If you are any kind of art buff you shouldn't miss the Kunsthistorisches Museum, one of the finest in Europe.
April 23, 2006 (Press Release) --
Kunsthistorisches Museum
If you are any kind of art buff you shouldn't miss the Kunsthistorisches Museum, one of the finest in Europe. The Habsburgs loved to collect, and a swag of goodies found their way back to Vienna from their extensive territories. The collections of paintings by Rubens and Pieter Bruegel the Elder are unrivalled, and the works by Canova, Vermeer, Dürer, Rembrandt, Raphael, Van Dyck, Cranach, Caravaggio, Canaletto and Titian aren't bad either. There are extensive collections of Egyptian, Greek and Roman artefacts, and sculpture and decorative arts covering the Austrian high baroque, Renaissance, mannerist and medieval periods, including Cellini's famously over-the-top salt cellar. The delightful building was designed to reflect the works it displays, and faithfully reproduces older architectural styles. It includes some murals by a young Gustav Klimt, painted before he broke with classical tradition. It's impossible to see the whole museum in one visit, so either plan ahead or expect to indulge in repeat excursions.
Schloss Schönbrunn
This glorious imperial monster lies to the west of Vienna. It may not look like a modest dwelling, but it's a much-diminished version of the grandiose monument that was first planned. The name comes from the beautiful fountain (Schöner Brunnen) built around a spring which Emperor Matthias (1557-1619) stumbled upon while out hunting. A pleasure palace was built here by Ferdinand II in 1637, but it wasn't until Maria Theresa's accession to the throne in 1740 that Schönbrunn became an imperial centrepiece, daubed in the Empress' favourite colour - yellow. The interior of the palace is an orgy of frescoed ceilings, crystal chandeliers, huge mirrors and gilded ornaments. The French-style gardens, bigger than the principality of Monaco, are a riot of colour in the summer. Hidden away in them you'll find some fake Roman ruins, the exuberant Neptune Fountain (a riotous ensemble from Greek mythology) and the triumphant Gloriette Monument. The latter has spectacular views looking back towards the palace and Vienna shimmering in the distance. On the west side of the grounds are the Palmenhaus (Palm House), filled with exotic plants, and the Tiergarten (zoo), the world's oldest, dating from 1752.
Spanish Riding School
A Viennese institution with a difference, the prancing Lipizzaner stallions strut their stuff in the opulent surrounds of the Hofburg's Winter Riding School, complete with multitiered chandeliers and viewing balconies. The breed was first imported from Spain by Maximilian II in 1562, and in 1580 a stud was established at Lipizza, now in Slovenia. The stallions perform an equine ballet to a programme of classical music, part of a long-established Viennese institution that's truly reminiscent of the old Habsburg era. Reservations to see the horses perform are booked up months in advance and tickets are expensive, but seeing a stallion bounding along on its hind legs like a demented kangaroo does leave a strong impression. Tickets to watch the horses train can be bought on the day (except during July and August, when the horses take their summer holidays).
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
If you are any kind of art buff you shouldn't miss the Kunsthistorisches Museum, one of the finest in Europe. The Habsburgs loved to collect, and a swag of goodies found their way back to Vienna from their extensive territories. The collections of paintings by Rubens and Pieter Bruegel the Elder are unrivalled, and the works by Canova, Vermeer, Dürer, Rembrandt, Raphael, Van Dyck, Cranach, Caravaggio, Canaletto and Titian aren't bad either. There are extensive collections of Egyptian, Greek and Roman artefacts, and sculpture and decorative arts covering the Austrian high baroque, Renaissance, mannerist and medieval periods, including Cellini's famously over-the-top salt cellar. The delightful building was designed to reflect the works it displays, and faithfully reproduces older architectural styles. It includes some murals by a young Gustav Klimt, painted before he broke with classical tradition. It's impossible to see the whole museum in one visit, so either plan ahead or expect to indulge in repeat excursions.
Schloss Schönbrunn
This glorious imperial monster lies to the west of Vienna. It may not look like a modest dwelling, but it's a much-diminished version of the grandiose monument that was first planned. The name comes from the beautiful fountain (Schöner Brunnen) built around a spring which Emperor Matthias (1557-1619) stumbled upon while out hunting. A pleasure palace was built here by Ferdinand II in 1637, but it wasn't until Maria Theresa's accession to the throne in 1740 that Schönbrunn became an imperial centrepiece, daubed in the Empress' favourite colour - yellow. The interior of the palace is an orgy of frescoed ceilings, crystal chandeliers, huge mirrors and gilded ornaments. The French-style gardens, bigger than the principality of Monaco, are a riot of colour in the summer. Hidden away in them you'll find some fake Roman ruins, the exuberant Neptune Fountain (a riotous ensemble from Greek mythology) and the triumphant Gloriette Monument. The latter has spectacular views looking back towards the palace and Vienna shimmering in the distance. On the west side of the grounds are the Palmenhaus (Palm House), filled with exotic plants, and the Tiergarten (zoo), the world's oldest, dating from 1752.
Spanish Riding School
A Viennese institution with a difference, the prancing Lipizzaner stallions strut their stuff in the opulent surrounds of the Hofburg's Winter Riding School, complete with multitiered chandeliers and viewing balconies. The breed was first imported from Spain by Maximilian II in 1562, and in 1580 a stud was established at Lipizza, now in Slovenia. The stallions perform an equine ballet to a programme of classical music, part of a long-established Viennese institution that's truly reminiscent of the old Habsburg era. Reservations to see the horses perform are booked up months in advance and tickets are expensive, but seeing a stallion bounding along on its hind legs like a demented kangaroo does leave a strong impression. Tickets to watch the horses train can be bought on the day (except during July and August, when the horses take their summer holidays).
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
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