St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Vienna,Austria)

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St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom)

Our first and only mass in Austria was held in St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom)  in the Stephansplatz of Vienna. With its multi-colored tile roof, it is most important religious building in Vienna and one of the city’s most recognizable symbols. St. Stephen’s Cathedral has also borne witness to many important events in Habsburg and Austrian history.

The author at St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Here are some interesting trivia regarding this cathedral:

  • It is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna (Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP)
  • The cathedral, dedicated to St. Stephen (also the patron of the bishop’s cathedral in Passau), is oriented toward the sunrise on his feast day of December 26, as the position stood in the year that construction began.
  • It is affectionately referred to, by the city’s inhabitants, as “Steffl” (a diminutive form of “Stephen”)
  • The main entrance to the church is named the Giant’s Door (or Riesentor), referring to the thighbone of a mastodon that hung over it for decades after being unearthed in 1443 while digging the foundations for the north tower.
  • Composer Ludwig van Beethoven discovered the totality of his deafness when he saw birds flying out of the bell tower as a result of the bells’ tolling but could not hear the bells.
  • At 20,130 kgs. (44,380 lb), its St. Mary Bell is the largest in Austria and the second largest swinging bell in Europe after the 23,500 kgs. (51,800 lb) Peter in Cologne Cathedral).
  • Stephen’s Cathedral is featured in media including films, video games, and television shows including The Third Man and Burnout 3.
  • The cathedral is also depicted on the Austrian 10 cent euro coins.
  • The South Tower is considered the most beautiful German Gothic tower in Europe thanks to features such as the statues below the richly ornamented canopies on the second floor.
  • In 1741, the funeral of the Italian composer, Antonio Vivaldi occurred in this cathedral.
  • On the packaging of the Manner-Schnitten wafer treat, the Archdiocese of Vienna allowed the Manner company to use the Cathedral as its logo in return for funding the wages of one stonemason doing repair work on the Cathedral.
  • This was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s parish church when he lived at the “Figaro House” and he was married here, two of his children were baptized here, and his funeral was held in the Chapel of the Cross. Shortly before his death, he was appointed an adjunct music director here. A memorial tablet gives a detailed account of his relationship with the cathedral.
  • In 2008,Sarah Brightman performed a concert promoting her latest album, Symphony, which was recorded for a TV broadcast and a further DVD release in late September.
  • Since 2008, the two sabers of theBalint Balassi Memorial Sword Award, founded by Pal Molnar, have been blessed during a Balassi Mass held a few days before the award ceremony. On January 25, 2013, in the presence of some 300 Hungarians, Bishop Laszlo Kiss-Rigo blessed the two swords during a Mass celebrated in the cathedral.
  • Over the centuries, soot and other forms of air pollution accumulating on the church have given it a black color, but recent restoration projects have again returned some portions of the building to its original white.
  • Its roof is so steep that it is sufficiently cleaned by the rain alone and is seldom covered by snow.

Bas relief

Built of limestone, the current Romanesque and Gothic form of the cathedral was largely initiated by Duke Rudolf IV and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches, the first a parish church consecrated in 1147.  It is 107 m. (351 ft.) long, 40 m. (130 ft.) wide and 136 m. (446 ft.) tall at the massive south tower, its highest point and a dominant feature of the Vienna skyline.

Bas relief

The soaring South Tower, built from 1368 to 1433, served as the main observation and command post for the defense of the walled city during the Siege of Vienna in 1529 and again during the Battle of Vienna in 1683.  Until 1955, it contained an apartment for the watchmen who, manned the tower at night and rang the bells if a fire was spotted in the city.  It’s a tough climb up the 343 steps to the Watch Room which has a spectacular view over the city. At the tip stands the double-eagle imperial emblem with the Habsburg-Lorraine coat of arms on its chest, surmounted by a double-armed apostolic cross (which refers to Apostolic Majesty, the imperial style of kings of Hungary). A peal of 11 electrically operated bells, cast in 1960, hangs in the south tower.

The South Tower

The North Tower, standing at 68 m. (223 ft.) tall (roughly half the height of the south tower), was originally intended to mirror the south tower but, considering the era of Gothic cathedrals was nearing its end, its design proved too ambitious and its construction was halted in 1511. However, in 1578, its tower-stump was augmented with a Renaissance cap (nicknamed the “water tower top” by the Viennese).

The ornately patterned and richly colored roof

The glory of St. Stephen’s Cathedral is its 111 m. (364 ft.) long, ornately patterned and richly colored roof which is covered by 230,000 glazed tiles. On the south side of the building, above the choir, the tiles form a mosaic of the double-headed eagle that is symbolic of the empire ruled from Vienna by the Habsburg dynasty. On the north side are depicted the coats of arms of the City of Vienna and of the Republic of Austria.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral has 23 bells in total. Some are replacements for other ancient bells lost in the 1945 fire. The north Roman Tower contains six bells, five of which were cast in 1772, that ring for evening prayers and toll for funerals. They are working bells of the cathedral and their names usually recall their original uses. The 1945 fire destroyed the bells that hung in the south Roman Tower. Four bells are used for an ordinary Mass.  The quantity increases to as many as ten for a major holiday Mass; and the eleventh and largest is added when the Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna himself is present. They include:

  • Mary – 20,130 kgs. (44,380 lbs.). Usually called Pummerin (“Boomer”), it hangs in the North Tower and was originally cast in 1711 from cannons captured from the Muslim invaders.  In 1951, it was recast (partly from its original metal) after crashing onto the floor when its wooden cradle burned during the 1945 fire. The new bell has a diameter of 3.14 m. (10.3 ft.) and was a gift from the province of Upper Austria. It sounds on only a few special occasions each year, including the arrival of the New Year. A fast lift takes visitors to a viewing platform.
  • Stephen – 5,700 kgs. (12,600 lbs.)
  • Leopold – 2,300 kgs. (5,100 lbs.)
  • Christopher – 1,350 kgs. (2,980 lbs.)
  • Leonhard – 950 kgs. (2,090 lbs.)
  • Josef – 700 kgs. (1,500 lbs.)
  • Peter Canisius – 400 kgs. (880 lbs.)
  • Pius X – 280 kgs.
  • All Saints – 200 kgs. (440 lbs.)
  • Clement Maria Hofbauer – 120 kgs. (260 lbs.)
  • Speisglocke (“dinner bell”) – North Tower, 240 kgs. (530 lbs.), cast in 1746, no longer in use
  • Zügenglocke (“processions bell”) – North Tower, 65 kgs. (143 lbs.), cast in 1830, no longer in use.
  • Kleine Glocke (“small bell”) – North Tower, 62 kgs. (137 lbs.), cast around 1280, no longer in use
  • Michael – 60 kgs. (130 lbs.)
  • Tarsicius – 35 kgs. (77 lbs.)
  • Primglocke– South Tower, recast in 1772, marks the passing of the hours
  • Uhrschälle– South Tower, cast in 1449, marks the passing of the hours
  • Feuerin (“fire alarm”) – North Roman Tower, cast in 1859, now used as a call to evening prayers
  • Kantnerin – North Roman Tower, used to call the cantors (musicians) to Mass
  • Feringerin – North Roman Tower, used for High Mass on Sundays
  • Bieringerin (“beer ringer”) – North Roman Tower, for last call at taverns
  • Poor Souls – North Roman Tower, the funeral bell
  • Churpötsch – North Roman Tower, donated by the local curia in honor of the Maria Pötsch icon in the cathedral

The Late Romanesque Giant’s Door is notable for its uncommonly rich ornamentation of dragons, birds, lions, monks, and demons. The tympanum above the door depicts Christ Pantocrator, flanked by two winged angels, while on the left and right are the two approximately 65 m. (213 ft.) tall Heathen Towers or Heidentürme (the German word Heiden means “heathens” or “pagans”).  The name is derived from the fact that they were constructed from the rubble of old structures built by the Romans during their occupation of the area. Square at the base and octagonal above the roofline, the Heidentürme originally housed bells.  Those in the South Tower were lost during World War II, but the North Tower remains an operational bell tower. The Giant’s Door, together with the Heathen Towers, are the oldest parts of the church.

The Bishop’s Gate, originally reserved for female visitors, boasts fine figurative sculptures from 1370, along with a number of coats-of-arms, while the Singer Gate,  the entry for male visitors, is notable for its figures of the Apostles and the legend of St. Paul dating from 1378.

Here’s the historical timeline of the cathedral:

  • Following the Treaty of Mautern, it was founded in 1137
  • In 1147, the partially constructed Romanesque church was solemnly dedicated to Saint Stephen in the presence of Conrad III of Germany, Bishop Otto of Freising, and other German nobles who were about to embark on the Second Crusade.
  • In 1160, the first structure was completed
  • From 1230 to 1245, the initial Romanesque structure was extended westward. The present-day west wall and Romanesque towers date from this period.
  • In 1258, a great fire destroyed much of the original building.
  • On April 23, 1263, a larger replacement structure, also Romanesque in style and reusing the two towers, was constructed over the ruins of the old church and consecrated. Each year, the anniversary of this second consecration is commemorated by a rare ringing of the Pummerin bell for three minutes in the evening.
  • In 1304,a Gothic three-nave choir east of the church, wide enough to meet the tips of the old transepts, ordered to be constructed by King Albert I.
  • In 1340, the 77th anniversary of the previous consecration, the Albertine choir, whose construction was continued by Duke Albert II, was consecrated.
  • On April 7, 1359, Duke Rudolf IV (1339–1365), Albert II’s son, laid the cornerstone for a westward Gothic extension of the Albertine choir in the vicinity of the present south tower. This expansion would eventually encapsulate the entirety of the old church.
  • In 1365, just six years after beginning the Gothic extension of the Albertine choir, Rudolf IV disregarded St. Stephen’s status as a mere parish church and presumptuously established a chapter of canons befitting a large cathedral. This move was only the first step in fulfilling Vienna’s long-held desire to obtain its own diocese.
  • In 1430, as work progressed on the new cathedral, the edifice of the old church was removed from within.
  • In 1433, the south tower was completed
  • From 1446 to 1474, the vaulting of the nave took place.
  • In 1450, the foundation for a north tower was laid and construction began under master Lorenz Spenning
  • In 1511, its construction was abandoned when major work on the cathedral ceased.
  • In 1469,Emperor Frederick III prevailed upon Pope Paul II to grant Vienna its own bishop, to be appointed by the emperor.
  • On January 18, 1469, despite long-standing resistance by the Bishops of Passau (who did not wish to lose control of the area), the Diocese of Vienna was canonically established with St. Stephen’s Cathedral as its mother church.
  • In 1722, during the reign of Karl VI, Pope Innocent XIII elevated the see to an archbishopric.
  • During World War II, the cathedral was saved from intentional destruction, at the hands of retreating German forces, when Capt. Gerhard Klinkicht disregarded orders from the city commandant, Josef Dietrich
  • On April 12, 1945, as Soviet Army troops entered the city, the wooden framework of the roof cathedral’s roof was severely damaged by fires lit by civilian looters in nearby shops and carried by the winds, causing it to collapse. Fortunately, protective brick shells built around the pulpit, Frederick III’s tomb, and other treasures, minimized damage to the most valuable artworks. However, the Rollinger choir stalls, carved in 1487, could not be saved. Replicating the original wooden bracing for so large a roof (it rises 38 m. above the floor) would have been cost prohibitive, so over 600 metric tons of steel bracing were used instead.
  • On December 12, 1948, after rebuilding, the cathedral was partially reopened.
  • On April 23, 1950, the cathedral was fully reopened.
  • In 1960, Michael Kauffmann finished a large electric organ with 125 voices and 4 manuals, financed with public donations.
  • In 1991, the Austrian firm of Rieger rebuilt the mechanical choir organ with 56 voices and 4 manuals.
  • As of December 2008, the majority of the restoration on the south tower has been finished, and most scaffolding removed.
  • On March 29, 2014, a 37-year-oldGhanaian asylum seeker vandalized the interior of the cathedral by pushing the statue of  Jude Thaddeus from its marble base.

The three-aisled interior

The spacious three-aisled interior is divided by clustered pillars on which are life-size statues, including one of St. Christopher dating from 1470. The middle nave is largely dedicated to St. Stephen and All Saints while the north and south nave are dedicated to St. Mary and the Apostles respectively.  To the left of the main entrance, embedded in the cathedral wall, is the official Viennese ell length, standards for verifying the measure of different types of cloth sold. At the southwest corner are various memorials from the time the area outside the cathedral was a cemetery and a recently restored 15th-century sundial, on a flying buttress. There’s also a figure of Christ affectionately known to the Viennese as “Christ with a toothache” (from the agonized expression of his face).

The High Altar

The main part of the church contains 18 altars, with more in the various chapels. The distant High Altar, the first focal point of any visitor, is the most famous. Built in the Baroque style from 1641 to 1647 by Tobias Pock at the direction of Vienna’s Bishop Philipp Friedrich Graf Breuner with black marble from Poland, Styria and Tyrol, it represents the stoning of the church’s patron St. Stephen. The altar is framed by figures of Saints Leopold, Florian, Sebastian and Rochus, all patron saints from the surrounding areas, and surmounted with a statue of St. Mary which draws the beholder’s eye to a glimpse of heaven where Christ waits for Stephen (the first martyr) to ascend from below.

The Wiener Neustädter Altar

The Wiener Neustädter Altar (German: Wiener Neustädter Altar), at the head of the north nave, was ordered in 1447 by Emperor Frederick III (his tomb is located in the opposite direction). On the predella is his famous A.E.I.O.U. device first ordered by Frederick for the Cistercian Viktring Abbey (near Klagenfurt), where it remained until the abbey was closed in 1786 as part of Emperor Joseph II’s anti-clerical reforms. It was then sent to the Cistercian monastery of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (founded by Emperor Frederick III) in the city of Wiener Neustadt and, when the Wiener Neustadt monastery was closed after merging with Heiligenkreuz Abbey, finally sold to St. Stephen’s Cathedral in 1885.

The altar is composed of two triptychs, the upper being four times taller than the lower one. The Gothic grate of the former reliquary depot, above the altar, is revealed when the lower panels are opened. A drab painted scene, involving 72 saints, is displayed when the four panels are closed on weekdays while gilded wooden figures, depicting events in the life of the Virgin Mary, are shown when the panels are opened on Sundays. In 1985, on its 100th anniversary, restoration began. Primarily because its large surface area of 100 sq. m. (1,100 sq. ft.), it took 20 years, 10 art restorers, 40,000 man-hours, and €1.3 million to complete.

The stone pulpit

The 16th century stone pulpit, the most important work of art in the nave and a masterwork of late Gothic sculpture, stands against a pillar out in the nave, instead of in the chancel at the front of the church so that the local language sermon could be better heard by the worshipers in the days before microphones and loud speakers.  Long attributed to Anton Pilgram, today, Niclaes Gerhaert van Leyden is thought more likely to be the carver.

The sides of the pulpit, erupting like stylized petals from the stem supporting it, has a stairway handrail ((has fantastic decorations of toads and lizards biting each other, symbolizing the fight of good against evil) that curves its way around the pillar from ground level to the pulpit. A stone puppy, at the top of the stairs, protects the preacher from intruders. The  Gothic petals has relief portraits of the four original Doctors of the Church (St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Ambrose, St. Gregory the Great and St. Jerome), each of them in one of four different temperaments and in one of four different stages of life.

A stone self-portrait of the unknown sculptor gawking (German: gucken) out of a window (German: fenster), famously known as the Fenstergucker, is located beneath the stairs.  One of the most beloved symbols of the cathedral, the chisel in the subject’s hand, and the stonemason‘s signature mark on the shield above the window led to the speculation that it could be a self-portrait of the sculptor.

The Maria Pötsch Icon, a 50 x 70 cm. Byzantine style icon, takes its name from the Hungarian Byzantine Catholic shrine of Máriapócs (pronounced Poach), from where it was transferred to Vienna. The picture shows the Virgin Mary  pointing to the child Jesus (signifying “He is the way”) and the child holding a three-stemmed rose (symbolizing the Holy Trinity) and wearing a prescient cross from his neck. The icon was commissioned from painter István Papp by László Csigri in 1676 upon his release as a prisoner of war from the Turks who were invading Hungary at the time. As Csigri was unable to pay the 6-forint fee, the icon was bought by Lőrinc Hurta who, in turn, donated it to the church of Pócs.

In 1696, after two miraculous incidents with the Virgin Mary in the picture shedding real tears, Emperor Leopold I ordered it brought to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where it would be safe from the Muslim armies that still controlled much of Hungary. In 1697, after a triumphal five-month journey, the icon arrived in the cathedral and Empress Eleonora Magdalena commissioned the splendid Rosa Mystica oklad and framework (now one of several) for it.  The Emperor personally ordered the icon placed near the High Altar in the front of the church, where it stood prominently from 1697 until 1945. Since then, the icon has been in a different framework, above an altar, under a Medieval stone baldachin near the southwest corner of the nave.  Many burning candles here indicate the extent of its veneration, especially by Hungarians.

Since its arrival, the icon has not been seen weeping again but other miracles and answered prayers have been attributed to it, including Prince Eugene of Savoy‘s victory over the Turks at Zenta, a few weeks after the icon’s installation in the Stephansdom.

Lady’s Altar

There are several formal chapels in St. Stephen’s Cathedral. They include:

  • Barbara’s Chapel, in the base of the north tower, is used for meditation and prayer.
  • Katherine’s Chapel, the baptismal chapel in the base of the south tower, has a 14-sided baptismal font completed in 1481 whose cover was formerly the sound board above the famed pulpit in the main church. Its marble base (plinth) shows the Four Evangelists, while the niches of the basin feature reliefs of the Twelve Apostles, Christ and St. Stephan.
  • Eligius’s Chapel (or Duke’s Chapel), in the southeast corner, with its important 14th-century statues, is open for prayer. The altar is dedicated to St. Valentine whose body (one of three, held by various churches) is in another chapel, upstairs.
  • The recently restored Bartholomew’s Chapel is above St. Eligius’ Chapel.
  • The Chapel of the Cross (or Tirna Chapel), in the northwest corner of the cathedral, is not open to the public. Built in1359, it holds the burial place of Prince Eugene of Savoy, commander of the Imperial forces during the War of the Spanish Succession, in a vault containing 3 coffins and a heart urn, under a massive stone slab with iron rings. The funeral of Mozart occurred here December 6, 1791. Above the altar is a 15th-century crucifix and the beard on the crucified Christ which is made of human hair and, according to legend, is still growing.
  • Valentine’s Chapel, above the Chapel of the Cross, is the current depository of the hundreds of relics belonging to the Stephansdom (including a piece of the tablecloth from the Last Supper). A large chest holds the bones of St. Valentine that were moved here about a century ago, from what is now the Chapter House to the south of the High Altar.

Since its earliest days, it has always been an honor to be buried inside the cathedral, close to the physical presence of the saints whose relics are preserved there, and it has sheltered the bodies of notables and commoners. Those less honored were buried near, but outside the church.

Peter and Paul Altar

Aside from the aforementioned Prince Eugene of Savoy  in the Chapel of The Cross, also inside the cathedral is the tomb of  Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, under whose reign the Diocese of Vienna was canonically erected on January 18, 1469, in the Apostles’ Choir (south choir, southeast corner of the cathedral).

The construction of Emperor Frederick’s tomb, spanning over 45 years, started 25 years before his death. The impressive raised sarcophagus, carved by Dutch artist  Niclaes Gerhaert van Leyden, is made of the unusually dense red marble-like stone found at the Adnet quarry. The tomb lid shows Emperor Frederick in his coronation regalia, surrounded by the coats of arms of all of his dominions. The body of the tomb, a glory of Medieval sculptural art, has 240 statues.

St. Januarius Altar

The basement of the cathedral also hosts the Bishop’s Crypt (completed in 1952) under the south choir, Provost’s Crypt and Ducal Crypt under the chancel. The most recent interment in the Bishop’s crypt was that of 98-year-old Cardinal Franz König in 2004. Provosts of the cathedral are buried in another chamber while other members of the cathedral chapter are now buried in a special section at the Zentralfriedhof.

The Ducal Crypt, ordered built by Duke Rudolf IV (for his remains in the new cathedral he commissioned) before his death in 1365, holds 78 bronze containers with the bodies, hearts, or viscera of 72 members of the Habsburg dynasty.

The small rectangular chamber, overcrowded with 12 sarcophagi and 39 urns by 1754, was expanded with an oval chamber added to the east end of the rectangular one and, in 1956, the two chambers were renovated and their contents rearranged. The sarcophagi of Duke Rudolf IV and his wife were placed upon a pedestal and the 62 urns containing organs were moved from the two rows of shelves around the new chamber to cabinets in the original one.

In 1735, the charnel house and eight cemeteries abutting the cathedral’s side and back walls were closed due to an outbreak of bubonic plague  and the bones within them were moved to the catacombs below the church. In 1783, burials directly in the catacombs were discontinued when a new law forbade most burials within the city. Today, the catacombs, with remains of over 11,000 persons stacked up in tiers, may be toured.

Altar dedicated to St. Padre Pio

Adjacent to the catacomb entrance is the Capistran Chancel.  Its pulpit, now outdoors, was the original cathedral’s main pulpit inside until it was replaced by Niclaes Gerhaert van Leyden’s pulpit in 1515.  Here, St. John Capistrano and Hungarian general John Hunyadi preached a crusade in 1456 to repel Muslim invasions of Christian Europe. The 18th century Baroque statue shows St. Francis under an extravagant sunburst, trampling on a beaten Turk.

The fascinating Cathedral Treasure, located in the West Gallery, houses many of the cathedral’s most important and valuable objects.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral : Stephansplatz 3, 1010 Wien, Austria. Tel: +43 1 515523054. Website: www.stephanskirche.at.

How to Get There: St. Stephen’s Cathedral is within walking distance of Vienna’s city center and its major tourist attractions. By bus, it is well served by Vienna’s bus service (Routes 1A, 2A, or 3A). The nearest U-Bahn subway station is Stephansplatz. No on-site public parking is available.

Graben Street (Vienna, Austria)

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Graben Street

The exclusive and pulsating Graben, one of the most famous streets in Vienna‘s first district (the heart of the inner city  centre), is one of the most important promenades and shopping streets in Vienna.

Isko, Cheska and Vicky at Graben

It begins at Stock-im-Eisen-Platz (next to the Palais Equitable) and ends at the junction of Kohlmarkt and Tuchlauben.

It is crossed by Wipplinger Straße by means of the Hohe Brücke, a bridge about 10 m. above street level. The origin of this street dates back to the old Roman encampment of Vindobona.

This shopping street and pedestrian area is surrounded by popular alleys, streets and places such as Stephansplatz, Kohlmarkt, Naglergasse, Tuchlauben and Petersplatz.

Vicky and Cheska

Most of the buildings here, where you can find finest traditional shops with a long tradition and already popular in the times when Austria was ruled by emperors, had origins from the 17th and 18th century.

The Palais Bartolotti-Partenfeld, palace of the Barons Bartolotti von Partenfeld, the only Baroque structure on the Graben that has survived to this day, was first erected between 1794 and 1795 by Peter Mollner and Ernest Koch and was rebuilt in 1831 by Josef Klee.

Formerly the site of Leopold Kozeluch‘s music shop, it was acquired in 1894 by Assicurazione Generali who renovated the facade and added a penthouse. The showroom of Knize (a prominent tailor), occupying the ground floor, was built by Adolf Loos. 

Graben-Hof Building

The Grabenhof (also known as the Thienemannhof), built between 1873 and 1874 by Otto Thienemann and Otto Wagner on the site of the old Arkadenhof, is today owned by Österreichische Beamtenversicherung.   Its roof was rebuilt in 1947 by Alfons Hetmanek and, since 1991, the building has been used as a site for cultural events.

Headquarters of Erste Osterreich Spar-Casse

The present headquarters of the Erste österreichische Sparkasse, designed by architect Alois Pichl, had its origins in 1825 when the bank moved into the house at Graben 21. The bank later purchased three neighboring houses, tore them down and, between 1835 and 1839, had their headquarters built.

H&M (E. Braun & Co. Building)

The E. Braun & Co. building, originally constructed in 1887 for an American insurance company (hence an eagle seen on the top of the building), was originally the flagship store of the clothing company E. Braun & Co. (whose name we can still see on the façade of the building).Today, H&M continues the building’s tradition as hosting a clothing business.

Plague Column (Petsaule). The column’s basic message is that the plague and the Ottomans’ Second Siege of Vienna (1683), both of them punishments for sin, were averted or defeated by the piety and intercession of the Emperor Leopold I.

The Plague Column (German: Pestsäule), or Trinity Column (German: Dreifaltigkeitssäule), a Baroque memorial, is one of the most well-known and prominent sculptural pieces of art in the city.This Holy Trinity column was erected by Emperor Leopold I following the Great Plague of Vienna in 1679.

The top of the column

Right next to Graben and just west of the Pestsäule is the Baroque-style Peterskirche (St. Peter’s Church) on Petersplatz, which is largely obscured by the surrounding buildings, and can only be seen clearly from directly in front.The street Jungferngasse cuts through the pedestrian zone and leads directly to the church.

Peterskirche (Peter’s Church)

Begun around 1701 under Gabriele Montani (replaced by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt in 1703), the church was the first domed structure in Baroque Vienna and its design was inspired by the St. Peter’s Basilica of the Vatican in Rome. Francesco Martinelli was the main architect. It was finished in 1733 and consecrated to the Holy Trinity.

Lowenbrunnen (Lion Fountain)

Two fountains are found on the Graben. Josefsbrunnen, the first fountain, in the southwest, has a statue of St. Joseph and was presumably built in 1561. The Löwenbrunnen (lion fountain), standing on the northwestern end of the Graben, has a statue of Leopold and is decorated with the four lion’s heads.

Statue of Emperor Leopold I

The two fountains were rebuilt, at the behest of Leopold I, with sculptures executed by the sculptor Johann Frühwirth and, later, replaced with lead figures by Johann Martin Fischer. Frühwirth’s statues have since been lost.

Segafredo Cafe

The side streets around Graben, including Dorotheergasse, Stallburggasse and Bräunerstrasse are brimming with boutiques selling Baroque armoires, renaissance chests, footwear, fine carpets, magnificent timepieces, paintings, court perfumery (Nägele & Strubell, etc.), porcelain (Augarten, etc.) and antique court jewelry (Heldwein, etc.).

Dior

Top international labels (Hermes, Mont Blanc, H&M, Escada, etc.) and high end retailers have also zeroed in on this exclusive shopping street.

Giorgio Armani

Unlike other similar streets, shoppers can also take, between shopping trips, a quick respite at quite a number of high-end cafes (Segafredo, Hawelka, etc.) and restaurants (Julius Meinl, etc.).

Burberry

Graben: Vienna, Austria. Shop opening hours: 10 AM – 7 PM, Mondays – Fridays;  10 AM – 6 PM, Saturdays. Some shops open already at 8 or 9 AM and start to close from 6 PM.

How to Get There:Metro U1 and U3 station Stephansplatz.

Michaelerplatz (Vienna, Austria)

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Michaelerplatz

The most common way to enter the Hofburg, one of the world’s biggest palace complexes, is from the extremely irregular, cobblestoned  Michaelerplatz (St. Michael’s Square), a major pick-up point for tours by fiaker  (horse-drawn carriages). An amazing display of the mixed Austrian architectural historical styles, the square (its actually circular) has had its name since around 1850. The square is dominated by the impressive Neo-Baroque Michaelertor (Michael’s Gate), the entrance gate to the Hofburg.

Michaelertor

Here’s the historical timeline of the square:

  • In 1725, the square was redesigned around the plans of Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlachs for the Michaeler wing of the Hofburg
  • In 1729, construction on the left wing began but stagnated during the last years of the reign of Emperor Charles VI. 
  • In autumn 1838, Vienna’s first public gas lighting was installed at the Michaelerplatz via a gas (the gas came from the Roßau gas works via a line)  candelabrum with six flames set up by entrepreneur Georg Pfendler, founder and director of the “Austrian Society for Lighting with Gas.”
  • From 1889 to 1893, the Baroque plans were realized by Austrian architect Ferdinand Kirschner when the old Hoftheater (castle theater), the predecessor of today’s Burgtheater, standing in the middle of the square was demolished in 1888.
  • In 1927, Vienna’s first roundabout was set up at Michaelerplatz.

Palais Herberstein and Looshaus in the background with the Roman Ruins in the foreground

At the center of the square is an open area with the excavated and now exposed ruins of a Roman house as well as some medieval foundations and remains of the former Burgtheater, all seen from street level. A number of remarkable buildings are grouped around the Michaelerplatz.

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Michaelertrakt

The Michaelertrakt, with its curving façade and 50 m. high dome,  dominates the façade of the palace which faces the centre of the city. One of the most exuberant wings of the imperial palace, it was completed in 1893 by Ferdinand Kirschner following the original Baroque design of Josef Emanuel Fischer von Erlach von Erlach in the 1720s. At the center of this wing is the monumental Michaelertor gate, leading through the Michaelertrakt, to the Hofburg’s inner courtyard.

Statue of Hercules Fighting Antaeus (Lorenzo Mattielli)

Along the sides of the three entrances are colossal statues of Hercules and on both sides of the doorway are large 19th-century wall fountains with sculpture groups done by artists who were alumni of the Akademie der bildenden Künste (“Academy of Fine Arts”).

Statue of Labor of Hercules (Lorenzo Mattielli)

The fountain on the right, known as the Macht zu Lande (“Power on Land”) was designed in 1897 by Edmund von Hellmer and symbolizes the Austrian army. The fountain on the left, known as the Macht zur See (“Power at Sea”), was sculpted in 1895 by Rudolf Weyr and symbolizes the Austrian naval power.

Power at Sea Fountain (Rudolf Weyr)

Opposite the Michaelertor is the grand Michaelerkirche (St Michael’s Church), the oldest building at Michaelerplatz (which lends its name to the square itself) and considered as one of the most historically and culturally significant church buildings in Vienna.  The former parish church of the Austrian imperial court, it is one of the oldest Baroque churches in the city.

Michaelerkirche (St. Michael’s Church)

Originally built in 1221, it was regularly expanded and modified to such an extent that it now consists of an amalgam of architectural styles and its present Neo-Classic facade originated in 1792. Its Baroque porch is topped by Baroque sculpture group, depicting the Fall of the Angels, created by Lorenzo Mattielli. The still Gothic tower dates from the fourteenth century.

The church’s Baroque porch

The Baroque interior is decorated with 14th-century and Renaissance frescoes.  The magnificent, vividly carved, gilded organ, the largest in Vienna, was built by Johann David Sieber in 1714 and was once played by Joseph Haydn.

Fall of the Angels (Lorenzo Mattielli)

At the crypt (only be accessed in company of a guide, the catacombs entrance is off the north choir), you can viewed, in open coffins, well preserved (made intact due to the consistent climate) bodies of parishioners buried here between the 15th and 18th centuries and clothed in their burial finery.

Looshaus

When walking towards Michaelertrakt, we hardly noticed the Looshaus (Michaelerplatz 3), one of Vienna’s first modern buildings, opposite the Michaelertor. Built from 1911 – 1912, it was designed by Adolf Loos  who was influenced by the nascent skyscraper architecture that he had seen on a trip to the United States He employed a business-like style, with straight lines and little or no decoration.

This building, considered an eye sore back in the day, caused quite a controversy and an outcry due to its modern but rather simple, unadorned façade void of decorations, very unusual in Baroque Vienna, so much so that construction was even temporarily halted and only allowed to continue after Loos promised to decorate the facade with balcony flower boxes. Still, the starkly functional upper facade contrasted dramatically with the nearby fine ornate Baroque architecture.

Raiffeisenbank (Looshaus)

The building caused so much outrage on the part of the Emperor Franz-Joseph I who despised the modern façade of the Looshaus.  Declaring that he would never use the Michaelertor ever again, it is said that the curtains in the wing opposite the Looshaus were always closed so that the emperor wouldn’t have to look at it. Today, the Looshaus is a working bank and is considered a groundbreaking example of modern architecture.  Visitors are only allowed into the lobby to view the elegant, richly clad interior of polished timber, green marble and mirrors.

Palais Herberstein

Sitting just across from the Looshaus, opposite Herrengasse, is the  more conventional Palais Herberstein (Michaelerplatz 2). Built in 1896-1897, it replaced the Palais Dietrichstein-Herberstein, an older structure which was famous for its Café Griensteidl, where a group of young poets, artisans and writers known as Jung-Wien gathered on a regular basis.

Café Griensteidl

The café moved to the nearby Café Central in Palace Ferstel, now the most famous of all cafés in Vienna. In 1990 a new, reconstructed Griensteidl Café opened in Palais Herberstein.

Vicky, Manny, Grace, Jandy, Cheska and Freddie at Michaelerplatz

Michaelerplatz: Vienna, Austria.

Roman Ruins (Vienna, Austria)

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Directly at the entryway to the palace complex of the Hofburg, in the middle of Vienna, on the Michaelerplatz,  is a small excavation site ringed by gorgeous architecture. The cobblestoned Michaelerplatz  “square” (it’s actually circular), bounded by the Spanish Riding School and St. Michael’s Church, is a major pick-up point for tours by fiaker  (horse-drawn carriages).

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The Roman Ruins

Uncovered by archaeologists between 1989 and 1991, here, traces of the structural remains, from different epochs, of a Roman legionary outpost (canabae legionis), the settlement outside the Roman legionary fortress Vindobona, have been found. In this settlement lived the families (i.e. concubines and children) of the legionaries. There were also some inns, shops and brothels. The settlement was probably destroyed between 168 and 180 by Marcomanni.

The 1st century crossroads of two main streets, the “Amber street” from the Aquae region (today Baden south from Vienna) and the street along the limes, have also been found. The final form for public presentation was done by the Austrian architect Hans Hollein.

Roman Ruins: Michaelerplatz, Vienna, Austria. Admission: free.

Neue Burg – Ephesos Museum (Vienna, Austria)

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Ephesus Museum

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.

Check out “Neue Burg” and “Kunsthistorisches Museum“

Segment of gable (The Library of Celsus)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Parthian Monument

Parthian Monument (2)

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

Hadrian and Antoninus Pius adopt Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus

The Emperor's Apotheosis

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

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.

Neue Burg – Collection of Arms and Armor (Vienna, Austria)

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Collection of Arms and Armor

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

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.

Collection of Arms and Armor (41)

Collection of Arms and Armor (48)

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

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

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

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.

Collection of Arms and Armor (72)

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

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 firearms

Middle East and Near Orient swords and helmets

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

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

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

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

Crossbows

Display of rifles and pistols

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.

Neue Burg – Collection of Historic Musical Instruments (Vienna, Austria)

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Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

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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Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments (21)

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.

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments (11)

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.

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments (16)

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

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.

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments (6)

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.

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments (2)

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 17th century.

A pair of harps

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.

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments (7)

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.

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments (19)

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.

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments (1)

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 Ancient Musical Instruments (17)

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.

Neue Burg (Vienna, Austria)

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Neue Burg

Upon arrival at the grandiose New Castle (Neue Burg) within the Hofburg Palace Complex, Grace, Vicky, Manny, Cheska, Jandy and I availed of a combination ticket that includes admission to important Imperial collections at three of Neue Burg’s four specialty museums, all branch museums of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which was in urgent need for more exhibition space  – the Ephesus Museum, the Sammlung Alter Musikinstrumente (Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments) and the Hofjadg und Rüstkammer (Collection of Arms and Armor).

Check out “Kunsthistorisches Museum,“ “Kunsthistorisches Museum – Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection,” “Kunsthistorisches Museum – Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities,” “Kunsthistorisches Museum – Picture Gallery” and “Kunsthistorisches Museum – Kunstkammer.”

L-R: Jandy, Grace, Vicky and Cheska

The massive, curved new wing on the southwest, the Neue Berg is the most recent and grandest addition to the Hofburg complex. Designed by Ringstrasse architects Gottfried Semper and Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer, it was built between 1881 and 1913.

Ceiling frescoes

A symbol of architectural overconfidence, the Neue Burg was part of a much larger scheme to make the Hofburg rival the Louvre, if not Versailles. It originally contained the personal memorabilia of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

From the balcony of the terraced central bay on New Castle onto Heroes’ Square, Adolf Hitler, on March 15, 1938, proclaimed, to the tens of thousands of the Viennese gathered outside, the “Anschluss” of Austria into the Third Reich (Deutsches Reich).

The palace’s spectacular Baroque design is reflected both inside and out. The opulent marble staircase displays artifacts removed from the ancient Greek city of Ephesus (now in present-day Turkey).

The marble stairway

The Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments and the Collection of Arms and Armor are only accessible via an elevator at the ticket counter level while the Ephesos Museum can only be reached, from this level, via a 60-step stairway.

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments

The Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments (Sammlung Alter Musik Instrumente), which arrived at Neue Burg post-war in 1945, contains a wonderfully diverse and impressive array of Renaissance-period musical instruments, including pianos owned by Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert and Joseph Haydn, and the world’s oldest surviving claviorgan (1596).

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments

Showcasing the musical journey from harpsichord to modern-day piano, highlights in the museum include archaic wind instruments, mandolins and priceless violins.

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Ephesos Museum

The Ephesos Museum features artifacts unearthed during Austrian archaeologists’ excavations, between 1895 and 1906, from the Greek and Roman site at Ephesus in Turkey plus findings from the Greek island of Samothrace, excavated in the 1870s.

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Collection of Arms and Armor

The Collection of Arms and Armor (Hofjägd und Rüstkammer), which moved into its palatial new home in 1935, displays to stunning effect, in long, marble-floored corridors, battle armor, worn by both man and beast, dating mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries.

Also on display are fine weaponry, remarkable in terms of size and workmanship (filigree inlay on swords, medieval ceremonial saddles and jeweled Turkish and Syrian maces), the core of which are the personal armories of the Habsburgs.

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Aside from the three museums, it houses the reading rooms of the Austrian National Library, the Hofburg Congress Center of international renown, the Hofburg Info Centre, the Imperial Shop and the Weltmuseum Wien (Museum of Ethnology) whose galleries explore the aspects of travel, anthropology and ethnography with exhibits from across the globe.

Austrian National Library

Neue Burg: Heldenplatz, 1010 Vienna.  Open Wednesdays to Sundays, 10 AM – 6 PM. Admission: adults (€12), young people under 19 years (free). Audio guides cost €5. Tel: 01-525–240.

How to Get There:

The closest subway station is Museumsquartier on the U2 line but it’s only a short walk from Volkstheater (U3 and U2), Herrengasse (U3) and Stephansplatz (U3 and U1). By tram/bus, the Ring trams stop practically outside. Take the 1, 2, D or 71 to Burgring.

Volksgarten (Vienna, Austria)

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The free, accessible  Volksgarten (“People’s Garden”), a lovingly maintained public park and garden in the Innere Stadt first district of , offers a relaxing atmosphere in the center of Vienna to the citizens and tourists.  Originally used for fortifications, the park was built over the city fortifications (Burgbastei) that were destroyed by Napoleon in 1809. Part of the Hofburg Palace, it is located directly beside the Heldenplatz and the Hofburg buildings.

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Volksgarten (People’s Garden)

The Volksgarten area, designed in the manner of the Luxembourg Garden in Paris, was laid out in the French Baroque style in 1821 by Ludwig van Remy and its gardening design was done by court gardener Franz Antoine. Now often used by wedding photographers for its romantic scenery, the park is famous for its beautiful rose gardens (with over 3,000 rose bushes of about 400 different cultivars of roses) shady alleys and comfortable park chairs and benches.

Grace, Vicky, Cheska and Kyle at the Volksgarten

Here’s the historical timeline of the park:

  • Between 1596 and 1597, a fortress wall was built on the eastern side of park.
  • In 1639, additional fortifications were built on the southern side.
  • In 1809, these fortifications were destroyed by Napoleon’s French troops.
  • Between 1817 and 1821, the area near Ballhausplatz square was converted to gardens originally intended for a private garden for the archdukes. These plans were changed through a proposal by the court garden administration to turn the area into the first public park in the city.
  • On March 1, 1823, the park was officially opened to the public.
  • Starting in 1825, the name Volksgarten was commonly used.
  • In 1862, the gardens were extended toward Ringstraße after the city moat had been filled in.

The white, shining, Neo-Classical Theseus Temple (Theseustempel), a particularly impressive photo scene at the center of the park, is a small-scale replica of the Temple of Hephaestus (Theseion) in Athens. Designed by Pietro di Nobile and completed in 1821, it was originally designed to house the sculpture, of Antonio Canova (who was also involved in the construction of the temple), of Theseus Battling the Centaur.  In 1890, Canova’s sculpture at the Theseus Temple was moved to the Museum of Fine Arts.

Temple of Theseus (Theseustempel)

The park has a couple of cafes.  The Cortisches coffee house, built between 1820 and 1823 by Peter Nobile was where Austrian Romantic composers and waltz kings Johann Strauss I and Joseph Lanner performed.  The Cafè Meierei, an excellent place to interrupt your walk, was originally built in 1890 as a water reservoir and converted to a milk drinking hall (Milchtrinkhalle) in 1924. Here, you can have a breakfast, a snack or a wiener melange- (coffee with milk).  The Milchpavillon was built in 1951 by Oswald Haerdtl.

The Sisi (Empress Elizabeth) Monument, at the northern end of the park, was designed by Hans Bitterlich and Friedrich Ohmann and completed in 1907. A 2.5 m. high statue of a seated Empress Elisabeth, at the center of the monument, was sculpted by Hans Bitterlich from an 8,000 kg. block of Laaser marble. The monument was dedicated on June 4, 1907 in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria.

Jandy

The Franz Grillparzer Monument, at the southern end of the park, has the seated marble figure of Austrian poet and writer Franz Grillparzer  sculpted by Carl Kundmann and completed in 1875.  He is shown in contemplation holding a book in his left hand.

The Volksgarten contains two fountains – the Triton and Nymphenbrunnen (Nymph Fountain, built in 1880 by Viktor Tilgner) and the Volksgarten Fountain (erected in 1866 by Anton Dominik Fernkorn).

Café Meierei: Open 9 AM – 9 PM (April – September).
Volksgarten: Dr. K. Lueger Ring, 1010 Vienna, Austria. Open 6 AM – 10 PM (April – October) and 7 AM -5:30 PM (November – March).  Website: www.bundesgaerten.at.

How to Get There: there’s a tram stop (Ring/Volkstheater) and subway station (Volkstheater) outside, served by the U2 and U3 train lines and the 1, 2, D, 46, 49, and 71 trams.  Entrances are available from Heldenplatz, Burgtheater and Ringstrasse across from the Austrian Parlament (a 3-min. walk).

Imperial Treasury (Vienna, Austria)

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Imperial Treasury

Imperial Treasury

After purchasing our combination tickets at the Neau Berg, we started our museum tour at the Imperial Treasury (Kaiserliche Schatzkammer), entering via the 13th century Schweizerhof (Swiss Courtyard, a reminder of the Swiss Guards once stationed here), the oldest part of the palace, which was rebuilt in the 16th century in the Renaissance style under Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I.

Entrance to the 13th century Schweizerhof (Swiss Courtyard)

Entrance to the 13th century Schweizerhof (Swiss Courtyard)

Located in the medieval part of the Hofburg Palace, next to the Hofburg Chapel, the Imperial Treasury, affiliated with the Kunsthistorisches Museum, is housed in 21 rooms. One of Vienna’s most important attractions, it is divided into two collections: the secular collection (subject to the responsibility of the Chamberlain or Oberkämmerer) and the ecclesiastical collection, covering over a thousand years of European history.

Imperial Crown, Orb, and Sceptre of Austria

Imperial crown, orb, and scepter of Austria

The secular collection is a valuable collection of numerous, fascinating and rare imperial treasures and insignia from the Imperial House of Habsburg  (one of the most influential dynasties of the Christian Occident), set up from 1556 by the scholar Jacopo Strada, court antiquarian of Ferdinand I.

Imperial Regalia

Imperial Regalia

Ceremonial robe of St. Stephen-Order

Ceremonial robe of St. Stephen-Order

Among the treasures from the possessions are charming pieces of jewelry once worn by Empress Elisabeth; The regalia of the Archduchy of Austria (with the cord casing of the archducal hat made for the coronation of King Joseph II in 1764); the Burgundian Treasure from the 15th century (including magnificently embroidered robes, all part of the dowry of Mary the Rich at her wedding with Archduke Maximilian I in 1477), the original insignia (scepter and the orb) of the Kingdom of Bohemia;  and the Treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece ( from the heritage of Mary’s father Duke Charles the Bold), unique textile art from the Late Middle Ages: precious gold and silk embroidery of the highest quality transferred from Brussels in 1794.

Chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece

Chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece

Imperial Jewels

Imperial Jewels

The Imperial Regalia (Reichskleinodien), insignia and jewels of the Emperors and Kings of the Holy Roman Empire (transferred from Nuremberg in 1800) include the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire, circa 962, the legendary 8th century Holy Lance, and the Imperial Sword.

Imperial Sword and scabbard

Imperial Sword and scabbard

The 10th century Crown of the Holy Roman Empire

The 10th century Crown of the Holy Roman Empire

The Austrian Crown Jewels, comprising the personal crown (made in 1602) of Emperor Rudolf II (1552-1612) which, with the proclamation of the Austrian Empire in 1804, became the Imperial Crown of Austria, with sceptre and globus cruciger; the regalia worn by Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria on the occasion of his coronation as King of Lombardy–Venetia in 1835, as well as the vestments and other precious items of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary and the Military Order of Maria Theresa. The insignia of the imperial house of Austria, symbols of might and dignity for centuries, are set with valuable and intricately worked jewels, all witnesses to history and worth a fortune.

Coronation vestments of the Kingdom of Lombardy & Venetia

Coronation vestments of the Kingdom of Lombardy & Venetia

Emerald unction vessel (2860 carats)

Emerald unction vessel (2860 carats)

Also on display are various valuable jewels and precious stones that, due to their unique size, could not be fitted into the imperial crowns. Like all secular treasuries, it was designed to attest to the political power, glory and geographical reach of the Habsburgs. They include one of the world’s largest cut emeralds.

Unicorn horn (actually a narwhal tusk)

Unicorn horn (actually a narwhal tusk)

Meissen altar set of the Empress Wilhelmine Amalla

Meissen altar set of the Empress Wilhelmine Amalla

Also part of the treasury are the crown of the Transylvanian prince Stephen Bocskay and the two “inalienable heirlooms of the House of Austria”-  an almost two and a half meter long narwhal tooth, acquired in Poland in 1540, which was thought to be the horn of a unicorn (Ainkhürn) and the Agate bowl (the largest carved bowl of its kind in the world), from Late Antiquity (4th century), which was thought to be the legendary Holy Grail.

Agate Bowl

Agate Bowl

Furthermore, there’s the Napoleonica artifacts) of Napoleon II (including his golden cradle with over a quarter of a ton of precious metals in it), Napoleon’s son  known from his birth as the “King of Rome,” and his mother Archduchess  Marie Louise.

Mary Louis Empress of the French

Mary Louis Empress of the French

Napoleon II's golden cradle

Napoleon II’s golden cradle

The ecclesiastical collection, administered by the Hofburg parish priest, contains numerous religious treasures, including relics and objects ascribed to the private ownership of saints.  They include a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified (including a nail hole, thus suggesting the wood is impregnated with his blood); a tooth from John the Baptist; a piece of the tablecloth used at the Last Supper; the nail used to pin Jesus’s right hand to the cross; and a tooth from St. Peter.  There are also devotional images and altars, mostly from the Baroque era.

Golden Rose by Giuseppe and Pietro Paolo Spagna. Rome, around 181819

Golden Rose by Giuseppe and Pietro Paolo Spagna. Rome, around 181819

Imperial Treasury: Hofburg, Schweizerhof, 1010 Vienna. Tel: +431 525  24 4031. Website: www.khm.at. E-mail: info.kk@khm.at. Open 9 AM – 5:30 PM.

How to Get There:

Subway:
U1: Station Karlsplatz or Stephansplatz
U2: Station Karlsplatz or Volkstheater
U3: Station Herrengasse or Stephansplatz
U4: Station Karlsplatz

Tram:
D Burgring, 1, 2, 71 to any stop between Karlsplatz and Dr. Karl Renner Ring

Bus:
1A or 2A and 3A to Michaelerplatz or Habsburgergasse

HOP ON HOP OFF: Red Line: Kunsthistorisches Museum / Heldenplatz