Spanish Riding School - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Michaelerplatz in Vienna is a baroque square in the center of the city that was designed around 1725 but was not built until the end of the 19th century. The square has borne its name since about 1850 after the 1221 by Babenberg Duke Leopold VI. donated parish church of St. Michael for the court servants and the citizens who lived in the vicinity of the Hofburg. Since 1991, the center of Michaelerplatz has been defined by archaeological excavations that are permanently open to the public.

The most important treasury in the world is home to two imperial crowns as well as the Burgundian treasure and the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The Imperial Treasury is divided into two collections: the secular collection and the ecclesiastical collection. The secular collection contains numerous imperial artifacts from the House of Habsburg, including jewels and precious stones that due to their unique size could not be fitted into the imperial crowns.

This majestic building is regarded as one of the most important structures built in the "Wiener Moderne". The building marks the rejection of historicism, as well as the ornaments used by the Wiener Secession. Despite its aesthetic functionalism, the building is not a simple purpose building; especially the materials have not saved costs or effort. The contrast between the marble-clad lower facade area and the simple plaster façade of the above-mentioned residential floors is striking.

The Sisi Museum in the Imperial Apartments of the Imperial Palace compares the myth and the facts. Among the highlights are numerous personal objects once owned by Elisabeth as well as the most famous portraits of the beautiful empress. The show focuses on Elisabeth's private life, her rebellion against the court ceremonial, her flight into beauty, sporting excellence, travel and rapturous poetry.

Austrian National Library, is one of the most beautiful library halls in the world. It is the biggest Baroque library in Europe. The library was built by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach according to plans of his father, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. The library complex includes four museums, as well as multiple special collections and archives.

The State Hall – built in the 18th century as part of the former Court Library – is a breathtaking 80 metres long and 20 metres high. The Habsburg Emperor Charles VI had this gem of secular Baroque architecture built to accommodate his court library. The hall is an exceptional experience not only for bookworms.The library complex includes four museums, as well as multiple special collections and archives.