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• Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), Stephansplatz (U1, U3: Stephansplatz), ☎ +43/ (0)1/ 515 52-3526, . High Mass: Sun and public holidays 10:15AM, in Jul and Aug 9:30AM, Guided tours of the Cathedral in English: Mon-Sat 3:45PM, Catacombs (only with guided tours): Mon-Sat 10AM-11:30AM and 1:30PM-16:30PM; Sun and public holidays 1:30PM - 6:30PM; North Tower (great bell): Nov-Mar 8:30AM-5PM, Apr-Jun and Sep—Oct 9AM-6PM, Jul and Aug 9AM-18:30 p.m. South Tower: daily 9AM-5:30PM. Yet another patchwork of architectural styles, but predominantly Gothic. None of the original construction remains—the oldest extant sections are the thirteenth century Giant Gate (Riesentor) and Towers of the Heathens (Heidentürme), both of which are Romanesque. The 448 ft South Tower (Südturm), often known by its Viennese diminutive Steffl (also a nickname for the entire cathedral), was finished in 1433. This is where the Pummerin, a huge bell cast from melted-down Turkish cannons, hangs. Steffl's intended twin, the North Tower (Nordturm), was never finished. In 1511, building in Gothic style ceased due to being out of fashion. Over fifty years later, in 1579, a Renaissance spire was added to the Nordturm to make it look less like the builders had stormed off the job. The main altar has a Baroque panel showing St. Stephen, Christianity’s first martyr. The organized tour is worth it, since some of the finest works of art in the cathedral can only be seen with a guide, such as Emperor Frederick III's red marble sepulchre and the immense Gothic carved Altar of Wiener Neustadt. The aborted North Tower has an observation deck with an amazing view of downtown Vienna. Nearby is the entrance to the catacombs, where legions of bishops and Habsburg body parts are buried (the intestines, specifically).

 

 

Castles and Palaces

• Schloss Schönbrunn – Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996, it is not far from the city centre and easy to get to by public transportation: You can take the underground U4 (green line) and get off at Schönbrunn; If you plan on catching a tram, take 10, 58, and detrain at Schönbrunn. Otherwise, take the 10A bus and alight at Schönbrunn. Schönbrunn is the ultimate palace experience in Vienna, because the Habsburg summer palace can be found here. It is comparable in grandeur to Versailles and is definitely a must-see in Vienna. Its gardens and zoo (the oldest in the world, built for Maria Theresa’s husband in 1752) alone are worth a lengthy visit. The palace has also seen its fair share of excitement over the years, including a meeting between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khruschchev at the height of the Cold War. The Palace Park offers a lot of attractions, such as the Privy Garden, a Maze and Labyrinth, and the top-of-the-hill Gloriette with its Panorama Terrace. There are two possible tours available without a guide (though guides are available): the Imperial Tour showing 22 rooms and the Grand Tour showing 40 rooms. The price of admission includes an audio or written guide. The shorter tour of Schönbrunn Palace takes you into the west wing of the palace including the apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi), as well as the imposing state rooms in the central wing. With the Grand Tour you can visit, in addition to those rooms included on the Imperial Tour, the 18th-century rooms from the time of Maria Theresa. No photos, video taping, or backpacks allowed inside. The palace is wheelchair-accessible and is open all year round:

- Apr 1—Jun 30: 8:30AM–5PM

- Jul 1—Aug 31: 8:30AM–6PM

- Sep 31—Oct 31: 8:30AM–5PM

- Nov 1—Mar 31: 8:30AM–4:30PM

• Hofburg Palace, (To get there, take the underground: the nearest underground station is U3 Herrengasse; tram: Lines 1, 2, D, J, alight at Burgring; bus: Lines 2A or 3A, alight at Hofburg), This immense palace complex grew into a large, unwieldy series of buildings over the years and was the imperial residence of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. What began as a medieval castle (whose chapel is the only original element of that building to survive) was expanded and redecorated as the Habsburgs’ power increased correspondingly. The Palace Stables and Amalia’s Wing were added in the sixteenth century. The Imperial Chancery Wing, Court Library, and Spanish Riding School was added in the eighteenth. In the last century, St Michael’s Wing was tacked on and around 1900 the New Palace was completed. The contents of each separate building contain so many treasures that the time spent moving from one to another is like opening box after box of fabulous jewels – it's difficult to know when to stop. The Imperial Palace itself now houses the offices of the Austrian President, a convention center, and the Spanish Riding School with its Lipizzaner stallions. The Palace also houses several museums which are open to the public, including the "Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum and Imperial Silver Collection" (Kaiserappartements, Sisi Museum, Silberkammer) where you can visit 22 state rooms (open daily from 9AM-5PM; July-Aug: 9AM-5:30PM. The museums are wheelchair-accessible). These are the residential and state apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph I. and Empress Elisabeth (popularly known as Sisi) and show 19th-century imperial life. The Imperial Silver Collection displays unique items of the glittering world of imperial dining. You can purchase a single ticket for all three museums or purchase the "Sisi Ticket", which entitles you to visit the Schönbrunn Palace, Hofburg with Audio Guide (Imp. Apartments, Sisi Museum, Imp. Silver Collection), and Imperial Furniture Museum.
• Belvedere  http://www.belvedere.at
  

• The Belvedere, Prinz Eugen-Straße 27 (Take tram D, stop Belvedere), ☎ +43/ (0)1/ 79 557 0 (info@belvedere.at), . Open daily 10AM–6PM. €13.50 (Upper and Lower) - Intended as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy, the Belvedere was located outside the city walls. Its two palace segments, the Upper and Lower Belvedere, later became the permanent home of the Austrian Gallery. The Oberes Belvedere (Upper) contains recent Austrian and international art from the past two centuries. Viennese art from the early twentieth century is well-represented in the permanent collection "Vienna around 1900 and the Art of the Classical Modern." The Orangerie houses temporary exhibits and a collection of medieval tapestries is in the former stables. The tapestry collection in on view from 10:00AM until 12:00 noon, so plan your visit accordingly.

 

 Religious buildings

• Karlskirche, Kreuzherrengasse 2, (kontakt@karlskirche.at), [58]. M-F from 09.00-12.30 and 13.00-18.00. Sunday and holidays: 12.00-17.45. Largest Baroque cathedral north of the Alps, designed by the famous architect Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Frescos done by Michael Rottmayr and paintings from the Italian Baroque painters Sebastiano Ricci and Giuseppe Antonio Pellegrini, and the Austrian painter Daniel Gran.  edit

• Kapuzinerkirche, 1010 Wien, Tegetthoffstraße 2, ☎ 512. daily 10.00 to 18.00, 1 and 2 November closed. Notable mainly as the site of the Kaisergruft, a mausoleum housing the tombs of generations of Habsburg royalty. Adults €4; Families €9; Seniors, Students, Groups €3; Students under 14 €1.50.  edit

• Jesuitenkirche, 1010 Wien Dr-Ignaz-Seipel-Platz 1, ☎ 5125232. 7.00-18.30 daily. Has one of the most elaborate Baroque interiors in Europe.  edit

• Augustinian Friars' Church (Augustinerkirche), Josefsplatz 1. Facing the sculpture in the center of the square, the entrance is small and easy to miss – it's on the left hand wall of the square. Yet another example of the gruesome divide-and-conquer burial strategy of the Habsburg dynasty. It's said that other dynasties waged countless wars to acquire new lands, but "you, happy Austria, marry." Even in death the Habsburgs placated three different churches with the honor of caring for their remains. The best known, the Kapuzinergruft, contain their actual bodies. St Stephens holds their innards (intestines and other parts taken out during the preservation process). But the Augustinerkirche holds, in the Herzgruft (Heart Crypt), all the Habsburgs' hearts. Tours of the Herzgruft are available Monday through Friday at 11AM and 3PM. The tradition began in 1627 with Emperor Ferdinand IV, who wanted to "lay his heart at the feet of the Mother of God" - literally. His heart, and those of his descendants, are preserved in silver jars which are carefully cared for by the Augustinian friars who run the church. When the renovation was underway it was found that the preservative in some of the caskets had evaporated over the years, leaving nothing but a dried-out, mummified heart.