Hofburg Essay, Research Paper

Information about the bigget building in Austria:

New Hofburg:

With its 18 wings, 54 stairways, 19 courtyards and roughly 2600 rooms, the Hofburg is the secular centre of Vienna. It was the Emperors home until 1918. The building complex today houses numerous museums and collections, the Spanish Riding School and the Austrian National Library. In the Leopoldinischen Wing are found the Federal Presidents offices. The hofburg is a complex which experienced many expansions in the course of centuries, and for this reason there are juxtaposed many different architectural styles. Defense installations began in 1275 under Bohemian King Ottokar and were completed under Rudolf of Habsburg. Following tradition, every ruler built his own apartments, not using those of his predecessors, in order to enlarge the Hofburg. In 1515, the first Wiener Kongress was placed in the Hofburg. The second Wiener Kongress , which lasted nine months, was one of the flashiest events ever occuring at the Hofburg it is said that there was more dancing than discussing. Even today, elegant balls are held in the masquerade rooms. The Neue Burg was erected in 1908 under Franz Joseph, separating the Burggarten from the Heldenplatz. The twenty figures on the facade represent the main epochs of Austrian history. The Museum of Ethnology is located here as well as the largest weapon collection in the world, a collection of old musical instruments and the Museum of Austrian Culture.

Leaving the Heldenplatz and walking in the direction of the Alte Burg, one comes to the square In der Burg , the Burgs inner courtyard, built for emperor Maximilian as a tournament-ground. Here is located the monument of Franz, with the inscription amorem meum populis meis , meaning my love for my people . The oldest part of the Hofburg is called Schweizerhof, because the Swiss Guard was stationed there in Maria Theresias time. The Burgkapelle is the only example of gothic style remaining in the Hofburg, built as early as 1246. The Stallburg is from the 16th century, and is still used by the Spanish Riding School to house their Lipizzans.