Where does the Wiener Schnitzel come from? The name of course ties it to Vienna, but many contend that it actually comes from Milan. Breaded, deep-fried veal might not seem like a highly original concept, but the origins of the schnitzel can send passions soaring, and historians scrambling. So where does the thing actually come…
Any visitor to Vienna will have stood for a brief moment on Michaelerplatz, if not longer, to marvel at some of the city’s architectural wonders. Even in Roman times, the square was an important crossroads (today’s Herrengasse/Kohlmarkt), leading to one of the garrison’s imposing gates: Porta Decumana. The square has been defined by the buildings…
The Hofburg in Vienna is an interesting place. One can literally tell the history of the Habsburg empire by walking through it. Starting with the Babenberger family and the beginning of the construction of what is known as the Schweizerhof, continuing through to Josefsplatz talking about the reforms implemented by Josef II, and reaching the…
November 27, 1992: A security guard raises the alarm after discovering flames in the Redouten ballrooms at the Hofburg. What followed was the largest and most dramatic firefighting operation in Vienna´s recent history. This was not the first time the ballrooms were damaged by fire: Not too long after being built in the early 17th century…
As the weather warms up, it’s a lovely time to take a stroll through the gardens at Schönbrunn. While meandering past the stoic statues and neatly trimmed hedges near the Palmenhaus, you may come across what looks to be a miniature statue of a horse and rider placed atop a disproportionately large pedestal. The shrunken…
The Neue Burg… it does not matter from which direction you come to the Heldenplatz, the Neue Burg is an imposing building that was supposed to expand the living space of the imperial family and now hosts the national library and two museums. It was built between 1880 and the fall of the Habsburg empire……
Just in case someone asks you about the chronology of the buildings located at the Burgplatz. Or perhaps you are just curious about this! Schweizerhof: 1200s Amalienburg: 1500s Leopoldinischer Trakt: 1600s Reichskanzleitrakt: 1700s 
Did you know that you can live in the Hofburg or Schönbrunn? These are some of the most famous addresses in Vienna, but they are not only for the royals and nobility of yesteryear; no, they also contain rental apartments that are open to anyone—assuming you get a spot! The number of apartments are quite…
Right in front of the former Imperial and Royal library there is a large house that most likely few people have missed when passing by the Josefplatz: the Palais Pallavicini. The Pallavicini were a family that originated in Italy in the 12th century and that started serving the Habsburgs during the time of Maria Theresia…
The Hofburg has a long history and every building that is part of it has a particular story. One of the buildings that is part of what we call the Hofburg is the Amalienburg, which is one of the four buildings that form the Burgplatz. Built in the 16th century, it is named after the…
