Vienna Tourism & Travel Guide - Places to see in Vienna

Vienna Tour & Travel Guide - Places to See in Vienna

Hofburg

For many, the Hofburg is much more than the most magnificent relic of Vienna’s Habsburg past. It holds so much that Vienna loves with its breathtaking Imperial Palace – home to the Habsburg dynasty for over 600 years, its Imperial Chapel where the legendary Vienna Boys Choir perform every Sunday, its Tiergarten Zoo and its impeccable gardens. A riot of architecture prevails with the early baroque Leopold Wing , the 18th-century Imperial Chancery Wing, the 16th-century Amalia Wing and the Gothic Burgkapelle (Royal Chapel). The oldest section is the 13th-century Schweizerhof (Swiss Courtyard), named after the Swiss guards who used to protect its precincts. The Neue Hofburg Musuem hosts an eclectic collection of art, sculpture and arms. Today, the Imperial Palace houses the office of the President of Austria as well as an important congress center and numerous art collections. The Albertina, at the southern tip of the Imperial Palace has one of the largest and most valuable graphical collections in the world, with works such as Dürer’s “Hare” and Klimt's studies of women.

Schonbrunn

If the Hofburg symbolises Vienna, it was at Schonbrunn that history was made as likely as not. Filled to the brim with gold and white rococo, the summer residence of Empress Sisi (herself with a sizeable fan following), is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit its splendid gardens, get lost in the Schonbrunn Maze, gawk at the Hall of Mirrors where a six year old prodigy first played (he was later known as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) and peep in at the Blue Chinese Salon where Emperor Charles I signed the momentous treaty that marked his abdication as well as the end of six hundred years of Habsburg reign. Schonbrunn also hosts its own zoo considered one of Europe’s best zoos. More than 500 animal species - from Siberian tigers and hippos to one-horned rhinoceroses - live here. Highlights include the giant Rainforest House, the large South American Area and the ORANG.erie, which is the new home of Vienna's orang-utans.

Prater

If the Hofburg symbolises Imperial Wien, the Prater stands for the ordinary Viennese. Much more than an amusement park, the Prater brings to life Vienna in her heyday as the capital of the world. While kids will love the Wurstlprater with its fun fair, its rides, Punch and Judy shows and Volare, its flying rollercoaster, adults will probably like the Green Prater, earlier the Imperial hunting ground with its meadows and fields better.

Spanische Reitschule

We’re back to Habsburg traditions again and as usual they’re magnificent. At Hofburg, the Spanish Riding School put on performances featuring its legendary Lippizzaner stallions who curvet and prance to perform seemingly impossible caprioles and other formations to the tune of classical waltzes and polkas.

Vienna Opera House

The grandfather of all opera houses the world over, the Viennese State Opera hosts a different program every day with over 50 operas and ballets every season. This is also the site of the famous Viennese Opera Ball where over a hundred debutante couples open the ball in tails and gowns (yes, still!).

Karlskirche

Designed by the von Erlachs, the green cupola of St Charles Church is a recognizable Viennese landmark. Don’t miss the lavishly decorated interiors and the intricate frescoes.

St Stephen’s Ca thedral

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Austria's most eminent Gothic edifice, houses a wealth of art treasures, some of which can only be seen during a guided tour. Medieval relics include the red-marble sepulchre of Emperor Frederick III, sculpted by Niclas Gerhaert van Leyden; the pulpit, a work from 1514-15 by Anton Pilgram (who put his own relief portrait underneath it as his signature); the Altarpiece of Wiener Neustadt, a Gothic winged altar from 1447 and the tomb of Prince Eugene of Savoy, dating from 1754.

Museumsquartier

Contrary to what you might think, this one isn’t just for the art buffs. See and be seen is the motto of the Museumsquartier crowd and the trendy occupants attract just as much attention as the truly fantastic art collection spanning several museums. The Leopold Museum has the largest Egon Schiele collection in the world while the Museum of Modern Art (Mumok) displays Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono and Picassos.

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