Imperial Vienna
Since the late 13th century Vienna has been the primary capital city of the Habsburg Empire and after the 15th century, also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Essentially, the Habsburgs occupied the imperial throne until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, and they remained Emperors of Austria until that empire was brought down in 1918. Still today one shares in the glories of the empire on Vienna’s streets with their noble edifices ranging from Gothic to Art Nouveau and ultra-modern.
As an imperial city Vienna attracted peoples from all corners of the empire, and so it is today. Aside from Germans one encounters Slavs, Hungarians, Croatians, Serbians, Turkish and others. Yet German remains the unifying language. One might find, as we did, a Serb married to a Hungarian whose common language is German. Church services are held in several languages, and in the city’s famous coffee houses one finds a multilingual selection of newspapers. Vienna remains an international city.
On our first day in Vienna, we encountered the fascinating complexities of Austria’s capital. Our ship docked near the neo-Gothic St. Francis of Assisi Church, built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph in 1898. From there we traveled through the former hunting grounds of the Habsburgs past the museum residence of the famous composer of waltzes Johann Strauss. Today the Viennese call it the McStrauss House due to the McDonalds on the ground floor.
After arriving at the Prater recreational grounds, we had a unique orientation to the city. Inside the circular showcase hall there is a delightful pictorial history of the city around the walls. Our guides walked us through the history of Vienna and the Habsburg Empire before we moved on the giant ferris wheel which provided us a panoramic view of the city. Later we began our city walking tour at the Albertina Museum just a couple of minutes walk from the Imperial Palace or Hofburg.
From the Hofburg we walked first past St. Michael’s Church where the opera seria librettist Metastasio is buried. Then we paused at the famous Demels pastry shop with its elaborate delicacies and delicious Viennese coffees. A stroll down the elegant shopping street Graben was followed by a detour to the back streets filled with special treasures. We passed by the church Kirche am Hof, where the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806, then arrived just in time to witness the moving figures on the Art Nouveau Anker Clock at the Hohermarkt. After touring Medieval Stephen’s Cathedral we feasted on Wienerschnitzel and Sachertorte at the typical Viennese Griechenbeisl.
In the afternoon there were excellent guided tours of the Lichtenstein Palace art museum, the largest private art collection in Europe. Most impressive was the stately so-called Badminton Cabinet covered with exceptional stone inlay work typical of Florence and called pietra dura. The costly chest was adorned with birds, flowers and elaborate patterns of lapis lazuli, jasper, amethyst and many other colorful stones. Its beauty and workmanship are considered without equal in the world.
In the evening some people attended concerts, others the Handel opera Ariodante. Another group joined Sharon Grainger at the charming Twelve Apostles Restaurant.
Since the late 13th century Vienna has been the primary capital city of the Habsburg Empire and after the 15th century, also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Essentially, the Habsburgs occupied the imperial throne until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, and they remained Emperors of Austria until that empire was brought down in 1918. Still today one shares in the glories of the empire on Vienna’s streets with their noble edifices ranging from Gothic to Art Nouveau and ultra-modern.
As an imperial city Vienna attracted peoples from all corners of the empire, and so it is today. Aside from Germans one encounters Slavs, Hungarians, Croatians, Serbians, Turkish and others. Yet German remains the unifying language. One might find, as we did, a Serb married to a Hungarian whose common language is German. Church services are held in several languages, and in the city’s famous coffee houses one finds a multilingual selection of newspapers. Vienna remains an international city.
On our first day in Vienna, we encountered the fascinating complexities of Austria’s capital. Our ship docked near the neo-Gothic St. Francis of Assisi Church, built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph in 1898. From there we traveled through the former hunting grounds of the Habsburgs past the museum residence of the famous composer of waltzes Johann Strauss. Today the Viennese call it the McStrauss House due to the McDonalds on the ground floor.
After arriving at the Prater recreational grounds, we had a unique orientation to the city. Inside the circular showcase hall there is a delightful pictorial history of the city around the walls. Our guides walked us through the history of Vienna and the Habsburg Empire before we moved on the giant ferris wheel which provided us a panoramic view of the city. Later we began our city walking tour at the Albertina Museum just a couple of minutes walk from the Imperial Palace or Hofburg.
From the Hofburg we walked first past St. Michael’s Church where the opera seria librettist Metastasio is buried. Then we paused at the famous Demels pastry shop with its elaborate delicacies and delicious Viennese coffees. A stroll down the elegant shopping street Graben was followed by a detour to the back streets filled with special treasures. We passed by the church Kirche am Hof, where the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806, then arrived just in time to witness the moving figures on the Art Nouveau Anker Clock at the Hohermarkt. After touring Medieval Stephen’s Cathedral we feasted on Wienerschnitzel and Sachertorte at the typical Viennese Griechenbeisl.
In the afternoon there were excellent guided tours of the Lichtenstein Palace art museum, the largest private art collection in Europe. Most impressive was the stately so-called Badminton Cabinet covered with exceptional stone inlay work typical of Florence and called pietra dura. The costly chest was adorned with birds, flowers and elaborate patterns of lapis lazuli, jasper, amethyst and many other colorful stones. Its beauty and workmanship are considered without equal in the world.
In the evening some people attended concerts, others the Handel opera Ariodante. Another group joined Sharon Grainger at the charming Twelve Apostles Restaurant.
