Vienna In Your Pocket - Hofburg

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Vienna In Your Pocket's Stefan Bauer tours the Hofburg, one of Vienna's main sites. Home to the Habsburg monarchy for more than six centuries, the ten major buildings comprising the Hofburg complex represent the splendour and influence of what was once the mightiest empire in Europe. While this has been the site of countless decisive historical events, the sweeping arcaded façade of the Neue Burg earned worldwide notoriety in April of 1938, when Adolf Hitler spoke to a crowd of 200,000 people from its central balcony. Nearly every Austrian monarch has left his (or her) fingerprint on the layout of this palace, resulting in a stylistic mishmash and a wide array of museums. Home to the Habsburg monarchy for more than six centuries, the ten major buildings comprising the Hofburg complex represent the splendour and influence of what was once the mightiest empire in Europe. While this has been the site of countless decisive historical events, the sweeping arcaded façade of the Neue Burg earned worldwide notoriety in April of 1938, when Adolf Hitler spoke to a crowd of 200,000 people from its central balcony. Nearly every Austrian monarch has left his (or her) fingerprint on the layout of this palace, resulting in a stylistic mishmash and a wide array of museums. Maps in several languages are posted in the courtyards throughout the complex, but here are the highlights: the Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) houses the crown jewels, as well as the nail supposed to have pierced Christ's right hand and the so-called Spear of Destiny. If you're into impressive baroque interiors, the reading room of the Nationalbibliothek (National Library) is a highlight. For those with a fascination for sordid dynastic family histories, a ticket to the Kaiserappartements (Emperor's Apartments) includes the Silberkammer (Silver Vault) and Sisimuseum (Sisi Museum), lending an intimate insight into the private lives of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife, Elizabeth of Bavaria (better known locally as Sisi). The dancing white Lippizaner horses of the Spanische Hofreitschule (Spanish Riding School) perform here, as well as the boy sopranos and altos of the Wiener Sängerknaben (Vienna Boys' Choir). But even if you don't have time for a museum trip, a stroll through the Hofburg complex is a definite must.
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