Hofburg Imperial Palace, Vienna (must see)
The Hofburg鈥攐r as it鈥檚 known in more regal circles, the 鈥淐astle of the Court鈥濃�攊s a sprawling architectural beast of a palace, a centuries-old flex of Habsburg power, pageantry, and perfectly symmetrical courtyards.
It all began back in 1279, when the Dukes of Austria needed a nice little place to call home. Fast forward a few empires and renovations later, and you've got the winter playground of the Holy Roman Emperors (until 1806) and the Emperors of Austria (until 1918). Today, the palace has swapped imperial intrigue for political paperwork鈥攊t鈥檚 now the official residence of the Austrian President and hosts the headquarters of the OSCE. Less crown, more conference...
Now, brace yourself: the Hofburg covers more than 240,000 square meters of space, comprising 18 wings, 19 courtyards, and a whopping 2,600 rooms. That鈥檚 not really a palace鈥攊t鈥檚 a small city. It houses everything from the elegant Amalienburg and Albertina museum, to the Imperial Chapel, the Court Library, the Treasure Chamber, and even the Spanish Riding School, where horses have more training than most people鈥檚 resumes.
The Swiss Wing is one of the oldest parts of the palace, dating back to the 13th century鈥攜es, it鈥檚 older than your great-great-anything. Emperor Ferdinand I added the Swiss Gate in the 1550s, with his personal insignia on full display, just in case anyone forgot who was in charge.
The 17th-century Leopoldine Wing, built and later re-styled in Late Renaissance flair, adds even more imperial swagger, while the Court Library is basically a Baroque fever dream鈥攚ith its majestic Prunksaal hall, frescoed ceilings, and emperors carved in stone, looking as dramatic as ever.
And it doesn鈥檛 stop there: the Winter Riding School, the Imperial Chancellery Wing (once home to Napoleon himself), and the elegant Redoute Wing鈥攁 former opera house鈥攔ound out the complex. Even the Imperial Mews got a glow-up and now host those classy Lipizzaner horses.
Tip:
On Sundays, pop into the Imperial Chapel for Mass and catch the Vienna Boys Choir鈥攁ngelic voices echoing through centuries of history. Because when in Vienna, you don鈥檛 just visit a palace鈥� you enter a whole imperial universe.
It all began back in 1279, when the Dukes of Austria needed a nice little place to call home. Fast forward a few empires and renovations later, and you've got the winter playground of the Holy Roman Emperors (until 1806) and the Emperors of Austria (until 1918). Today, the palace has swapped imperial intrigue for political paperwork鈥攊t鈥檚 now the official residence of the Austrian President and hosts the headquarters of the OSCE. Less crown, more conference...
Now, brace yourself: the Hofburg covers more than 240,000 square meters of space, comprising 18 wings, 19 courtyards, and a whopping 2,600 rooms. That鈥檚 not really a palace鈥攊t鈥檚 a small city. It houses everything from the elegant Amalienburg and Albertina museum, to the Imperial Chapel, the Court Library, the Treasure Chamber, and even the Spanish Riding School, where horses have more training than most people鈥檚 resumes.
The Swiss Wing is one of the oldest parts of the palace, dating back to the 13th century鈥攜es, it鈥檚 older than your great-great-anything. Emperor Ferdinand I added the Swiss Gate in the 1550s, with his personal insignia on full display, just in case anyone forgot who was in charge.
The 17th-century Leopoldine Wing, built and later re-styled in Late Renaissance flair, adds even more imperial swagger, while the Court Library is basically a Baroque fever dream鈥攚ith its majestic Prunksaal hall, frescoed ceilings, and emperors carved in stone, looking as dramatic as ever.
And it doesn鈥檛 stop there: the Winter Riding School, the Imperial Chancellery Wing (once home to Napoleon himself), and the elegant Redoute Wing鈥攁 former opera house鈥攔ound out the complex. Even the Imperial Mews got a glow-up and now host those classy Lipizzaner horses.
Tip:
On Sundays, pop into the Imperial Chapel for Mass and catch the Vienna Boys Choir鈥攁ngelic voices echoing through centuries of history. Because when in Vienna, you don鈥檛 just visit a palace鈥� you enter a whole imperial universe.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 911爆料网 App
Hofburg Imperial Palace on Map
Sight Name: Hofburg Imperial Palace
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Vienna, Austria
Create Your Own Walk in Vienna
Creating your own self-guided walk in Vienna is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Vienna Old Town Walking Tour
Vienna鈥檚 Old Town鈥攖he historic core of Austria鈥檚 capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site鈥攊s where cobblestones gossip, rooftops sparkle, and emperors still seem to whisper from the walls. Indeed, this is the kind of place where every alley seems to have a PhD in European history.
Once wrapped in medieval walls鈥攂efore they rolled out the grand Ringstrasse boulevard in the 19th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Once wrapped in medieval walls鈥攂efore they rolled out the grand Ringstrasse boulevard in the 19th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Famous Homes of Vienna
Throughout centuries, the Austrian capital has been home to numerous famous individuals, from creative people of arts to thinkers, scientists, and politicians. Vienna's illustrious history is closely intertwined with the abodes of its celebrated residents, where artistic virtuosos and luminaries of their time found solace and inspiration.
The often modest apartments of Vienna's famous... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
The often modest apartments of Vienna's famous... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Old Town Churches Walking Tour
"Vienna is the city of miracles and music" 鈥� Whoever said that must have emphasized Vienna's close association with the Christian faith. The intertwining of Christian heritage and artistry in the Austrian capital finds expression primarily in its magnificent churches.
Sitting at "the crossroads of Christian traditions", Vienna is home to various Christian... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Sitting at "the crossroads of Christian traditions", Vienna is home to various Christian... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Klimt Paintings Tour
"I have the gift of neither the spoken nor the written word, especially if I have to say something about myself or my work. Whoever wants to know something about me - as an artist, the only notable thing - ought to look carefully at my pictures" 鈥� Gustav Klimt.
Klimt's name is indelibly linked to Vienna. The renowned symbolist painter was a prominent figure in the city. As a... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Klimt's name is indelibly linked to Vienna. The renowned symbolist painter was a prominent figure in the city. As a... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II
Characterized by ornamental and organic designs, flowing lines, and harmonious integration of various artistic elements, Vienna's Art Nouveau architecture was aimed at breaking away from historical styles and embracing a more modern, decorative approach. The city's architects of that era sought to create an absolute work of art (Gesamtkunstwerk), where all aspects of a building's... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Johann Strauss Walking Tour
Throughout the entire 19th century, Vienna was a hub of cultural and musical activity, particularly in the realm of classical music, to which Johann Strauss and his father, Johann Strauss Sr., contributed greatly.
Strauss, the son had a personal connection with Vienna deeply rooted in its cultural fabric. Not only was he born here and spent most of his life, but also he achieved tremendous... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Strauss, the son had a personal connection with Vienna deeply rooted in its cultural fabric. Not only was he born here and spent most of his life, but also he achieved tremendous... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Top 15 Austrian Things to Buy in Vienna
Vienna stool, Viennese schnitzel, Viennese waltz, Vienna sausage, Viennese apple strudel... There's so much Vienna to it, that you might think you've heard it all. Luckily, chances are that you haven't and there's much more in store left to be discovered about this fascinating...
7 Ultimately Austrian Foods to Taste in Vienna
Once the center of the vast Hapsburg Empire, stretched from France in the West to Russia in the East, Austria has embraced many ethnic influences in its cuisine over the course of centuries. Many of the country's distinctive dishes reflect its multinational heritage. Coffee culture, for...