The vast central courtyard of the Hofburg is surrounded on all sides by Renaissance and Baroque buildings erected to house residences and offices of the imperial chancellery.
A vaulted passage leads to the vast esplanade of Heidenplatz, the Heroes' Square, so named for the equestrian statues of two great leaders: Prince Eugene of Savoy, who led victorious battles against the Turks, and Archduke Charles I, who defeated Napoleon.
Kept as a garden, the square was supposed to be the outer courtyard of the Hofburg, but the demolition of the city walls and the construction of the Ring transformed it into a large urban scenario with open perspectives. At the back is the neoclassical Burgtor, a powerful arched doorway that leads through to the Ring and the square dedicated to Maria Theresa.
The south side is closed by the semicircular colonnade of the Neue Burg, or New Fortress, commissioned by Franz Joseph in the late 19th century. The huge building was designed as a backdrop for military parades and as a setting for solemn ceremonies. The fortress still maintains this representative function, and its halls often host conferences or political and diplomatic meetings; on such occasions, part of the museums is closed to the public.
Today, the vast spaces of the Neue Burg house extensive museum collections, separate sections of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, each with independent exhibition characteristics.
Among these is the Ephesos Museum, dedicated to archaeological finds from Ephesus, Turkey. Among the Hellenistic and Roman sculptures on display is a magnificent frieze from the 2nd century A.D., a full 40 meters long, with battle scenes carved in relief.
There is also a collection of musical instruments, a real treat for aficionados, including pieces dating from the 16th century onwards, some of which belonged to the imperial court or were used by composers such as Beethoven, Schumann and Chopin.
Also of interest is the collection of antique weapons, offering a complete overview stretching from the 16th century to World War I. The collection includes stunning battle and tournament armor from the Renaissance period.
An interesting fact: It was in the Neue Burg that Adolf Hitler proclaimed Austria's accession to the Third Reich, in 1938.
