| This walk takes in all the imperial charm Vienna has to offer. It is a journey back to the days when Austria was one of the leading powers of Europe. Over 600 years, the history of Austria and its imperial capital city was determined by their Habsburg rulers. They were also Holy Roman Emperors, kings of Bohemia and Hungary, and for a considerable time also of Spain and Portugal. No matter where you look, you are surrounded by witnesses of a splendid past. This tour starts at St. Stephen's Cathedral, which was erected not only to the glory of God but also their representatives on earth, the Habsburgs. We pass sumptuous palaces of the court nobility and shops still displaying the royal crest above their entrances. The Hofburg Palace was once the epicentre of imperial power and one of the largest royal residential complexes in Europe. The tour finishes on Heldenplatz, once planned to be part of a gigantic “Imperial Forum”. |
