Museums in the Hofburg
How to get there: 10-minute walk from Hotel Appartements Riemergasse,
or take trams Nos. 1 or 2, getting off at the Burgring stop (10-minute trip)
The Imperial Apartments
For over 600 years, the Vienna Hofburg served as the residence of the Habsburgs and thus the centre of the Holy Roman Empire. As of the 18th century the Hofburg became the winter residence, with Schönbrunn Palace the summer residence. According to court protocol, each member of the imperial family had to receive their own apartment inside the numerous wings. Today, most of these imperial apartments are home to a variety of governmental offices and to the offices of the Austrian Presidency. For this reason one can only visit the Imperial Apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Elisabeth in the wing of the Imperial Chancellery and in the Amalienburg.
Sisi Museum
The Sisi Museum is housed in the Imperial Apartments of the Vienna Hofburg. In addition to the private life of Empress Sisi, you will also be able to view many private objects in this part of the museum, such as one of the few summer dresses to have been preserved, and a miniature escritoire that belonged to this beautiful Austrian empress.
Silver Chamber
The Silver Chamber is now housed in the Chancellery Wing of the Vienna Hofburg. These rooms provide insights into the organization of the Imperial household. On a display area of some 1300 m² you can view over 7000 pieces.
Treasure Room
Spanish Riding School
Vienna's Spanish Riding School is the only school world-wide to preserve the equestrian art of the Renaissance. The school acquired its name in 1572, when it began with an original stable of Spanish horses.
Emperor Leopold I began construction of a riding school in 1681. The building, which was completed by Josef Emanuel Fischer von Erlach in 1735, has been preserved in its original form to this very day. The Winter Riding School became ever more popular, such that masked parties, court balls and equestrian games were also hosted there.
National Library
Under Emperor Charles VI, the National Library was constructed on the Josefsplatz in accordance with the plans of Fischer von Erlach (father and son), from 1723-1726. Originally this magnificent building of High Baroque stood on its own. Heavily damaged by a major fire in 1992, the subsequently reconstructed "Redoutentrakt" was then connected to the Vienna Hofburg. The National Library, now one of the world's most important libraries, was handed over to the nation in 1920.
Vienna's National Library holds some 43,000 manuscripts dating from the 6th century on, 240,000 autographs, 240,000 maps as well as 280,000 geographic-topographic pictures. The Neue Burg also houses 2.5 million printed volumes, of which 56,000 are openly accessible to the general public. The portrait collection comprises more than 1.5 million objects, as well as 120,000 volumes of expert literature.
Exhibits at the Vienna Hofburg are basically divided into the Sacral and the Secular. The Treasure Room is in the oldest section of the Hofburg, the Swiss Wing. In one of the world's most significant treasure rooms you can view the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Imperial Crown as well as Burgundian treasures of the 15th century and the treasures of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Also exhibited there are the orb and scepter of the Austrian empire, which for centuries represented imperial power and dignity.After the Secular Chamber you come to the Sacral Chamber, where you will find liturgical items, relics and ecclesiastical garb used at the Imperial Court.