 | Vienna Things To Do | Tips 11 - 20 of 3350 |  |
The Heeresgeschichtliches Museum draws the military history of Austria from the 16th in to the 20th century. The visit starts on the 1st floor with the wars against the Turks who besieged Vienna in 1529 and in 1683. Prince Eugene of Savoy was the victorious defender of Austria.
The Turks left in Vienna 500 bags of coffee what made of the Viennese the first Europeans to sip a cup of coffee.
Then follow the wars against the French, against the Prussians, the Napoleonic wars. Sparkling uniforms and displays of weapons fill the showcases.
We now arrive at the double monarchy Austria-Hungary illustrated by the monogram K&K (Kaiser und König) from the emperor Franz Joseph and to the room dedicated to the assassination plot of Sarajevo in June 1914.
In this room is exposed the car with a hole in the body at the level of the right back seat, and the uniform of the Archduke, the jacket of which kept traces of blood. Franz-Ferdinand died from a bleeding caused by the second bullet which touched the neck. His wife was killed immediately by the first bullet.
We so enter the tragedy of the First World War abundantly illustrated by weapons, equipments and documents.
The dismemberment of the empire and the end of Habsburg followed the end of the war.
A republic is born, but in 1938 it is the Anschluss with Germany and the Second World War illustrated with arms, equipment, uniforms and documents.
The museum also contains a section, dedicated to the Austrian navy. An enormous model of a battleship is shown. Outside are some tanks of WW2. Address: Heeresgeschichtliches Museum at ArsenalDirections: The museum is located in the building "Objekt N°1" of the Arsenal at approximately 1 km of the Belvedere.Website: www.hgm.or.at |
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The gallery of paintings of the Kunsthistorisches Museum results from the project of a private imperial collection and is the reflection of the taste of the various member collectors of the dynasty of Habsburg, mainly the emperor Rodolphe II and the archdukes Ferdinand II and Leopold Guillaume. This archduke is the greatest paint collector of his 17th century. Thanks to him the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna became a museum of an essential importance as regards the Flemish and Venetian Schools.
One will notice that this collection is geographically limited to the countries which had narrow links with the Habsburg i.e. Germany, the South of Netherlands (Belgium) the North of Italy and Spain but that France and Holland, with whom Austria had tense relations, are only weakly represented.
It would be vain to review the painters and the works of this grand collection of the 15th to the 18th centuries. The collection of Pieter Bruegel the Elder is unequalled and is worth by itself the journey to Vienna. Furthermore there are Van der Weyden, Dürer, Jordaens, Rubens, Van Dyck, Titien, Tintoret, Veronese, Canaleto, Velasquez and many others.
One of my favourite paintings, besides the Bruegels, is the" Alegorie of Painting" of Vermeer who was acquired in 1945. I find extraordinary that sixty years ago one could still buy a Vermeer! |
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The most beautiful collection of suits of armour.
The collection of weapons ( Hofjagd-und Rüstkammer) of the Kunsthistorisches Museum is centred on ceremonial or parade weapons and offers a very wide panorama of the evolution of what was a real art for the 15th century in Europe and in the Middle East.
The emperor Maximilien I devoted gladly to the tournaments and incited the young noble persons to devote to the joust and especially the running which was practised with sharp lances, more dangerous than the joust, but much less expensive because she could be practised in the battle armour.
Things did not stay in the field of ordinary armour because the Habsburg (notably both brothers Maximilien II and Ferdinand II) by taste for art and splendour led the technique of armours to a real art close to the goldsmith's art. The connoisseur will find in this museum numerous chiselled armours, inlaid armours, the fluted armours, the costume armours, greek-roman style armours, and darkened armours from the Baroque period.
Considerable financial means were needed to pay such works of art. Ferdinand II of Tyrol excelled at this passion of the beautiful suits of armour. Not satisfied with his own armours he collected armours and weapons of 125 famous persons of his time. We can see the suit of armour of Philippe II of Spain.
These collections are well presented in a number of rooms where the visitor is often alone! This museum still has not the chance (or misfortune for the connoisseurs) to be on the visit program of the groups.
There is also on show a collection of hunting weapons.
Due to renovation work parts of the Collection of Arms and Armour is closed to the public. Address: Hofjagd-und Rüstkammer, Neue Burg, HeldenplatzDirections: The collection of armours and hunting weapons is part of the KHM but is in another building than the gallery of the paintings. It is necessary to cross the Burgring and to enter the Neue Burg on Heldenplatz.Website: www.khm.at |
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The room X of the Paint gallery at the KHM shows fourteen paintings of P. Bruegel the Elder, i.e. the third of his paintings known about the world. Among these 14 some of the most remarkable as The Tower of Babel, The Fight of Carnival and Lent, the Peasants Dance, The Peasant Wedding and especially the most beautiful, the purest, the most intense of the works of P. Bruegel " Hunters in the Snow"
To go to Vienna without having seen Bruegel it is as going to Paris without seeing La Joconde in Le Louvre. But contrary to the room of the Louvre with Mona Lisa, visitors are not bumping into each other in room X of the KHM of Vienna.
A relation having visited the KHM asked me (it was the time of the action in justice against the Austrian State about the Klimt's) if Belgium, which has only six P. Bruegel the Elder, did not wish the return of the Bruegel's to Brussels where the painter lived and died (1569).
I would certainly like to see more Bruegel's in the Museum of the Fine Arts in Brussels but these paintings were offered by the city of Antwerp to the archduke Ernest in 1594, the others were bought in total legality.
Furthermore if Belgium began demanding the return of all the works of the Flemish painters worldwide she would not have enough walls to hang them on and numerous museums in the world would have empty rooms. And last but not least, numerous persons worldwide know Belgium only by her painters.
Let the Bruegel's stays in Vienna, it is a pleasure to see them in a beautiful surrounding such as the KHM and the town of Vienna. Address: Kunsthistorisches Museum Maria Theresien Platz |
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There are those who have visited the Upper Belvedere museum before March 2006 and have seen the Klimt's and those who came later and will not see them.
You might have read about the case "Republic of Austria v. Altmann."
In January 2006 an arbitration tribunal in Austria decided in favour of Mrs. Altmann and her fellow heirs, awarding them the five paintings. In addition to "Adele Bloch-Bauer I" from 1907 they include a second portrait of Adele (Bloch-Bauer II), from 1911, and three landscapes: "Beechwood" (1903), "Apple Tree I" (circa 1911) and "Houses in Unterach on Lake Atter" (1916).
These Klimts are no more at the Belvedere but are in the USA.
The masterpiece "Adele Bloch-Bauer I" was sold to the Neue Galerie in New York of Ronald Lauder for a reported US $135 million.
The 4 others were sold by Christie's New York on November 8th, 2006 to private collectors at prices between 30 and 88 million USD.
The Austrian government received wide criticism for its failure to have secured a deal with Maria Altmann.
Fortunately, the Upper Belvedere has other Klimt's and many good paintings from the 19th and 20th century.
And for those who don't like paintings the architecture of the Belvedere, the terraces, the gardens and the ornamental pond are so nice that one might forget the Klimt's. Address: Belvedere |
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The Riesenrad is the famous giant ferris-wheel, visible from all over the city. It was erected in 1897 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Emperor Franz Josef I, marking fifty years of his reign. In 1944, during WW-II, the Riesenrad was burnt down; rebuilt the following years, it was reopened in 1947, and has been running ever since.
Technical Data:
Total height: 64,75 m
Diameter of the Wheel: 60,96 m (=200 feet)
Height of axis centre: 34.20 m
Total weight of the iron structure: 430,05 t
Turning speed: 0,75 m/sec = 2,7 km/h
Number of cabins: 15 (prior to 1945: 30)
Since 1987 cabin nr. 30 serves as a luxuy cabin
Tickets are 7.50 Euros for adults; included in this price is entrance to a small but interesting museum that depicts the history of the Riesenrad and Vienna.
This is not a fast "adventure" ride, but it goes at a slow and leisurely pace that allows for a spectacular view of Vienna. Unless you are afraid of heights.....then you pretty much just sit in the middle of the cabin and pray that the darn thing starts going faster. Each of the cabins are entirely in wood, and sway and creak while in motion, with large windows and a bench along the entire length in the middle. We had an american family of 4 with us, where the child kept talking about accidents with these old structures, much to the aggravation of the scared mother. All in all quite funny.
:-)
Note:
The exit leads through the Riesenrad-giftshop, where you can find all sorts of knick-knacks and souveniers. Leave a Comment Address: The Giant Ferris Wheel and recreation-park Phone: 0043 1 729 54 30Directions: The Prater is located in the 2nd district; it is situated between Ausstellungsstraße, Prater Hauptallee, and Praterstern. The easiest way to get there is by taking either tram, train, or underground to the "Praterstern" station. Website: http://www.wienerriesenrad.com/ |
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The Ring is called this way because it has a circle shape,it limits the old town of Vienna with Danube river.Walking by the ring,you'll see some of best and most beautiful buildings of the city.A good point to start the ring is the Opera House (Staatoper) and the only thing that you must to do is follow the cars on the big avenue.
There are three lanes of just one way,so all cars are running at same direction.You never get lost just looking at the cars directions.It is a nice and large walk to finish the whole ring,about 2,30 hours,it depends of your speed of course! :-) but I am sure that you'll spend lots of time taken pictures of all beautiful buildings along the ring!.
Now I'll show you some of best places to see along the ring.
This is a picture of Art History Museum. Leave a Comment Address: the buildings of the famous boulevard |
La salle X du Musée des Beaux Arts regroupe 14, soit le tiers, des oeuvres de Pieter Bruegel l'Ancien connues au monde et parmi ces 14 quelques unes des plus remarquables comme La Tour de Babel, Le Combat de Carnaval et Carême, la Danse des Paysans, Le Repas de Noces et surtout la plus belle, la plus pure, la plus intense des oeuvres de P. Bruegel "Les Chasseurs dans la Neige".
Aller au KHM sans avoir vu les Bruegel c'est comme aller au Louvre sans avoir vu la Joconde. Mais contrairement à la salle du Louvre avec la Mona Lisa, on est beaucoup moins bousculé en la salle X du Musée des Beaux Arts de Vienne.
Une relation ayant visité le KHM (à l'époque de l'action en justice contre l'Etat autrichien à propos des Klimt) m'a demandé si la Belgique (qui n'a que six P. Bruegel l'Ancien) ne souhaitait pas le retour des Bruegel à Bruxelles où habita et mourut le peintre en 1569.
J'aimerais certes voir plus de Bruegel au Musée des Beaux Arts de Bruxelles mais ces tableaux furent offerts par la ville d'Anvers à l'archiduc Ernest en 1594, d'autres furent achetés à l'époque en toute légalité.
De plus si la Belgique se mettait à réclamer le retour de toutes les œuvres des peintres Flamands à travers le monde elle n'aurait pas assez de murs pour les accrocher et de nombreux musées dans le monde auraient des salles vides. Et puis, de nombreuses personnes à travers le monde ne connaissent la Belgique que par ses peintres.
Alors que les Bruegel restent à Vienne, c'est un plaisir de les voir dans le cadre du KHM et de la belle ville de Vienne.
Une remarque concernant l'orthographe de Bruegel. Ici, dans son pays, nous écrivons généralement Pieter Bruegel, parfois Brueghel. Par contre pour ses fils Jan "de velours" Pieter II et les petits-fils, nous écrivons plus souvent l'orthographe moderne Breughel dont la diphtongue "eu" correspond à la prononciation actuelle en Flamand/Néerlandais. Address: Maria Theresienplatz - KHM salle XWebsite: www.khm.at |
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Ah Vienna! Middle European city of culture,cakes, Mozart, cakes, spies, cakes, Christkindlemarkts, cakes and...'er...cakes! Well to be honest, I've slightly underplayed the cake business, for make no mistake, when in Vienna you must make it your sworn duty your duty to consume as many of these calorific confections as is humanely possible! Please note however that decorum must be observed and marks will be awarded for nifty napkin work and the stylish sipping of chilled water from the obligatory glass which appears alonside every ordered beverage. Be warned that points will be deducted from those wearing the blighted baseball cap (clothing accesory of the Devil!)
Here in the United Kingdom there is much to be said for the custard tart, Eccles cake and Chelsea bun. As cakes they are not to be laughed at...and in many of our cheaper bakeries they are not to be eaten either! But in all honesty, compared to the delicacies on offer in Vienna, our pastries crumble in comparison!
When in Wien you will struggle to find a tawdry torte. Your main difficulty will be making a choice from the hundreds on offer. By all means go to Demels (beautiful but busy), don't shirk from sampling the Sacher Café's Sacher Torte (pleasant but not perfect), seek out the Imperial Hotel's Imperial Torte and don't forget the Landtmann's...'er....need I even name it? In conclusion let's not forget the advice of Marie Antoinette (born 1755 in Vienna) shortly before she received that rather severe haircut: "Let them eat cake!" Leave a Comment Address: Vienna's traditional cafesDirections: Everywhere and unavoidable! |
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Although a visit to the the Imperial burial vaults beneath the Kapuzinerkirche might not appear on you list of 'Jolly Things to do in Vienna', may I be amongst the first to beg you to reconsider. Although having a macabre personality, a Goth in the family, or a mother-in-law to frighten off the Atkins Diet would all be good reasons to seek out these vaults, all you really need is a capacity to appreciate that, even in death, art has it's place. The extraordinary sculpted coffins that line the vaults beggar simple description and you feel a sense of awe rather than morbidity.
Those with a historical bent will be interested to seek out the resting place of the regally famous/infamous...for example the last reigning Emperor, Franz Josef and his son Rudolf (he of Mayerling fame). Archduke Franz Ferdinand the assassinated WWI catalyst is not here (Schloss Arstetten is where he's buried) but my own favourite, poor Maximilian I of Mexico most certainly is. Poor fellow... Leave a Comment Address: Tegetthoffstrasse 2Phone: Wien 5126853Directions: U-bahn Stephansplatz |
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