 | Vienna museums Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 42 |  |
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The gallery of paintings of the Academy of the Fine arts of Vienna is essentially visited for its famous altar triptych of the "Last Judgement" by Hieronymus (Jerome) Bosch. This work of 1504 belonged to the archduke Leopold of Austria and became part of the collection of the count Lamberg, founder of this museum. The wings of the triptych open to reveal, from left to right, "Original Sin", "The Last Judgement" and "Hell". Bosch’s pictures have always fascinated viewers; Philip II, king of Spain, collected his works. If in his time Bosch was regarded as the inventor of monsters and chimeras, today his paintings still hold as an intriguing attraction reflecting mysterious practices of the Middle Ages. I was surprised during my last visit at the Prado museum of Madrid to notice that guides stopped their groups in front of the other famous triptych of J. Bosch " The Garden of the Delights " to explain at length its symbolism, while in previous years they would spend more time on Velazquez and other painters of the Spanish school. Jerome Bosch seems a rising star in the world of the fans of the esotericism, the mysteries and the sects. Should we see here a collateral effect of the "Da Vinci Code" esoteric passion? Really, there is nothing esoteric in the gallery of the paintings of the Academy of Vienna. This museum is - still - very quiet and has few visitors. It is a pity because it contains a number of other masterpieces. In front of the Bosch triptych is a magnificent painting of Dieric Bouts "The Coronation of the Virgin". The museum also has beautiful sections of paintings of the German school with Cranach, the Italians, the Flemish baroque with Rubens and a collection of Dutch painters with a magnificent Pieter de Hooch "Family picture in a courtyard in Delft" and a portrait by Rembrandt. The amateurs of Venice will find eight views "veduti" by Guardi.
Open 10 to 18 h. Closed on Monday. Entry 7 €, Reduced price 4 € Address: Akademie der bildenden Künste 1, Schillerplatz 3 Directions: U, Tram, Bus: Karlsplatz Website: www.akademiegalerie.at
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| | | | museums: Combined Museum Tickets | Tip Rating: | | | | |
If you are wanting to view all or most of the museums that Vienna has to offer, you should consider buying a combination ticket. There are a few available, so you can pick and chose the museums you want to see. Three different combinations valid for three months: Gold: € 23.- Kunsthistorisches Museum, Schatzkammer, Neue Burg, Österreichisches Theatermuseum, Wagenburg, Lipizzaner Museum Silver: € 21.- Kunsthistorisches Museum, Schatzkammer, Neue Burg, Österreichisches Theatermuseum Bronze: € 19.- Kunsthistorisches Museum, Schatzkammer, Neue Burg Students should be aware that it is cheaper to buy them seperately at the door for vastly reduce rates. Some are nice enough to let you in for free! Leave a Comment
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| | | | museums: The invading army! | Tip Rating: | | | | |
I’ve placed this tip under “General” rather than “to do” because it relates to a travelling and temporary display which we were privileged to see in Vienna. Should it head your way, don’t miss it. As a surprise bonus, when we reached Vienna we found that we’d been beaten there by the fabled “Terracotta Army” of the great Emperor Qin Shi Huang of ancient China. The first Emperor of China and the most powerful man in the world as they knew it, Emperor Qin was not one to trifle with. First he united China then, irritated by ongoing border incursions by tribal groups from inland, Emperor Qin had the first Great Wall built (when referring to him, don’t even think about the cost of his projects in money or lives). Eventually, the Emperor’s thoughts turned to ensuring his immortality. Apart from sending search parties abroad for the “elixir of life”, according to the histories of the time, Qin had an enormous and lavish mausoleum built for himself (using 700,000 labourers) in an artificial hill (4km across!) outside the city of Tian. What was totally unknown for two thousand years, was that the Emperor also had a huge underground terracotta army of over 8,000 warriors and 600 horses waiting to defend him in the afterlife. Found by chance in 1974 and since carefully excavated, it is one of the jewels of the ancient world. The original mausoleum hill is yet to be opened – isn’t it fascinating to wonder if it will be opened during our lifetime and think what marvels it may contain!
Let’s be clear, the original warriors are very carefully protected and are not about to wander the world at random. So the display we saw was actually a set of nearly 200 life-size replicas(main photo), supported by 1,000 smaller replicas (photo 2) at a scale of 1:10. In the ante-rooms were reconstructions of some of the weapons (who’d have thought that the Chinese had crossbows in about 220BC? - photo3), other lifesize mannequins with clothing of the period(photo 4), and extensive historical information and details of how they were made(photo 5). There also was a theatrette running a film about the terracotta army. The main display was set out to reproduce the appearance of the original as accurately as possible on a small scale, in a semi-darkened room with seating at the back. There is a German commentary with lightshow but although the lightshow sometimes enhanced the effect, I felt at times it detracted: maybe if I’d been able to understand the commentary it may have been fine! Regardless of any quibbles, this was an absolute knockout display and left no doubt that the Habsburgs, for all the magnificence of their palaces and museums, had been upstaged over 2,000 years earlier by Emperor Qin! The Vienna display finishes on 26 August 2007 – until then it is open from 1000-2000 and 2100 on Thursdays. You'll find it at: Kunstlerhaus, Karlsplatz 5, 1010 Wien. website for the display http://www.terracottaarmee.com Phone 01 587 96 63 27
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| | | | museums: VIENNA: HOT BED OF CREATIVITY | Tip Rating:  | | | | |
Vienna seems to be a hot-bed for creativity and I wanted to search out the sites relating to some of the most famous people in the world who either were born in Vienna or who had spend creative years in this city. Naturally, I wasn't successful this time. However, I did master the public transportation system! Some of my Favorite people associated with Vienna: Haydn (1732-1809) lived at Haydngasse 19. Marie Antoinette, (1755-1793) Queen of France, born in Vienna to Maria Theresa (1717-1780), Empress of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Mozart (1756-1791) Buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave in St. Marx’s, Beethoven(1770-1827)—lived his last 35 years in Vienna, Schubert (1797-1828) born in Vienna, Strauss (1825-1899) Son of Johann Strauss (1804-1849) Praterstrasse 54, where he composed his waltz, 'The Blue Danube' is now home of the Strauss Museum, Brahms (1833-1897)—lived his last 11 years in Vienna, Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)—his apartment: Berggasse 19 has become a museum cemetery....And a new favorite, 'globetrott' was born here and lived on Quelstrasse, check with "globetrott" for the exact number. :-) Also take a look at his Vienna page for more detail. Leave a Comment
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