle"s apartments, but once housing Martin V"s library and palace, contains frescoes by Pinturicchio, Antonio Tempesta, Crescenzio Onofri, Giacinto Gimignani, and Carlo Cesi. It contains a collection of landscapes and genre scenes by painters like Gaspard Dughet, Caspar Van Wittel (Vanvitelli), and Jan Brueghel the Elder.

Along with the possessions of the Doria-Pamphilij and Pallavacini-Rospigliosi families, this is one of the largest private art collections in Rome.

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