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THE IMPERIAL PALACE HOFBURG –

HEADQUARTERS OF IMPERIAL POWER

The Imperial Palace Hofburg was the centre of the Habsburg empire and main residence of the imperial family for more than 600 years. Today the federal president of Austria, as well as several ministers and state secretaries, have their offices in these magnificent representational rooms. First of all, we will give you an overview of the area and then we show you the private apartment, which was the imperial domicil of the legendary ruling couple Franz Joseph and Elisabeth (Sissi).

Walk – 2 hours
Rate € 180,- not incl. admission

empresses appartementThe magnificent complex. We will see: the Swiss Wing (which houses the Imperial Treasury, where the regalia of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Empire is kept), the Leopoldin Wing (with the offices of the Austrian Federal President), the Stallburg (home of the famous Lipizzan stallions), the Spanish Riding School, the Austrian National Library (a castle for the emperors’ books) and St. Augustine’s Church (where Habsburgs once got married).

The imperial apartments. First of all we see the Sissi-Museum with more than 300 items which once belonged to Empress Elisabeth. Then we will see: how the monarchs worked (the Audience Waiting Room, the Conference Room, the schweizertorstudy), how they kept themselves in shape (bathroom, exercise room and dressing room), how they slept (the separated bedrooms and the bell which the emperor had to ring if he wanted to spend a night with his wife) and how they dined in such an incredible fashion (the dining room with a table laid as it was at that time; a dinner consisted of up to 13 courses).

The Silver Collection. Anyone who has grown up with today’s food culture, will be stunned to see how one once ate at the imperial court. A visit to the former Court Silver and Table Room will show you a unique collection of objects necessary for the running of the imperial household. You will see: porcelain worth millions, golden cutlery, golden table centrepieces, valuable table linen, napkins which are 1 m2. Apart from the pomp, the imperial kitchen was also a mass operation as the court catered for up to 5,000 people per day. This tour also shows a collection of cooking utensils used in the court kitchen.