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Key Attractions Stephansdom (St Stephen’s Cathedral) The imposing St Stephen’s Cathedral marks Graben’s eastern end and is easily spotted, due to its brightly coloured roof tiles, from more distant viewpoints. Construction began on the cathedral in the 12th century and was completed in 1433. Major restoration and rebuilding work was necessary after the cathedral caught fire at the end of World War II. Stephansplatz 1 Tel: (01) 5155 23767. Fax: (01) 5155 23191. E-mail: office@stephendom.at Website: www.stephensdom.at Transport: U-Bahn Stephansplatz. Opening hours: Daily 0600-2000; services Sat 1900 and Sun 1015 (Sep-Jun), Sun 0930 (Jul-Aug); guided tours Mon-Sat at 1030 and 1500, Sun 1500. Admission: €2 (south tower); €3 (north tower); €3 (catacombs); €3 (guided tour). Hofburg The Imperial Palace until 1918, the Hofburg is almost a city in itself. Today it is used for a variety of state functions and also houses a number of museums, the chapel where the Vienna Boys’ Choir sings and the hall in which the Lipizzan stallions perform. Visitors can tour the Kaiserappartements (Imperial Apartments) including Franz-Josef’s private rooms, the great audience hall, dining rooms and staterooms. The Hofsilber- und Tafelkammer (Court Silver and Tableware Chamber) is also on show. The Schatzkammer (Treasury), Schweizerhof 1, contains stunning exhibits that exemplify the power and wealth of one of Europe’s most important empires. The Imperial crown of the Holy Roman Empire rests here, as does the crown of the Austrian Empire, the 15th-century Burgundian treasure and the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Innerer Burghof 1, Kaisertor Tel: (01) 533 7570 (Imperial Apartments and Court Silver) or 533 7931 (Treasury). Fax: (01) 5337 57033 (Imperial Apartments and Court Silver) or 5332 4352 (Treasury). Website: www.hofburg.com Transport: Main entrance on Michaelerplatz at the western end of Kohlmarkt, nearest U-Bahn Herrngasse (U3). Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700 (Imperial Apartments and Court Silver); Wed and Fri-Mon 1000-1800, Thurs 1000-2100 (Treasury). Admission: €6 (Imperial Apartments or Court Silver); €8 (Treasury); €7 (both attractions). Spanische Hofreitschule (Spanish Riding School) For over 400 years, the horses of the Spanish Riding School have performed their elegant manoeuvres at the Imperial Stables. The Lipizzaner Museum Wien (situated at the stables) traces the history of these renowned performing horses and offers the opportunity to see the animals quartered. The easiest way for visitors to see the horses in action is at their morning training sessions, 1000-1200 Tuesday to Friday. Tickets for the actual performances are in high demand and need to be booked well in advance. The season generally runs from February to June and from September to December. Gala performances are on Wednesday evening and Sunday morning and tickets are available on the Internet, by post or by fax. These cost €33-145 or €22-25 for standing room. The first Friday of March, the last Friday of August and the last Saturday of December are final dress rehearsals, with tickets, costing €20, available on a first-come-first-served basis. Tickets to the training sessions, which involve classical dressage exercise to music, are only available at the door on the day. Michaelerplatz 1 Tel: (01) 533 9031. Fax: (01) 535 0186. E-mail: office@srs.at Website: www.spanische-reitschule.com Transport: U-Bahn Stephansplatz; tram D, J, 1 or 2; bus 57A to Burgring. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800 (museum); Tues-Sat 1000-1200 (morning training sessions). Admission: €5.09 (museum); €11.60 (training sessions); concessions available. Schloss Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Palace) Schönbrunn Palace is Vienna’s answer to Versailles and was used as the summer residence of the Hapsburgs from the 18th century until 1918. Of the 1411 rooms in the palace, 40 are open to the public. The golden-yellow palace is set within equally magnificent gardens, landscaped in the Baroque style, with some monumental views. The palace and gardens are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Gloriette is a triumphal arch that stands on the hilltop behind the palace and affords a stunning view over the grounds and the city beyond. The Palmenhaus (Palm House) and Schmetterlingshaus (Butterfly House) are excellent examples of late 19th-century architecture, with cast iron columns delicately holding up the glass walls and roof. The ‘Roman ruins’ in the garden are a typical folly (built during the Hapsburg’s time) and are often used for staging summer productions of Don Giovanni. The world’s oldest zoo can be found in the park. It was commissioned in 1752, to amuse and educate the court. Schönbrunner Schloss Strasse 13 Tel: (222) 8111 3239. Fax: (222) 8111 3333. E-mail: info@schoenbrunn.at Website: www.schoenbrunn.at Transport: U-Bahn Schönbrunn or Hietzing (Zoo). Opening hours: Daily 0830-1700 (Apr-Oct); daily 0830-1630 (Nov-Mar). Admission: €7.50 (audio-guided ‘Imperial’ tour of 22 rooms); €9.80 (extended, audio-guided ‘Grand’ tour of 40 rooms); €14 (VIP Pass, including the Grand Tour, the Bergl Rooms, the Maze, the Gloriette viewing terrace and the Court Bakery, Apr-Oct only). Belvedere The Oberes Belvedere (Upper Belvedere Palace), which was built in 1721-23, for Prince Eugene of Savoy, offers terrific views across the gardens to the Unteres Belvedere (Lower Belvedere) and the city beyond. Artwork from the middle ages and the Baroque era is featured in the Unteres Belvedere. The Oberes Belvedere houses art from the 19th-century classical, Romantic and Biedermeier periods on the second floor and post-1918 art on the ground floor. The first floor, however, is what draws visitors, with paintings by Gustav Klimt (including der Küss), Egon Schiele and other fin-de-siècle artists. Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Prinz Eugenstrasse 27 Tel: (01) 79557. Fax: (01) 798 4337. E-mail: belvedere@belvedere.at Website: www.belvedere.at Transport: U-Bahn Südbahnhof; tram D. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700. Admission: €7 (special exhibitions cost extra); concessions available. Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) This museum was built to house the Imperial Hapsburg collections in one place, although these have now grown to such an extent that some are housed in the Hofburg and in Schönbrunn Palace (see above). The grand staircase in the Kunsthistorisches Museum provides passage to the galleries, which include the Antiquities, Egyptian-Oriental and Coin collections. The Kunstkammer (art chamber) houses sculpture and decorative arts. The Gemäldegalerie (picture gallery) has works by Old Masters – including Dürer, Raphael, Rembrandt, Rubens and Titian – and the most comprehensive collection of Brueghels in the world. Maria-Theresien-Platz 1 Tel: (01) 5252 4401. Fax: (01) 523 2770. E-mail: info@khm.at Website: www.khm.at Transport: U-Bahn Babenbergerstrasse or Volkstheater. Opening hours: Sun-Wed 1000-1800; Thurs 1000-2100. Admission: €9 (including special exhibitions); concessions available. Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum) The Naturhistorisches Museum is the mirror image of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, housing collections of anthropological, geological and palaeontological exhibits, including a variety of dinosaur and ice-age mammal fossils. A highlight among the prehistoric artefacts is the 25,000-year-old ‘Venus of Willendorf’ sculpture. Maria-Theresien-Platz 1 Tel: (01) 521 770. Fax: (01) 523 5254. Website: www.nhm-wien.ac.at Transport: U-Bahn Babenbergerstrasse or Volkstheater. Opening hours: Wed-Mon 0900-1800. Admission: €3.60 (concessions available). |
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