Hofburg, Vienna, Austria
Visiting Vienna is a bit like someone landing an 800 pound Sachertorte on your head and inviting you to eat your way through it. It’s manageable for the first 10 minutes or so. You may discover this when you first encounter the Hofburg, the sprawling Imperial Palace of the Habsburg
Neue Burg & Heldenplatz, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria
If the sight of the Neue Burg, the 20th century wing of the Hofburg, makes you slightly queasy, you’re not alone. On March 15, 1938, Hitler stood on its balcony and proclaimed the Anschluss of Austria into the Third Reich.
Magyar Chieftain, Neue Burg, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria
Like many 19th century Austro-Hungarian buildings, the outside of the Neue Burg is plastered (excuse the pun) with statues. Along the bottom, you’ll find 20 people representing key figures in Austrian history. You can explore the background behind them all on this excellent webpage from Van der Krogt. The most
Continue readingMagyar Chieftain, Neue Burg, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria
Prince Eugene Statue, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria 1
Prince Eugene of Savoy, the grand military maestro of 18th century Austria, was born in Paris. A short and sickly boy from the cadet branch of the house of Savoy, Eugene was supposed to end up where all sickly aristocrats go – the Catholic Church. But the boy known for
Continue readingPrince Eugene Statue, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria 1
Prince Eugene Statue, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria 2
Ironically, this tribute to the great liberator was inaugurated in A.D. 1865, a year before the Austrians got their clocks cleaned by the Prussians in the Battle of Königgrätz.