The Hofburg, the huge imperial palace of the Habsburgs that dominates the center of Vienna, has a history that spans seven centuries. Between the thirteenth century and the threshold of the twentieth century, a series of buildings were gradually added or overlapped to form a predominantly Baroque-style whole as grand as it is complicated to visit.
Each new emperor wanted to leave his mark on the complex, which consists of 18 different buildings, arranged around 16 courtyards, which also incorporate two churches and house several important museum collections. An incessant flow of tourists marks the most attractive and frequently visited parts, but minor detours are sufficient to discover almost secret passages, majestic arches and unexpected views. To visit all these beautiful areas, and to avoid getting lost, I recommend consulting the maps you’ll find in the various courtyards.
The origin of the whole complex is the castle built on the city's medieval walls by the Bohemian King Otakar II around 1275. Its square shape can still be glimpsed in the massive building called the Alte Burg (Old Fortress) at the heart of the complex, whose current appearance dates back to Renaissance work carried out during the 16th century. The stable building also belongs to this phase.
Between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Hofburg became an imperial residence, taking on a spectacular Baroque appearance, and gradually expanded in all directions, even incorporating the former Augustinian Church. The most significant eighteenth-century interventions include the National Library and the celebrated Winter Riding School, featuring performances by Lipizzaner horses, a favorite breed of the army and for pulling royal carriages.
After the ramparts of the city walls were torn down in Napoleon's time, new spaces opened up for the Hofburg: the neoclassical Burgtor arch was built and new gardens were laid out. The last two striking additions date from the late 19th century: the main entrance to Michaelerplatz and the huge Neue Burg, a semicircular building with colonnades.
An interesting fact: Among the palace's many monumental buildings are also less imposing structures, such as the graceful Palmenhaus, or palm house. Built in 1901, this Art Nouveau greenhouse looks onto the gardens, and now houses an elegant café, as well as the Butterfly House, where you can admire magnificent exotic butterflies.
