Vienna, Part 1 | BPV2023

May 22 - 24:
Vienna, Part 1 (Guided tour)

Built as the seat of the Habsburg empire, Vienna is a grand capitol. The cultural offerings during our time there were extensive: the museums were the finest we've ever experienced, the architecture was marvelous, the opera was an artistic triumph, and the palaces were unparalleled.

Because we did so much in Vienna, we split our adventures across two pages. This page chronicles our time with the group, while the next page focuses on our free time.

May 22 & 23: Imperial Vienna

The Hofburg

The Hofburg Palace was the primary winter residence of the former imperial family, the Habsburgs, for 600 years. The Hofburg itself is a complex of buildings that occupy multiple city blocks in Vienna's inner city. The buildings are meant to impress upon visitors the grandiosity of the imperial family, and indeed they do.

Hofburg façade

As a major tourist sight in Vienna, the Hofburg is one of the hubs of the city. This photo shows the main entrance at Michaelerplatz. Lined with statues on pedestals and flanked by fountains, the building dwarfed passersby. It was one of the most imposing buildings we'd ever seen.

Hercules statues at the entrance

These statues, depicting some of the twelve Labors of Hercules, imply the next-to-godliness of the Habsburgs. As a man who ascended to immortality through strength, cunning, and persistence, Hercules was a poignant myth for ruling families such as the Habsburgs.

Fiaker

All during the day, these horse-drawn carriages, or fiaker, come and go from Michaelerplatz, in front of the Hofburg, carrying tourists around the city.

Archduke Karl

This statue oversees the Heldenplatz, or Heroes' Square, before one of the Hofburg's main entrances. One thing Vienna does not lack is equestrian statues, and Archduke Karl here is a prime example.

Prince Eugene of Savoy

This equestrian statue of Prince Eugene greets visitors to the Hofburg compound. As a shrewd military tactician who successfully fended off the Ottomans, French, Italians, and Ottomans again, Eugene was highly regarded by the Habsburgs and richly rewarded for his endeavors.

Imperial Apartments

Sadly, photography was not permitted within the Imperial Apartments, so we cannot show you the exercise room of Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) nor the reception rooms of Emperor Franz Joseph, all done in a rococo style befitting a monarch. Franz Joseph's spartan rooms stood in contrast to Sisi's lavishly decorated, brightly colored rooms, but even Franz Joseph's utilitarian rooms were grand.

Sisi has become a near-mythical figure in Vienna, and the sheer amount of merchandise devoted to her was staggering. The gift shop was an explosion of Sisi merch. We understood that her life was poetically tragic, but all the Sisi devotion rather mystified us.

The Ringstrasse

The Ringstrasse, or Ring Road, encircles the inner city of Vienna, following the route of the old medieval city walls. Structures along this broad boulevard have served purposes both imperial (State Opera, Kunsthistorisches Museum, and Burgtheater) and democratic (City Hall, Parliament, and the University of Vienna). Following are a sample of the photos we took while walking along the Ringstrasse.

May 23: Commerce and Christianity

The Graben

A major pedestrian-only thoroughfare that cuts through the center of the inner town, this street offered excellent people watching. We walked the entire street, from the unaffordable shops of Kohlmarkt to the delicately carved St. Stephen's Cathedral.

Plague Column

This intricate Baroque memorial rises above the Graben. In the layers of the column, humankind is piled at the bottom, angels float in the middle, and the Holy Trinity tops them all. We were able to locate the column's patron, Emperor Leopold I, giving thanks to the heavens among the jumble of figures.

St. Stephens, South Tower

The taller of St. Stephen's two spires is the South Tower, nicknamed Steffi by locals. Completed in 1433, the tower is almost 450 feet high and visible from all over the city.

St. Stephens Cathedral

Unfortunately, due to the height and angle of the roof and the closeness of other buildings, we weren't able to get a good shot of the Habsburg double eagle mosaic on the tile roof. The patterned, colored tilework lended an extra layer of visual interest to the already striking Gothic architecture.

May 24: Cultured Vienna

Vienna State Opera

Gerhard, our local guide, took us on a tour of the State Opera, done in a neo-Renaissance style. Pointing out two busts at the top of a staircase, he told us the sad fates of the two architects: one committed suicide due to the poor public reception the opera house received; the other died of tuberculosis shortly thereafter. Neither saw the building completed.

We were lucky to get a personalized tour of the interior. Up grand staircases, through lavish salons, into the theater itself, we experienced a whirlwind of opulence.

The Belvedere

Though the Belvedere looks like a royal residence, it actually belonged to Eugene of Savoy, the 17th and 18th Century military genius who saved the Habsburgs' holdings. As a patron of the arts and an extravagant host, Prince Eugene made the Belvedere for aesthetic indulgence. Among the richly appointed halls is a world-class art museum that includes Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss".

For the curious, the silver and orange object in the Belvedere's reflecting pool is a temporary mixed-media art installation by Polish artist Goshka Macuga.

The panoramic photo that heads this page was taken from the rear balcony of the Belvedere. In the forefront of the photo are the palace gardens and Lower Belvedere, with Vienna spread out across the background.

Farewell dinner

On our last night together, we all went out to dinner at the Heuriger Schübel-Auer, on the outskirts of Vienna. At this wine-garden restaurant, we sat outside among the trees and chatted about our tour. Surrounding by leafy shrubs, we ate traditional Viennese fare. The apple strudel was Lindsey's favorite. Jana gave a touching farewell speech and took this group photo to commemorate our time together.