Hofburg

The Hofburg is the former imperial palace of the Habsburgs, the dynasty that ruled Austria for six centuries, and at 300,000 square meters it is not really a building but a city within a city. The complex holds the Sisi Museum, the Imperial Apartments, the Spanish Riding School, the Austrian National Library’s Baroque Prunksaal reading hall, and the Imperial Treasury with the Holy Roman Empire crown and the Holy Lance. The Neue Burg wing facing Heldenplatz was left unfinished when WWI ended the empire and became, 20 years later, the balcony from which Hitler announced the Anschluss. Allow at least a half day. Central Vienna, U-Bahn to Herrengasse (U3). Check hofburg-wien.at for current prices and Spanish Riding School schedules.