| Over centuries, the Hofburg Palace, the winter and town residence of the Habsburgs, served as a centre of immense imperial power. It is a huge complex of buildings of different architectural styles, second in size only to the Vatican City in Rome. Originally a medieval moated fortress, it was continuously enlarged over the centuries. The Neue Burg wing on Heldenplatz was not completed until after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy! Today, the Hofburg houses the offices of the Austrian president and a state-of-the-art convention centre, the beauty of which is the envy of the world, numerous museums and imperial collections. The Grand Hall of the Spanish Riding School is as much a part of it as the sumptuous Imperial Library. The baroque Reichskanzleitrakt (State Chancellery Wing) houses the Imperial Apartments, which are open to the public.<br><br>Our walk takes us around the Hofburg and into Burggarten, once the private gardens of the imperial family, featuring the elegant glass Palm House designed in Jugendstil around 1900, and past the Albertina, now a treasure trove of art. Hear about the history and architecture of the Hofburg, about the people who occupied it, and last but not least, about its use as a film location. |
