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Hofburg Palace

Massive Austrian Palace Complex

The Hofburg, which began in the 13th century, is an Austrian royal palace complex consisting of dozens of palaces and squares, including the Swiss Wing, Amalienburg and Heroes Square. The interior of the Hofburg houses the Sisi Museum, the Imperial Apartments, and exhibitions of royal treasures.

The Hofburg was founded in the 13th century as a royal palace complex in Vienna, Austria. Until 1918, successive rulers of the Habsburg dynasty had left their marks with renovations to the Hofburg, and today the massive palace complex has 18 wings, 19 courtyards and nearly 3,000 rooms. Inside the palace there are several museums and exhibitions related to the life of the royal family, making the Hofburg one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vienna.

Green Dome of St. Michael's Wing

St. Michael’s Square

St. Michael's Square (Michaelerplatz) faces Vienna’s bustling city center, the gate beneath the 50-meter-high dome is the main gateway to the Hofburg Palace.

St. Michael’s Square takes its name from the Church of St. Michael (Michaelerkirche) opposite the gate, with four statues of Hercules depicting the heroic deeds of the mythical figure and two fountains around the corner, which are works of 19th-century Viennese sculptors.

Main Palaces and Exhibitions

Walking through the gates of St. Michael’s Square brings you to the Hofburg’s Inner Castle Square (Innerer Burghof). This square is surrounded by the Amalienburg, Leopoldine Wing and Imperial Chancellery Wing, where Princess Sisi and Emperor Franz Joseph lived. The palace houses the Sisi Museum, the Imperial Apartments Exhibition, and the Silver Collection, where you can see the dressing room and personal objects owned by Sisi. It is also the office of today’s President of Austria.

Passing through the Swiss Gate (Schweizertor) on the south side of the Inner Castle Square, the square-shaped Swiss Wing Built in the 13th Century is the oldest part of the Hofburg. Once surrounded by a moat, the building houses a Court Chapel (Hofburgkapelle) and an exhibition of royal treasures. Every Sunday, the Vienna Boys’ Choir comes to the chapel to perform.

Power at Sea Fountain

Heldenplatz

In the southwest of the Hofburg complex, the bronze statues of the Austrian heroes Prince Eugene of Savoy and Archduke Charles (Erzherzog Karl) are depicted in Heldenplatz (Heroes Square). The Arc-shaped New Castle (Neue Burg), built in 1871, is the youngest building in the Hofburg Palace.

Heldenplatz

Tribute to Austrian War Heroes

Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square) in Vienna is part of the Hofburg with statues of Prince Eugene and Archduke Charles, who fought off the Turkish and Napoleonic armies in the past and are considered heroes of Austria.

Josefsplatz

A short distance south from St. Michael’s Square, there is another Josefsplatz (Joseph Square) with a statue of Emperor Joseph II on horseback.

Most of the buildings near the square were completed in the 18th century, and the more representative ones include the Baroque style Main Hall of the Austrian National Library, Augustinian Church, the Spanish Riding School, and the southernmost Albertina Museum of the Hofburg complex.

Austrian National Library / Prunksaal

The Magnificent Old Imperial Library

The Austrian National Library, with a collection of 13 million items including books, maps, and the papyrus collection, was formerly the royal library of the Habsburgs. The library's oldest hall, the Prunksaal, was built in 1723 in the Baroque style and features sculptures and frescoes from the 17th to 18th centuries.