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 | |  |  | Hofburg: Hofburg - Schatzkammer (Treasury) | Tip Rating:    |  |  | |  |
The most impressive of all the Hofburg museums is the Schatzkammer (Treasury); here you can see some of the finest medieval craftsmanship and jewellery in Europe. In room 2, you'll find the golden Crown of Rudolf II, studded with diamonds, rubies, pearls and a huge sapphire. The mother of all cots resides in room 5, an overwrought, silver-gilt cradle with silk and velvet trimmings, made in 1811 for the short-lived Duke of Reichstadt, or King of Rome, son of Napoleon. In room 7, there are the 2680-carat Colombian emerald carved into a salt cellar in Prague in 1641 and the huge garnet, La Bella, which forms the centre of a double-headed eagle, set in enamel. Room 8 contains the so-called inalienable heirlooms, two pieces collected by Ferdinand I, which the Habsburgs were very keen to hold onto: a fourth-century agate dish, stolen from Constantinople in 1204 and thought at the time to be the Holy Grail, and a 2.43 metre-long narwhal's horn, which was originally believed to have come from a unicorn. The highlights of the whole collection, however, are the crown jewels of the Holy Roman Empire in room 11. The focal point is the octagonal imperial crown itself, a superb piece of Byzantine jewellery, smothered with pearls, large precious stones and enamel plaques. Legend has it that the crown was used in the coronation of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, in 800, but it now seems likely that it dates back only to that of Otto I, in 962. Also on display here is the legendary Holy Lance, with which the Roman soldier pierced the side of Christ. The last four rooms (13-16) of the Schatzkammer house the substantial dowry that came into Habsburg hands in 1477, when the Emperor Maximilian I married the only daughter and heiress of the duke of Burgundy : heavy mantles embroidered with gold thread, a collar of golden links, from which the fleece would hang and the ram emblem, worn by the 24 knights of the order at all times. Leave a Comment Directions: Station : Herrengasse / Burgring / Hofburg Metro : U3 Tramway : 1, 2, D, J Bus : 2A, 3A Website: www.hofburg-wien.at
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| | | | Hofburg: Prinz Eugen Denkmal (Prince Eugene Statue) | Tip Rating: | | | | |
This is an equestrian statue by A. D. von Fernkorn (erected in 1865) dedicated to Prinz Eugen. Prince Eugene of Savoy (Prinz Eugen, 1663-1736) was the great nephew of Cardinal Mazarin. After being rejected by the French military, he entered the Imperial Army in 1683 and fought in the liberation of Vienna (Turkish Sieges of Vienna), in Hungary and against the French in Italy; in 1697 he became high commander of the imperial army in the Turkish Wars and defeated them at Zenta. From 1700 fought in Italy in the War of the Spanish Succession and with the Duke of Marlborough (J. Churchill) emerged victorious near Hochstadt in Bavaria in 1704, liberated Turin in 1706, defeated the French (again with Marlborough) in 1708 at Oudenaarde and in 1709 at Malplaquet, but in 1712 was unsuccessful. From 1703 was President of the Court Council of War and in 1714 negotiated the Peace of Rastatt. In a second war against the Turks, Prince Eugene had a victory at Petrovaradin in 1716 and at Belgrade in 1717. After this glorious career, he was later reluctant to fight. In 1734/35 as Imperial high commander in the War of Polish Succession against France, he had little success. Prince Eugene was considered an important advisor to Emperors Leopold I, Joseph I and Karl VI, as well as being one of the most important building patrons of the Baroque period. His Winter Palace in Himmelpfortgasse in Vienna (now the Ministry of Finance) was built by J. B. Fischer von Erlach and J. L. von Hildebrandt, Belvedere Palace and Schloßhof Palace in Marchfeld were built by J. L. von Hildebrandt. Leave a Comment
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