Sights in Austria
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Ernst Fuchs Privat Museum
This small museum about 2km north of the U4 Hütteldorf stop is devoted to Ernst Fuchs’ fantastical paintings, etchings and sculptures. The works have a, shall we say, drug-induced look about them, and what may be more interesting to the visitor is the villa housing the collection. Built by Wagner in 1888, it was saved from ruin by Fuchs and restored to its former glory in 1972. In the gardens (visible from the road) are some interesting statues, ceramics and the ornate Brunnenhaus created by Fuchs.
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Schloss Ambras
The city’s biggest stunner is Schloss Ambras. Archduke Ferdinand II acquired the castle in 1564, the year he became ruler of Tyrol, and transformed it from a fortress into a palace. He was the mastermind behind the Spanische Saal (Spanish Hall), a 43m-long banquet hall with a wooden inlaid ceiling and Tyrolean nobles gazing from the walls. Also note the grisaille (grey relief) around the courtyard and the sunken bathtub where his beloved Philippine used to bathe.
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Schloss Belvedere
Belvedere is a masterpiece of total art and one of the world’s finest baroque palaces. Designed by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (1668–1745), it was built for the brilliant military strategist, Prince Eugene of Savoy, conqueror of the Turks in 1718. The Unteres (Lower) Belvedere was built first (1714–16), with an orangery attached, and was the prince’s summer residence. Connected to it by a long, landscaped garden is the Oberes (Upper) Belvedere (1721–23), the venue for the prince’s banquets and other big bashes.
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Beinhaus
This small charnel house contains rows of neatly stacked skulls, painted with flowery designs and the names of their former owners. Bones have been exhumed from the overcrowded graveyard since 1600 and the last skull in the collection was added in 1995. The Beinhaus stands in the grounds of the 15th-century Catholic Pfarrkirche and has Gothic frescoes and three winged altars; arguably the best one, on the right, dates from 1510 and shows saints Barbara and Katharina, with Mary in the middle.
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Die Spur des Einhorns
Die Spur des Einhorns is Friesach’s main attraction, a contemporary and dreamlike art installation housed in a 15th-century bishop’s palace and loosely based on the myths and stories of the medieval age in Europe. Music, voices and light effects accompany the visitor throughout a visit, from an ‘enchanted forest’ made of mirrors to the final resting place of the mighty sword, Excalibur. It’s fascinating, beautiful and perfect for children and adults alike.
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Ruprechtskirche
A few steps north of Ruprechtsplatz, Ruprechtskirche (St Rupert’s Church) dates from about 1137 or earlier, making it the oldest church in Vienna. The lower levels of the tower date from the 12th century, the roof from the 15th century and the iron Renaissance door on the west side from the 1530s. What makes this church attractive is its unusually simple exterior of ivy-clad stone walls in cobblestoned surrounds. The interior is just as sleek and worth viewing, with a Romanesque nave from the 12th century.
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Kirche Am Hof
The former Jesuit monastery Kirche Am Hof, on the southeast side of Am Hof, has a baroque facade adapted from its fire-damaged Gothic predecessor and the hugely expansive nave is lined with white pillars and topped with gold badges. It was here in 1806 that a royal herald announced the end of the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by the Habsburgs for about 500 years. The Mariensäule (Mary’s Column) in the centre of the square is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was erected in 1667.
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Augarten Contemporary/Gustinus Ambrosi-Museum
Sculptures by Austrian-born Gustinus Ambrosi (1893–1975) are the highlight of the works displayed inside the Atelier section of this museum in the western corner of the Augarten. Alongside his works are sculptures by other European artists from the 20th and 21st centuries, while the Augarten Contemporary, part of the same museum, features temporary exhibits from international artists.
Entry to the Atelier is included in the Schloss Belvedere ticket (adult/senior/student/child €13.50/10.50/9.50/free).
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Unteres Belvedere
Built between 1714 and 1716, Lower Belvedere is a treat of baroque delights. Highlights include Prince Eugene’s former residential apartment and ceremonial rooms, the Groteskensaal (Hall of the Grotesque; now the museum shop), a second Marmorsaal (Marble Hall), the Marmorgalerie (Marble Gallery) and the Goldenes Zimmer (Golden Room). Audio guides in English cost €3.50. Often it’s only open between 10am and noon due to lack of staff.
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Michaelerkirche
The Michaelerkirche dates from the 13th century and, not counting the Roman ruins, is the oldest building on Michaelerplatz. The most interesting aspect of the church is its burial crypt, which you can see on 40-minute bilingual German/English tours at 11am and 1.30pm Monday to Saturday between Easter and October. Out of respect for the dead, taking photos is not allowed. Understandably, death itself is the theme of the tours, which take you past coffins that have rusted away to reveal their occupants, others with glass covers, and to a viewing of several noble mummies preserved by the rarefied air of the crypt. Only the well-off and noble were buried in the crypt, and…
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Dominikanerkirche
The Dominicans first came to Vienna in 1226, when Leopold VI of Babenberg invited them to settle, but their first church, built on the site of today’s Dominikanerkirche, was dismantled during the first Turkish siege in 1529 and the stone used to fortify the city walls. The church you see today was the first baroque church in Vienna and was consecrated in 1634. It was largely the work of Italian architects and artisans and is well worth visiting for its large interior of white stucco and frescos.
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Kaiservilla
Franz Josef’s summer residence was the Kaiservilla, an Italianate building that was bought by his mother, the Princess Sophie, as an engagement present for her son and Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria. Elisabeth, who loathed the villa and her husband in equal measure, spent little time there, but the emperor came to love it and it became his permanent summer residence for over 60 years. His mistress, Katharina Schratt, lived nearby in a house chosen for her by the empress.
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Staatsopermuseum
This shrine to Viennese high culture covers the last 50 years of the Staatsoper. It relies mostly on photographs to take you through highlights such as Karajan’s eight-year reign as director. Opera lovers who don’t understand German will enjoy the aura and being surrounded by the portraits of operatic greats; others with a passing interest will like the occasional gem, such as Dame Margot Fonteyn’s stub-toed ballet slipper. A visit to this museum is best combined with a tour of the Staatsoper.
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Hofkirche
Opposite the Hofburg is the majestic Hofkirche, which shelters the empty sarcophagus of Emperor Maximilian I. Elaborately carved from marble, the tomb is one of the finest examples of German Renaissance sculpture. The twin rows of 28 giant bronze figures that flank the sarcophagus include Albrecht Dürer’s statue of the legendary King Arthur, apparently Maximilian’s biggest idol. Tyrolean hero Andreas Hofer (1767–1810) is also entombed in the church.
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Minoritenkirche
The Minoritenkirche (Minorite Church) is a 13th-century Gothic church that, like many in Austria, later received a baroque facelift. If you think the tower looks a little stubby, you’re right on the button: it was ‘shortened’ by the Turks in 1529. The most noteworthy piece inside is a mosaic copy of da Vinci’s Last Supper, commissioned by Napoleon. The church hosts classical concerts and choir recitals throughout the year; schedules are often posted outside. Expect to pay about €20.
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Generali Foundation
The Generali Foundation is a fine gallery that picks and chooses exhibition pieces from its vast collection – numbering around 1400 – to create new themes. The majority of its ensemble covers conceptual and performance art from the mid-to-late 20th century. The entrance to the exhibition hall is towards the back of a residential passageway. Guided tours in German, which take place at 6pm on Thursdays, cost €2. Tuesday is free for students, and from 6pm Thursday entry costs €3 for everyone.
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Papyrus Museum
Part of the Nationalbibliothek museum ensemble, the Papyrus Museum displays a collection of 200 fragments of ancient writing on papyrus. Papyrus was used for writing in ancient Egypt and the museum focuses on this, and cultures that influenced ancient Egypt, as well as fragments of writing on other media such as parchment and clay. One of its highlights is a fragment of musical notation on pottery depicting the choral ode from Orestes, a tragedy written by the Greek Euripides.
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St-Georgs-Kathedrale
St-Georgs-Kathedrale has a fine late-Gothic interior. Maximilian I is buried under the altar. On the outside wall is the Wappenwand (Heraldic Wall) comprising 15th-century carvings of 107 coats of arms. This wall was all that survived the bombing during WWII (the stained glass had already been previously removed to the Altaussee salt mines in the Salzkammergut). The statue below the window is Friedrich III, whose AEIOU motto also appears on the wall.
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Stiftskirche St Peter
A Frankish missionary named Rupert founded this abbey church and monastery in around 700, making it the oldest in the German-speaking world. Though a vaulted Romanesque portal remains, today’s church is overwhelmingly baroque, with rococo stucco, statues – including one of archangel Michael shoving a crucifix through the throat of a goaty demon – and striking altar paintings by Martin Johann Schmidt.
Take a stroll around the cemetery, where the graves are mini works of art with their intricate stonework and filigree wrought-iron crosses. Composer Michael Haydn (1737–1806), opera singer Richard Mayr (1877–1935) and renowned Salzburg confectioner Paul Fürst (1856–1941)…
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Militärakademie
Dating from the 13th century, this former castle was turned into a military academy in the mid-18th century (founded by Empress Maria Theresia) and was even commanded by the young Rommel from his pre-‘desert fox’ days. The academy had to be completely rebuilt after WWII, and its real highlight is St-Georgs-Kathedrale, with a fine late-Gothic interior. Maximilian I, who was born in the castle, is buried under the altar. The eastern wall of the church is packed with heraldic coats of arms dating from 1453 and was the only part of the building to survive WWII unscathed. The relief depicts a genealogy of Austrian rulers. Only 19 of the heraldic arms are real – the rest…
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Montafon
Silent and unspoilt, the Montafon was apparently Hemingway’s favourite valley and is still a fine spot for a wee adventure. Running south from Bludenz, the vale is quilted green in summer, blanketed white in winter and silhouetted by the glaciated Silvretta range year-round. All that natural splendour doesn’t go to waste: freestyle skiers and families seeking uncrowded pistes and a low-key vibe flock here, as do hikers spellbound by the craggy summits.
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Museum
Perched atop Mönchsberg, this white-marble, oblong-shaped museum stands in stark contrast to the fortress. The futuristic glass-and-concrete reels in art aficionados with its rotating exhibitions of 20th- and 21st-century works. While you’re up here, enjoy an espresso and fabulous views on the panoramic terrace of M32, or nip into James Turrell’s cylindrical Sky Space to while away the hours gazing up at the sky.
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Pfarrkirche St Oswald
Seefeld’s trophy sight is this late-Gothic parish church, the supposed location of a miracle. The story goes that Oswald Milser gobbled a wafer reserved for the clergy at Easter communion here in 1384. After almost being swallowed up by the floor, the greedy layman repented, but the wafer was streaked with blood – not from foolish Oswald but from Christ, naturally. You can view the Blutskapelle (Chapel of the Holy Blood), which held the original wafer, by climbing the stairway.
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Egon Schiele Museum
The Egon Schiele Museum, housed in a former jail near the Danube, vividly presents the story of the life of the Tulln-born artist. It contains 100 of his paintings and sketches, and a mock-up of the cell he was briefly imprisoned in (he was jailed in Neulengbach, however). He fell foul of the law in 1912 when 125 of his erotic drawings were seized; some were of pubescent girls, and Schiele was also in trouble for allowing children to view his explicit works. Schiele fans should also plan a visit to Vienna’s Leopold Museum.
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Römer Museum – Hoher Markt
Who knows what the Romans would make of their former outpost today being hidden beneath a restaurant on Hoher Markt, but the small expanse of Roman ruins dating from the 1st to the 5th century are thought to be part of the officers’ quarters of the Roman legion camp at Vindobona. You can see crumbled walls and tiled floors and a small but selective exhibit on artefacts found during the excavations. The ruins are part of the ‘Wien Museum’ municipal museum ensemble of Vienna.
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