Now a scenic park, the Burggarten is home to several statues – including ones of Mozart and Emperor Franz Joseph – as well as a butterfly house.

History of Burggarten

After Napoleon’s troops withdrew from Vienna in 1809, the fortified structures they left behind were no longer needed, and were subsequently redesigned, altered, or demolished and replaced with other structures.

One of these sites is the Burggarten, which was built as a garden to accompany the Hofburg (court palace), which was the seat of Habsburg power. Indeed, Kaiser Franz II occasionally worked in the garden himself.

Following the change from a monarchy to republic system in 1919, many streets and sites were renamed to remove the imperial connection. This meant that the Kaisergarten (Emperor’s Garden) became what we now know as the Burggarten.

Burggarten Today

The garden today is a hotspot for visitors to relax during their lunchbreak in the middle of busy Vienna, providing nice views of its palatial surroundings. Its famous Mozart statue moved to the Burggarten in 1953, and is one of Vienna’s most popular photo motifs.

There are three more statues that decorate the gardens. Hercules and the Nemean lion was created at the turn of the 19th century and was incorporated into a small fountain feature in the Burggarten pond in 1948.

There is also a statue of Franz I – husband of Empress Maria Theresa – on his horse (created in 1781, and moved to the garden in 1819). His wife has a larger monument on the other side of the road.

Finally, the statue of Emperor Franz Joseph (created in 1903, and moved to the site in 1957) is a pensive nod to the city’s history.

The gardens are also a popular filming site, with the series Vienna Blood featuring it in a scene at the end of episode 1. The park is also surrounded by the long Ringsstrassen boulevard, the Neue Burg palace wing, the butterfly house and palm house, and Goethegasse, a street named after the famous German writer.

Getting to Burggarten

The nearest Subway is Station Herrengasse (U3) or Museumsquartier (U2), and from there, the gardens are a short walk. Trams and buses also run regularly, with tram lines 1, 2, D or 71 to Burgring (which runs along the edge of the park) or bus 2A to Albertinaplatz taking you to right outside the park. 

Visitors to the Burggarten Palmenhaus can now see the butterflies that reside there, earning it the alternative name of the Schmetterling Haus or ‘Butterfly House’.

Burggarten Palmenhaus history

The original Burggarten Palmenhaus was built in 1822, under the reign of the Austrian emperor, Franz I. As with the nearby Volksgarten, the planners of the Burggarten Imperial park were Ludwig Gabriel von Remy and the court gardener, Franz Antoine the older.

The design also saw the participation of Emperor Franz who was a keen gardener and selected new types of plants from all over the world to be part of this lavish private garden. Over the years the layout was adapted to the style of an English landscape garden and a pond was added, as well as the original palm house.

However, almost 80 years later, the palm house was reconstructed in the Jugendsil architectural style, designed by architect Friedrich Ohmann. Similar to Art Nouveau, Jugendsil was a German movement that departed from the academy’s neoclassical and historicist styles.

The building of the new 2,000 metre squared glass and steel palm house therefore represented a changing vision of Vienna in the shadow of the government at Hofsburg Palace. The gardens and palm house finally opened to the public in 1919.

Burggarten Palmenhaus today

Today, the Palmenhause still functions as a greenhouse and is home to many exotic varieties of plants, often used as a dramatic backdrop for official events. Located in the Burggarten Imperial Palace Garden, the area is a great spot to relax and admire the grand vestiges of Austria’s imperial past, as well as watching the butterflies in the palm houses’ left wing.

After exploring this marvel of early 20th century nouveau architecture, stop at the popular Palmenhaus restauarant-café for a sweet treat in the sunshine as you watch the bustle of the city.

Getting to Burggarten Palmenhaus

Located in the city’s historic centre, you can reach the Burggarten Palmenhaus via the city’s tram line. The closest tram stop is Burgring on lines 1, 2, 71, D and E1. On foot, entrances to the Burggarten park are found at the Ringstrasse and from the Hanuschgasse at the Albertina.

History of Carnuntum

Roman influence first took hold at Carnuntum in the early Julio-Claudian period. At the time the Danube was vital to Rome’s defence and the site was chosen as an important defensive sector and home to Rome’s 15th Legion. The Emperor Claudius also recognised the potential of the city, erecting a military camp designed to hold 6,000 men while the city became the Carnuntum capital of the province of Upper Pannonia.

From the early second century the 14th legion, one of Rome’s most formidable, was stationed at Carnuntum – a testament to the city’s growing importance. With a permanent military garrison in place, and great potential for trade, a thriving civilian city expanded at Carnuntum and it soon became one of the largest and most important Roman cities in the region.

It was in 308AD, however, at a conference between the four Emperors of the Tetrarchy that Carnuntum would play its part in vital Roman – and world – history. After tough negotiations at Carnuntum, an end to the persecution of Christians and a universal tolerance of religion was proclaimed throughout the Empire.

With the increasing instability of the later-Roman empire, Carnuntum’s position on the border left it vulnerable. The city suffered greatly during the Barbarian Invasions and was gradually abandoned and fell to ruin.

Carnuntum today

Today visitors to Carnuntum can explore the remains of this Roman city – including the ruins of the military camp, amphitheatre and civilian and religious buildings – while also discovering the many full reconstructions built at the site.

These architectural reconstructions were produced largely with traditional Roman tools and craftsmanship and are said to be among the most accurate representations of Roman life in the fourth century ever produced. Fully functional, they are not simply museum pieces but instead welcome visitors to experience vibrant Roman life and society as it actually was.

Visitors can amass the dignitas and gloria of genuine Roman senators as they walk through the city’s buildings, particularly the Villa Urbana which showcases the luxury afforded to the wealthiest of the residents.

The archaeological site includes an important temple area which predates the Roman conversion to Christianity and celebrates one of the most important of Roman gods, Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Another highlight is the amphitheatre which was the centre of the Roman entertainment and home to the legendary Gladiator fights. The site’s other attractions include the remains of large public baths, an impressive Roman monument known as the Heidentor (Heathens’ Gate), while the museum is also a must see.

It’s worth noting that the site is set out across a large area, with significant distance between the various attractions: be prepared for long walks and wear comfy shoes. Allow at least half a day to visit. The site is closed over the winter months (November – March).

The site is made up of a number of different attractions spread across a rather large area. Fascinating Roman ruins sit amongst restored and entirely reconstructed buildings, designed to bring visitors back in time to experience what life would have been like here in the Roman era.

Getting to Carnuntum

Petronell-Carnuntum (as the modern day town is called), is close to the Czech border, about 40 minutes east of Vienna via the A4 and B9 and 30 minutes west of Braitslava via the B9. The ruins are in the centre of the town and are best explored by foot. There’s a station in the town (Petronell-Carnuntum Bahnhof) which has services running semi-regularly between Wolfsthal and Vienna.

History of the Hofburg Palace

Although the oldest, square parts of the building including the Schweizerhof (Swiss Courtyard) date back to the 13th century, Hofburg Imperial Palace became a residence of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from the 15th century and the seat of the Emperor of Austria from the early 19th century.

The oldest and most well preserved part of the Hofburg is its gothic chapel or ‘Burgkapelle’, where visitors can hear the Vienna boys’ choir sing on Sundays amidst its stunning architecture.

Hofburg Imperial Palace contains a wealth of architectural gems derived from a series of renovations and expansions carried out during the course of the Habsbergs’ ownership, including works by Filiberto Luchese, Lukas von Hildebrandt and Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, the latter of whom also designed parts of Schonbrunn Palace.

Major expansion was undertaken in the 18th century, with various large Baroque extensions designed by the court architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and later his son, Joseph, who supervised the beautiful Court Library.

Huge even today, over 5000 people work and live in the complex, which extends over 240,000 m² and comprises of over 2,600 rooms. There is little more that could illustrate the power and might of Imperial Austria under the Habsburgs.

The Hofburg today

Today, the palace is home to the Sisi Museum, dedicated to one of Austria’s most famous rulers, the Empress Sisi. A ticket allows gets you into the Imperial Apartments and the Hofburg’s Silver Collection – an audio guide is included in the ticket price so be sure to pick one up.

The Hofburg is unashamedly aimed towards tourists, and particularly fans of Empress Sisi, but there’s plenty still to enjoy here – allow several hours to explore and bask in the unashamed decadence and luxury of Habsburg design.

The Spanish Riding School, with its famous ‘dancing’ Lipizzaner horses are also based here, attracting crowds from around the world to watch their classical dressage. Tickets are expensive but some people love it.

Getting to the Hofburg

The Hofburg is in central Vienna, just outside the MuseumsQuartier – it’s easily accessible by foot from any of Vienna’s major museums. The MuseumsQuartier U-Bahn is a 5 minute walk away and tram stops on the Volkstheater are nearby too.

History of Hohensalzburg Fortress

Hohensalzburg was built in 1077 by Gebhard von Helfenstein, also known as Prince Gebhard I of Helffenstein and Archbishop Gebhard, and was later expanded over the centuries, including by Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach in the 16th century out of fear of a Turkish invasion.

The fortress was surrendered to French troops in 1800 during the Napoleonic Wars and throughout the 19th century it was used as a military outpost and barracks. During the First World War, the fortress was used as a prison to hold prisoners of war, and Nazi activists later commandeered the fortress prior to the Anchluss in 1938.

It is said that Hohensalzburg Fortress has never been captured by enemies; however attempts to take it have also been sparse and of dubious force. As denoted by its name, which literally translates to “High Salzburg Fortress”, Hohensalzburg Fortress sits high atop Salzburg and is an imposing white stone structure with large battlements and turrets.

The Hohensalzburg Fortress today

The fortress towers above Salzburg, and no visit to the city is complete without a trip up to it. The spectacular Golden Hall is breath-taking: look out for the series of Festungskonzerte (Fortress Concerts) which use it as a backdrop year round – the programme is quite unsurprisingly quite Mozart heavy but it’s a must for any fans of classical music.

Inside Hohensalzburg Fortress is the Fortress Museum displaying, amongst other things, a good collection of ancient weaponry, Roman coins, and historic musical instruments. You can also see several state rooms as well as torture chambers. The views from Hohensalzburg Fortress are spectacular and these alone are worth the trip.

Getting to the Hohensalzburg Fortress

The fortress is a short uphill walk from town – there’s a bus station (Salzburg Festungsbahn Bergstation) helpfully next to the fortress and the main station (hauptbahnhof) is a 30 minute walk away.

History of Hohenwerfen Castle

Hohenwerfen Castle was built by the Archbishop of Salzburg in the 11th century, making it a “sister” of the city’s Hohensalzburg Fortress and Burgruine Petersberg in Friesach. While the castle’s original fortifications were probably made from wood, Hohenwerfen had by the 15th century developed into a vast stone structure.

What had been an old Roman castle was transformed with a palace and chapel, then further defensive walls. Over time, the fortress was reinforced and equipped with newer technologies.

Large sections of the castle were destroyed during peasant revolts in the 16th century, which precipitated further building work by Archbishop Matthäus Lang (1519-1540). These works resulted in the erection of the Wallerturm watchtower, the small bastion, and the hidden staircase. A programme of construction in the later century was informed by impressive Italian fortresses.

The castle was used as a prison in the 17th and 18th centuries. It experienced a period of disuse in the early 19th century, before being restored by the romantic Archduke Johann between 1824 and 1833. It was mainly used as a hunting base until Archduke Eugen purchased the castle in 1898 and transformed the building into a stately home.

Nazi military authorities used the castle as a military training base during World War Two, and from 1945 to 1987 it was used by the police school in Salzburg.

Hohenwerfen Castle today

The castle belongs to the state of Salzburg today, and the fortifications of Hohenwerfen Castle have been used as a tourist attraction since 1987. Hohenwerfen is near the region of the Salzkammergut, Austria’s lake district which includes historic sites such as Hallstatt, the Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl, and castle ruins like Burgruine Wartenfels.

Hohenwerfen Castle featured as a fictional castle in the 1968 film Where Eagles Dare, and as the headquarters of the Führer in the 2015 adaptation of The Man in the High Castle. A level in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops III is based on the castle. It can be seen in the background in The Sound of Music. 

Getting to Hohenwerfen Castle

Hohenwerfen Castle is a one hour drive from Salzburg. A bus can also be caught to Hohenwerfen Castle from Salzburg’s main station. It’s otherwise a two hour drive from Munich, Germany. To assist with ascending to the castle, a modern lift system was built in 2006.