Ephesos Museum

Our combination ticket at the Neue Berg  included entry to the Ephesos Museum and the much more memorable Imperial Treasury. This infrequently visited museum, an annex to the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities. may be hard to find as it is hidden away on the first floor at the back of the library section of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. It is essential to get an audio guide as the exhibits are labeled in German.

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Segment of gable (The Library of Celsus)

The exhibition consists of statues, busts, reliefs, pieces of architecture and other ancient Greek pieces of art. Most of the artifacts are damaged or broken but they are very well organized and exhibited in the best possible way. Photography without flash or tripod was permitted.

Segment of an Ionic capital

Ephesos, one of the largest and most important cities of the ancient world, lies on the Aegean coast of present-day Turkey. With two million visitors annually, it is Turkey’s most-visited tourist destination after the Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. It was here that the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, stood. The city was also the home of Heraclitus, as well as of one of the largest early-Christian communities. In Roman times,  Ephesos became capital of the Province of Asia, with around 200,000 inhabitants.

L-R: Cheska, Jandy, Manny, Vicky and Grace

The museum was completely deserted as we spent time enjoying, without interruption, these vibrant and exciting depictions of gods, emperors and battle scenes in their purpose built gallery. This collection of largely Roman statuary and artifacts was apparently gifted to Austria by the Turks. The museum’s collection began when Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II donated some of the archaeological findings to Emperor Franz Joseph I. Since 1895, Austrian archaeologists of the newly founded Austrian Archaeological Institute have began conducting research and excavating the ruins of Ephesos.

Fragmentary heads from an Erotes frieze

Between 1896 and 1906, a total of seven expeditions transported numerous recovered objects, their high quality probably equal to the Elgin Marbles or the Pergamon Gate, from Ephesos to Vienna by Austrian Navy vessels. With the proclamation of the Turkish Antiquities Law of 1907, the export of antiquities from Turkey was generally banned. However, archaeological digs, with Austrian involvement, still continue in Ephesos to this day.

Oktagon Arsinoe IV

For many years, the collection was provisionally warehoused and put on occasional display at the Theseus Temple (discontinued because of damage to the exhibits) in the Volksgarten (in 1911) until December 1978 when the Vienna Ephesos Museum was opened, in its present-day form, inside the Neue Burg section of the Hofburg Palace complex. Alongside the Ephesian artifacts, the museum is also home to architectural and sculptural cult relics from the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on the Greek island of Samothrace, which was explored by Austrian archaeologists in 1873 and 1875.

The Theban sphinx mangles a boy; Roman copy of a detail of the throne of Phidias’ statue of Zeus in Olympia. 440 BCE

Child with a Goose

We were presented with a representative selection of Roman sculptures that once decorated the’ richly decorated facades of magnificent ancient buildings such as the sprawling thermal bath facilities and the Ephesian Theater.  The highlights of the collection include the so-called Parthian Monument; remnants from the late-Classical Altar of Artemis, including a sculpture of an Amazon; the bronze Athlete statue and the Child with a Goose.

Statue of Artemis

Staircases lead, from the entrance hall, to a large chamber, containing the The Parthian Monument, a frieze  celebrating the emperor Lucius Verus‘ victory over the Parthians.  During his Parthian Campaign of 161-165 AD, the emperor established a camp in Ephesos. Unique in both its size and importance, the friezes have a total length of about 70 m., of which 40 m. On display. are a panorama of military scenes with brilliant depictions of battle, hunt, the art of riding and victory.

Parthian Monument

It was sharp and brilliant, as if quite recently carved.  Its individual pieces have been arranged in the form of a monumental altar in five thematic cycles. As they were not found in their original state, this is only a guess at their correct arrangement. There’s also a model of ancient Ephesos, on a scale of 1:500, that makes it possible for us to better understand the objects’ respective positioning within the city’s topography.

Hadrian and Antoninus Pius adopt Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus

The Emperor’s Apotheosis

The Ephesos Museum in Vienna serves as an ambassador for Austria’s intensive efforts in the interest of ancient Ephesos. Both the care of the ruins and the reconstruction and rebuilding of ancient monuments are also part of the Austrian researchers’ mission, and the Ephesos Museum provides an Austrian-based platform with which to represent their many years of work. 

Model of ancient Ephesus, on a scale of 1:500

Ephesos Museum  : Neue Burg, Heldenplatz, 1010 Vienna. Opening hours: Wednesdays – Sundays, 10 AM – 6 PM. Admission till half an hour before closing time. Tel: +43 1 525 24 4902.  Website: www.khm.at.  E-mail: info.ansa@khm.at.

Collection of Arms and Armor

The outstanding Collection of Arms and Armor (Hofjadg und Rüstkammer) of Neue Burg, among the best of its kind in the world, is the best-documented collection of court arms and armor in the western world.  The armor and weaponry is from military campaigns; but many were ornamental (good for checking out the girls, but not suitable for combat) – generally created or acquired in connection with important political occasions: coronations, tributes, engagements, weddings, baptisms, state events, Imperial Diets, ceremonies of homage, etc.

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An array of suits of armor

Many of the suits of armor in the displays are custom creations made by the most notable armorers. Some of the most famous examples are the elegant cuirassier armor designed for jousting for the legendary Emperor Maximilian I by Lorenz Helmschmied (the “Rathausmann,” Vienna′s odd mascot on the top of the Town Hall, was inspired by Maximilian′s costume armor), the Armor for a Horseman by the Lombardy Italian artisan Tommaso Missaglia, the Half-Armor alla Romana by Filippo Negroli and the boy-sized Folded Skirt Armor suit created by Konrad Seusenhofer for the future Habsburg Emperor Charles V.

The often magnificent etchings were quite frequently based on designs by such famous artists as Albrecht Dürer and Hans Holbein. Also on display are the ceremonial rapier of Emperor Maximilian II – perhaps the most beautiful ceremonial weapon ever made.  Aside from the beautiful pieces of armor for humans and horses and weapons, there are also tapestries, banners, paintings, etc.

Suit of armor components

The Arms and Armor Collection represents courts, from 14th century through the 19th century (with some even older items), of most of the western European states – Bohemia, Hungary, Galicia, various Balkan areas, territory of the present-day BENELUX countries (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg), provinces of present-day France (Burgundy, Alsace, Lorraine), Spain and large parts of Italy.

Fully armored knight and his horse

The arms and armor collection is essentially three collections of utilitarian military weapons joined and displayed in two main connected Baroque halls of honor commemorating the royal Austrian Hapsburg family history. Documented since 1436, the Chamber of Imperial Personal Armor (Leibrüstkammer) contains the ornamental weapons and suits of armor of the ruling house and associated families.

Armor for a young boy

The Court Weapon and Court Hunting Chamber  (Hofgewehr-oder Hofjagdkammer), founded by the Emperor Ferdinand II of Tyrol, features the highest design works, created for hunting or for sport by the decorative artist, from every era up to the end of the monarchy and empire in 1918. It includes a vast array of exquisitely crafted shields, helmets and weapons, including the Adlergarnitur (Eagle Armor) for himself. Every single one of these objects is a work of art.

The stunning variety of court arms and armor include all types of melee weapons, shields, full suits of armor, swords, early firearms, helmets, maces, hammers, halberds, spears, lances, you name it they got it. The first room contained full scale models of jousting knights while a number of rooms containing helmets and sumptuous suits of armor from different historical periods. Some of the more unique pieces included numerous sets of ceremonial armor for horses (one had a 3D dragon design at its tail) and a mechanical breastplate used in jousting.

A display of swords

At an inner courtyard, we saw rifles and hunting equipment including a number of falcon hoods. A quite interesting section featured an extensive 16th century collection from the Middle East and Near Orient – ranging from those of the Turkish enemy (who very nearly broke the empire), to those of the Persians and Egyptians, who were occasionally allied with the Habsburgs.

Middle East and Near Orient swords and firearms

Middle East and Near Orient swords and helmets

A quite intriguing and more curious full-metal armor had gloves with spikes at the fingertips and helmets with just a sprinklings of tiny holes (making it painfully hard to see the enemy).  Some highly decorated suits of armor, with bright, almost gaudy, patterns, just ha just enough space for a huge codpiece.

A gaudy and colorful suit of armor

Others, created for festival days (probably never saw a moment of combat), have metallic visor shapes in the form of fantastical faces (probably a reflection of those inside the armor) or creatures of pure fantasy. Another curious suit of armor, with a full skirt made out of billowing metal and a rather amble chest allowance, truly amazed me as it most probably was designed for a woman, one of the more unique examples to be found anywhere.

A Japanese samurai’s suit of armor

The collection, spread out over a large number of rooms, was not quite overwhelming as one of the collection’s outstanding aspects is the manner in which the items were displayed. Rather than being set out on rack upon rack, they were all set out differently as they were not hidden behind glass enclosures. We can approach each item closely and view it from 360-degrees, making for awesome pictures and allowing great detail observation.

A pair of saddles

After the first few thousands of arms and armor, it could be easily boring but the museum still does a very good job in teaching visitors about technical innovations in warfare and how they influenced the design of arms. Very quiet, with a few visitors, the exhibit was very interesting and enjoyable but not English friendly as all descriptions were in German. Still it was a must see, an ideal place to bring the boys in the family and well worth the two hour visit.

Crossbows

Display of rifles and pistols

Collection of Arms and Armor: Neue Burg, Heldenplatz, 1010 Vienna. Opening hours:  Wednesdays – Sundays, 10 AM – 6 PM. Admission till half an hour before closing time. Photography is allowed. Admission prices: e €14 (adults), €11 (Concessions).  Children and Teens are free. A combined ticket, including the Treasures of the Habsburgs (located in another building), is €20 for adults. The Audio Guide is an additional charge of €4 and Guided Tours in groups are €3. Vienna Card Holders get a price reduction.

Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

The Collection of Historic Musical Instruments (Sammlung Alter Musikinstrumente), located in the wing of the Austrian National Library that also houses the Ephesos Museum’s collection of antiques and the Collection of Arms and Armor, is home to one of the world’s most important, most comprehensive and also among the most valuable historical collections of late Italian Renaissance and early Baroque instruments.  The collection includes a particularly comprehensive range of clavichords and Viennese fortepianos. It was interesting to see such old forerunners of our current instruments such as the coronet, oboe, piano, organ, and woodwinds.

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The majority of the holdings of the collection have their origins in Habsburg holdings.  The art and music-loving Tyrolean sovereign Archduke Ferdinand II’s love of preciosities started the collection.  Among the richest and most valuable collections of the late Renaissance, it was part of an art chamber that was housed in the Ambras Castle in Tyrol. When the situation became dangerous due to the Napoleonic Wars, the collection was transferred from Innsbruck to Vienna in 1806.

The second core group in the collection consists of instruments of the Obizzi family dating back to the late Renaissance and the early Baroque period. Family-related events were responsible for the transfer of the Obizzi Collection to Vienna in 1870.

In the spring of 1947, the collection was presented in one room of the Neue Burg. Further rooms were set up an, after several years, a full range of instruments was finally on display. This process was completed in 1964. The collection has since been continually expanded via purchases, gifts and loans and, in the period since the 1980s, the collection has been expanded by a further 400 items.

The area of the Viennese fortepiano

Today, each of its 12 rooms are dedicated either to an era of music history or to a musical personality. The chronological approach to music history allows the presentation both of ensembles of related instruments, from the most diverse instrumental families, and of typical forms of music making.

A gallery is dedicated to Joseph Haydn and his days. Some of the harpsichords were played by Mozart and Beethoven. There’s also a set of 16th century shawms that are shaped like dragons; an elaborately decorated clavicytherium; a violin made from the shells of a tortoise and owned by Empress Maria Theresa; a glass harmonica invented by Benjamin Franklin; and a crystal flute.

Particularly noteworthy are the 4-stringed instruments by Jakob Stainer and Giovanni Battista Grancino, donated in 2003/04 by Dr. Herbert and Evelyn Axelrod.  The violins by Stainer, although not approaching the mastery of Antonio Stradivari or Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu, are famous or their snail carvings (mostly the scrolls), evidence of the craftsmanship of the 17^th century.

A pair of harps

The museum maintains and presents numerous instruments that were played by famous musicians and composers.  Among them is the violin played by Leopold Mozart (the father and pedagogue of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), on display by itself in a glass case, making it look like a shrine that bears the magic of genius. The grand fortepiano that was once in the possession of Clara and Robert Schumann, was later owned by Johannes Brahms.

You can also see the zither on which Anton Karas played the haunting theme-song from the 1949 British film “The Third Man.” Audio guides, produced in 2001 in several languages, takes visitors through the display collection, explaining organological details, affording insights into Austrian musical history and offering numerous listening examples related to the historical instruments on display.

Visitors can also play on reproductions of original instruments. The Matinees of the Collection of Historic Musical Instruments give visitors the opportunity to both see and hear the instruments, insofar as their condition allows them to be played. Several of the keyboard instruments were clearly labelled as playable by visitors.

The Collection of Historic Musical Instruments made us look back on a tradition that spans over four centuries. Truly the world of sound in which the composers of Viennese Classicism lived can be heard and understood here in a nearly complete fashion.

Collection of Historic Musical Instruments: Neue Burg, Heldenplatz, 1010 Vienna. Opening hours: Wednesdays – Sundays, 10 AM – 6 PM. Admission till half an hour before closing time.  Tel: +43 1 525 24 4602. Website: www.khm.at.  E-mail: info.sam@khm.at.