Michaelerplatz (Saint Michael's Square), Vienna
Saint Michael鈥檚 Square-or Michaelerplatz if you're feeling extra Austrian-is by far more than just a pretty roundabout. This baroque, star-shaped showstopper is the northeastern gateway to the Hofburg Palace-the kind of place where Roman legions, imperial drama, and architectural snobbery all collide in delightful chaos...
Let鈥檚 rewind a couple millennia: underneath your feet once stood Vindobona, a Roman military camp. You can still peek at the excavated remains in the center of the square-because Vienna doesn鈥檛 just bury its history, it displays it like a badge of honor.
Marching into view is the grand Michael鈥檚 Gate, a triumph of Neo-Baroque drama. It鈥檚 flanked by two dramatic 19th-century fountains sculpted by Rudolf Weyer-imagine 鈥淩oman gods doing acrobatics in water.鈥� This is your official entrance into the imperial Hofburg, via Saint Michael鈥檚 Wing, which sounds like a fancy dessert but is actually just as rich in stone.
Across from all this pageantry stands the Church of Saint Michael, namesake of the square. Parts of it go back to 1221, though what you see now mostly dates from a sprucing-up in 1792. The church鈥檚 porch features a wild Baroque sculpture of the Fall of the Angels-very metal. Step inside and you鈥檒l find 14th-century frescoes, Vienna鈥檚 largest gilded organ (once played by Haydn, no less), and a crypt that鈥檚 equal parts eerie and fascinating. Yes, they still have open coffins with mummified parishioners in full funeral chic. Welcome to Vienna...
Now turn your gaze to the Looshaus, a stark modernist rebel built in 1912 by architect Adolf Loos. At the time, it scandalized polite society-and Emperor Franz Joseph so hated its minimalist vibe, he refused to walk through Michael鈥檚 Gate ever again. Today, it's a working bank with a lavish interior clad in marble and mirrors. Moral of the story? Never judge a building by its cover.
Other star attractions ring the square like jewels, including the Spanish Riding School, the Sisi Museum, the Herberstein Palace, and a pair of 18th-century homes-one of which once belonged to Haydn himself.
Insider tip: spring for a horse-drawn carriage tour from here. This ride is a true slow-motion glide through centuries of imperial flair...
Let鈥檚 rewind a couple millennia: underneath your feet once stood Vindobona, a Roman military camp. You can still peek at the excavated remains in the center of the square-because Vienna doesn鈥檛 just bury its history, it displays it like a badge of honor.
Marching into view is the grand Michael鈥檚 Gate, a triumph of Neo-Baroque drama. It鈥檚 flanked by two dramatic 19th-century fountains sculpted by Rudolf Weyer-imagine 鈥淩oman gods doing acrobatics in water.鈥� This is your official entrance into the imperial Hofburg, via Saint Michael鈥檚 Wing, which sounds like a fancy dessert but is actually just as rich in stone.
Across from all this pageantry stands the Church of Saint Michael, namesake of the square. Parts of it go back to 1221, though what you see now mostly dates from a sprucing-up in 1792. The church鈥檚 porch features a wild Baroque sculpture of the Fall of the Angels-very metal. Step inside and you鈥檒l find 14th-century frescoes, Vienna鈥檚 largest gilded organ (once played by Haydn, no less), and a crypt that鈥檚 equal parts eerie and fascinating. Yes, they still have open coffins with mummified parishioners in full funeral chic. Welcome to Vienna...
Now turn your gaze to the Looshaus, a stark modernist rebel built in 1912 by architect Adolf Loos. At the time, it scandalized polite society-and Emperor Franz Joseph so hated its minimalist vibe, he refused to walk through Michael鈥檚 Gate ever again. Today, it's a working bank with a lavish interior clad in marble and mirrors. Moral of the story? Never judge a building by its cover.
Other star attractions ring the square like jewels, including the Spanish Riding School, the Sisi Museum, the Herberstein Palace, and a pair of 18th-century homes-one of which once belonged to Haydn himself.
Insider tip: spring for a horse-drawn carriage tour from here. This ride is a true slow-motion glide through centuries of imperial flair...
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.
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Michaelerplatz (Saint Michael's Square) on Map
Sight Name: Michaelerplatz (Saint Michael's Square)
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 Introduction Walking Tour
A city of green parks, opulent architecture, elegant shopping, crowded theaters, and boulevards for leisurely sauntering - Vienna, the capital of Austria, embodies a blend of regal tradition and contemporary vibrancy. The origin of the city's name is rooted in Roman times, stemming from the Celtic word Vedunia, meaning 鈥渇orest stream鈥�, which later evolved into Vindobona, a Roman... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour I
Vienna鈥檚 flirtation with Art Nouveau-known locally as Jugendstil-unfolded in the late 19th, early 20th centuries. The so-called Vienna Secession movement, which emerged in 1897, was led by a group of rebellious artists and architects like Otto Wagner, Gustav Klimt, and Koloman Moser, who turned their backs on historicism in favor of bold, modern aesthetics. As the new language for buildings,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Vienna's Historical Music Venues
Austria is synonymous with classical music almost to the point of obsession, and to call Vienna the "Musical Capital of the World" would be hardly an exaggeration. Indeed, over the past centuries, the city served as the home and workplace for many great musicians like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Strauss, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, and others.
Among the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Among the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 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
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II
If there are cities that flirt, Vienna is definitely the one. Here, even the buildings know how to do it.
Around the turn of the 20th century, the Austrian capital caught the Art Nouveau fever and decided that straight lines, drab walls, and historical imitation simply wouldn鈥檛 do anymore. Instead, it took to ornamental swirls, flowing curves, floral flourishes, and enough decorative detail... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Around the turn of the 20th century, the Austrian capital caught the Art Nouveau fever and decided that straight lines, drab walls, and historical imitation simply wouldn鈥檛 do anymore. Instead, it took to ornamental swirls, flowing curves, floral flourishes, and enough decorative detail... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
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