The Jewel in Europe's Crown
Four kilometres long and sixty metres wide, the Ring is an arc-shaped boulevard that circles the old town from north to east (the northeast being bordered by the Danube Canal). Symbolizing Vienna's entry into the modern era, the Ring quickly became an elegant and majestic thoroughfare. Kept intact since its completion, it provides a concrete example of imperial Vienna.
The former summer residence of the Habsburgs, the Schönbrunn Castle takes its name from a spring that can be found in the surrounding woods, Schönner Brunnen, which means "beautiful fountain." Featuring 1,441 rooms (only 42 of which can be visited), the castle is similar to that of Versailles, but less solemn. Its ochre facade stands in front of a massive courtyard and its rooms include the Inside, hides a court of honour, the sumptuous Great Gallery, where royal balls, concerts and banquets were once held. The nearby Wagenburg museum features a splendid collection of carriages, litters and sedan-chairs from the Imperial Court (1690-1918).
The Sisi Museum opened its doors in 2004 to commemorate the 150th wedding anniversary of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth. Six of the rooms of the Imperial Apartments are dedicated to the museum.
The Hofburg was once the imperial palace and favourite residence of the Habsburg dynasty. The imperial family had it built in stages throughout the centuries, on the site of a 13th-century fortress.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is a fine-arts museum that faces the Hofburg, on the other side of the Ring. Founded in 1891, it features collections that were amassed throughout the centuries by the Habsburgs.
Stephansdom, or Saint Stephen's Cathedral, is located in the city's geographic centre. It is dominated by Saint Stephen Tower, which is topped with an arrow, a masterpiece of the German Gothic architectural style that reaches 137m into the sky. Climbing the 343 steps of the tower leads to the tower-keeper's room, where a breathtaking view of the city awaits.
The Stephansdom district is one of Vienna's liveliest. Stock im Eisen-Platz is connected to the Graben, a huge and very long pedestrian plaza that is always filled with people.
The Imperial Burial Vault is located beneath the Capuchin Church and has been the final resting place of members of the Austrian Imperial Family since 1633 (some 146 aristocrats are buried here, including 12 emperors and 19 empresses. The magnificent double casket that contains the remains of Maria Theresa and her husband Francis I was designed by Balthasar Ferdinand Moll. Francis Joseph was the last emperor to be buried here, in 1916.
Located in the Wieden district, the Secession Building (Friedrichstrasse 12) was built in 1898 and became the exhibition hall of avant-garde Viennese artists who rebelled against the conservatism of the Academy of Fine Arts and "seceded." One of the building's rooms is decorated with a 34m monumental fresco by Gustav Klimt which is considered to be one of his masterpieces: the Beethoven Frieze.
In 1714, Prince Eugene of Savoy-Carignan, simply known as "Prince Eugene" (1663-1736), asked architect Johan Lucas von Hildebrandt to design two summer palaces linked by a garden. Today, these palaces are home to three museums: the Barockmuseum, a Baroque art museum; the Museum of Medieval Art, located in the Orangery and displaying works from the 14th to the 16th centuries; and the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, a gallery of 19th- and 20th-century Austrian art where you can admire almost all of the paintings of Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), a founder of the Secession that popularized Art Nouveau in Austria.
The Volksgarten, Vienna's first public garden, was designed in the early 19th century and is an extension of the Heldenplatz. It is dotted with small buildings, basins and flowerbeds.
Created around the same time as the Ring, the Stadtpark was inaugurated in 1862. This huge public garden was designed by Rudolf Sïebeck, the architect of the imperial gardens. Its sinewy, wooded paths were inspired by English gardens, and it is crossed by the Wienfluss (Vienna River).
Schönbrunn Castle Park was laid out by Frenchman Jean Trehet in 1691 and covers 2km2. Its geometrical flowerbeds and paths are dominated by a hill on which stands a neoclassical arch, the Gloriette.