The Hofburg Imperial Palace was built in the 13th century. Originally a medieval defensive fortress, the Hofburg was expanded by the rulers of the era and spread over a huge area, almost becoming a new city. The palace, which has hosted the Austrian Habsburg dynasty in winter for more than 600 years, is now the official residence of the President of Austria. In addition to the history of Austria, it has also been an important center in European history for centuries.
The palace is divided into 3 sections for visitors. The Imperial Silver Collection is the area where the silverware of the palace is exhibited. In particular, silverware belonging to the dining table such as forks, knives and plates are exhibited. It is impressive for those who want to understand how the food culture is in the palace.
Hofburg Palace
The other part is the Sisi Museum. In the Sisi Museum, personal belongings of Elisabeth Sisi, who has a very important place in world history with her lifestyle and mentality different from the empresses of her period, are exhibited in addition to Austrian history. Sisi has more than 300 items. The third part is the Imperial Apartments. In this section, the belongings of Franz Joseph and Sisi’s personal lives and their living spaces are exhibited.
The term “city within a city” is also used for the Hofburg Palace. This is because the palace is unbelievably large. Spread over 240 acres of land, the Hofburg Palace has 2600 rooms. With 19 courtyards, many squares, congress centers, churches, several chapels, 18 different building complexes in the palace, it is almost a city in itself.
Visiting Information: It is open to visitors every day of the week, between 09.00-17.30 between September and June, and between 09.00-18.00 in July-August. The entrance fee is 13.90 Euros for adults and 12.90 Euros for students aged 19-25.
- Address: Michaelerkuppel, 1010 Vienna
- Directions: The Hofburg Imperial Palace is located in the historical center of Vienna. If you are in zone 1, you can reach it by walking, and if you are coming from other areas, you can get off at the Herrengasse stop on the U3 line.
- Nearby Places: Michaelerplatz, Kaiserliche Schatzkammer Wien
