Hofburg

The Hofburg is a sprawling imperial palace complex in central Vienna that was the political and ceremonial center of the Habsburg monarchy for centuries and now houses museums and state institutions.

Prominent public components include the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum, the Imperial Treasury (Schatzkammer), the Spanish Riding School with its Lipizzaner stallions, and the Austrian National Library. Together these elements present imperial court life, regalia and cultural collections.

The complex began as a medieval castle and was expanded continuously from the Middle Ages through the 19th century to serve both residential and governmental functions of the Habsburgs; after the empire’s end many wings were converted to museums and official uses.

Situated on the Ringstraße in Vienna’s Innere Stadt, the Hofburg occupies a central location near Michaelerplatz and other landmark squares.

• Long history: The Hofburg complex developed from a medieval fortress into the Habsburgs' principal residence and administrative center over many centuries.

What to See #

• Imperial Apartments: The furnished Imperial Apartments and court rooms used by the Habsburg rulers, presented today as museum rooms illustrating court life.
• Sisi Museum: A combined exhibition commemorating Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) and the imperial household with period artifacts, clothing and personal items.
• Imperial Treasury (Schatzkammer): A museum housing the imperial regalia, crowns and ecclesiastical and secular treasures collected by the Habsburgs over centuries.
• Spanish Riding School: A historic riding school founded in the 16th century famous for classical dressage and the Lipizzaner stallions, offering public performances on a regular schedule.
• Austrian National Library: A major historic library building with baroque reading rooms and collections once serving the imperial court and now used for research and exhibitions.