Vienna - Austria - page 134

chitectural diversity to plain old one-upmanship; new sections were added by the new
rulers, including the early baroque Leopold Wing , the 18th-century Imperial Chancery Wing , the
16th-century Amalia Wing and the Gothic Burgkapelle MAP GOOGLE MAP (Royal Chapel). The
oldest section is the 13th-century Schweizerhof (Swiss Courtyard), named after the Swiss
guards who used to protect its precincts. The Renaissance Swiss gate dates from 1553.
The courtyard adjoins a larger courtyard, In der Burg , with a monument to Emperor Franz II ad-
orning its centre. The palace now houses the offices of the Austrian president and a raft
of museums.

Kaiserappartements
MAP GOOGLE MAP

PALACE

(Imperial Apartments; www.hofburg-wien.at ; 01, Michaelerplatz; adult/child €10.50/6.50, with guided tour €13/7.50;
9am-5.30pm; Herrengasse) The Kaiserappartements were once the formal living quarters
of Franz Josef I and Empress Elisabeth (or Sisi as she was affectionately named) and are
extraordinary for their opulence, fine furniture and bulbous crystal chandeliers. One sec-
tion, known as the Sisi Museum MAP GOOGLE MAP , is devoted to Austria's most beloved
empress, focusing strongly on the clothing and jewellery of Austria's monarch. The ad-
joining Silberkammer MAP GOOGLE MAP (Silver Depot;) collection is included in the entry price.
The largest silver service here can take care of 140 dinner guests.
Audio guides - available in 11 languages - are also included in the admission price,
and admission on guided tours includes the Kaiserappartements plus either the Silberkam-
mer or the Sisi Museum.

Spanische Hofreitschule
MAP GOOGLE MAP

HISTORIC SHOW

( 533 90 31; www.srs.at ; Michaelerplatz 1, 01; tickets €23-143; performances 11am Sat & Sun mid-Feb-Jun &

late Aug-Dec, visitor centre 9am-4pm Tue-Fri, to 7pm Fri performance days; 1A, 2A Michaelerplatz, Herren-
gasse) The world-famous Spanish Riding School is a Viennese institution truly reminiscent
of the imperial Habsburg era. This unequalled equestrian show is performed by Lipizzan-
er stallions formerly bred at an imperial stud established in Slovenia at Lipizza (hence
'Lipizzaner'). Visitors to the Morgenarbeit (Morning Training; adult/child €14/7; 10am-noon Tue-Fri
Jan-Jun & mid-Aug-Dec) sessions can drop in for part of a session and leave whenever they
want to though, check website for exact dates. Guided tours (

533 90 31; www.srs.at ; adult/child

2pm, 3pm & 4pm, closed Mon late Jan & Feb) held in English and German take you into €16/8;