On the trail of Emperor Franz Joseph in Vienna
Emperor Franz Joseph’s erstwhile private garden provides a great setting for an initial encounter with the great man. The Burggarten in Vienna’s old town contains a statue of the monarch in typical dress – in his case, military uniform. Originally unveiled in front of a barracks, it later took up residence in the park on the Ringstrasse boulevard in 1957. The statue now stands just a stone’s throw from the Hofburg, where he ruled over the Habsburg empire for 68 years. Franz Joseph lived in the complex during the winter, and the former Imperial Apartments are open to visitors. Highlights include his study, his wife Elisabeth’s drawing room and bedroom, various salons and a positively antediluvian bathroom. Also located in the Hofburg, the Imperial Treasuries is a trove of priceless items including Emperor Rudolf II’s crown, which would later be adopted as the Austrian coronation crown.
Each summer Franz Joseph relocated his entire operation to Schönbrunn Palace – where he was born (1830), spent his dotage and died (1916). Passionate about nature, he was particularly fond of the Schlosspark where he would take regular walks. As a child Franz Joseph would spend countless hours in the park with his brothers, and is reputed to have learned to swim in a pool behind the obelisk fountain. He also visited the zoo regularly. Schönbrunn Palace has 1,441 rooms, 45 of which are open to the public. The Emperor’s offices and private apartments are simple and unadorned, while the staterooms and guest apartments are the epitome of opulence. The Imperial Coach Collection at Schönbrunn Palace presents a huge range of examples of imperial transportation, from the larger-than-life imperial coach to more modest children’s sleighs.
Another related highlight, the Hofpavillon Hietzing can be found close to Schönbrunn Palace. Adorned with intricate Jugendstil (Austrian Art Nouveau) elements, the pavilion was actually a station designed by Otto Wagner for the Stadtbahn railway. Exclusively reserved for the monarch and his entourage, the imperial station building even contained a private study for the emperor. However, he only used his private station on a grand total of two occasions – today it is open to visitors. Anyone interested in finding out how the emperor really lived should head for the Vienna Furniture Museum. This unique museum contains furnishings from the royal and imperial households. The thousands of items covering some five centuries include an imperial travel throne and a prayer bench upholstered in velvet.
Other places with strong connections to the emperor include the Museum of Military History which puts painting and uniforms from the Emperor’s day on display in the Franz-Joseph-Saal, and the Votive Church which was built to thank God for saving the young Emperor’s life following a failed assassination attempt. Vienna’s Ringstrasse boulevard can also be seen as a symbol of his reign. In 1857 Emperor Franz Joseph ordered the fortifications surrounding Vienna’s city center to be demolished, and for a boulevard complete with showpiece buildings to be constructed on the grounds in front of the old walls and towers.
In-keeping with tradition, the “Old Man of Schönbrunn” was laid to rest in the Imperial Burial Vault, which is the final resting place of members of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty. Since 1633 a total of 149 Habsburgs, including 12 emperors and 19 empresses and queens, have been buried in the crypt beneath the Kapuzinerkirche (Church of the Capuchin Friars). Franz Joseph was the last of the emperors to be buried here. The sarcophaguses containing the remains of his spouse Empress Elisabeth and Crown Prince Rudolf are also in the chamber.
Kaiser Franz Josef-Statue
Burggarten1010 Wien
Imperial Apartments
Hofburg1010 Vienna
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Comments
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Entrance via Kaisertor
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Opening times
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September
to
June
Daily 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. -
July
to
August
Daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Guided tour for children Sa - Su, 10:30 - 14:30
- Guided tour for children on holidays, 10:30 - 14:30
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September
to
June
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Accessibility
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Elevator available
- Door 90 cm wide
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Further information
- Seeing eye dogs allowed
- Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
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Special offers for people with disabilities
Admission free for a person accompanying a blind visitor or a visitor in a wheelchair, provided that the accompanying person is included in the ID.
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Comments
Access to the exhibition rooms: elevator to the 1st floor, access to restaurant / café: 1 step.
Number of steps to the first floor (Imperial Apartments&Sisi Museum): 72
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Elevator available
Imperial Treasury Vienna
Hofburg, Schweizerhof1010 Vienna
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Vienna City Card
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-7%
Additional information on the offer: Standard ticket price: 14€
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-7%
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Prices
- Visitors under 19: Free admission
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Opening times
- Mo, 09:00 - 17:30
- We, 09:00 - 17:30
- Th, 09:00 - 17:30
- Fr, 09:00 - 17:30
- Sa, 09:00 - 17:30
- Su, 09:00 - 17:30
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Special opening hours 2.11.2020-28.3.2021: only open Fri, Sat, Sun 9:00-17:30
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Accessibility
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Main entrance
- no steps (Doppelschwingtüre 200 cm wide)
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Car parks Main entrance
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Parking spaces for people with disabilities
Public parking spaces for people with disabilities on Heldenplatz
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Parking spaces for people with disabilities
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Elevator available
- Door 80 cm wide
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Further information
- Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
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Special offers for people with disabilities
Wheelchair rental (reserve at least one day ahead)
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Comments
Exhibition rooms: 20 steps and elevator.
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Main entrance
Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunner Schlossstraße1130 Vienna
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Vienna City Card
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-15%
Additional information on the offer: Standard classic ticket price: 28,5€incl. audio guide Preis Sisi Ticket/Grand Tour: 33€ instead of 36€
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-15%
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Opening times
- daily, 09:30 - 17:00
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Accessibility
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Main entrance
- no steps
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Car parks Main entrance
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Parking spaces for people with disabilities
at main entrance portal (Schönbrunner Schlossstrasse, 3 parking spaces), Meidlinger Tor (2 parking spaces), close to Kavalierstrakt as well as Valerietrakt (2 parking spaces) and Fürstenstöckl (1 parking space)
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Parking spaces for people with disabilities
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Elevator available
- Door 90 cm wide
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Further information
- Seeing eye dogs allowed
- Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
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Special offers for people with disabilities
Free wheelchair rental – contact attendant at main portal (3 wheelchairs) or at Hietzinger Tor and at Meidlinger Tor (1 wheelchair each). Supplemental devices available for the visually impaired. Tours for visitors with with disabilities or special needs on request. Museum Sign Language Guide available in ÖGS and IS for the Imperial or Grand Tour, prior reservation recommended, further information: https://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/visitor-information/barrier-free-access/
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Comments
Access to all exhibition rooms: no steps. Freight elevator for extra wide wheelchairs: door width: 160 cm, cabin depth: 220 cm, cabin width: 156 cm.
Visitors' center in the Gardetrakt by the main gate, stepless access, door width: approx. 144 cm, wheelchair-accessible restroom can be reached by wheelchair platform lift – platform 110/140 cm, door width: 90 cm in the corridor area and 94 cm to the outdoors, accessible from outside with a Euro-Key.
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Main entrance
Schönbrunn Zoo Entrance via Hietzinger Tor/Hietzinger Hauptstraße
Schönbrunner Schlosspark1130 Vienna
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Vienna City Card
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-16%
Additional information on the offer: Standard ticket price: 21,5€
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-16%
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Opening times
- daily, 09:00 - 17:30
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Accessibility
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Main entrance
- no steps (Schwingtüre )
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Car parks Main entrance
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Parking spaces for people with disabilities
at Elisabethallee, entrance Tirolerhof
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Parking spaces for people with disabilities
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Further information
- Seeing eye dogs allowed
- Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
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Special offers for people with disabilities
Tours for visitors with disabilities and special needs on request.
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Comments
Access to buildings and enclosures without steps or via ramp.
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Main entrance
Imperial Carriage Museum Vienna
Schloss Schönbrunn1130 Vienna
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Vienna City Card
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-8%
Additional information on the offer: Standard ticket price: 12€
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-8%
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Opening times
- 15 March 2020 to 30 November 2020
- daily, 09:00 - 17:00
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Accessibility
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Special offers for people with disabilities
Special tours for people with special needs on request. More information: kunstvermittlung@khm.at or Tel. +43 1 525 24-5202
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Comments
Main entrance: steps (more than 3 cm), double doors (each 68 cm wide), entrance to the collection: double swinging doors, total width 130cm, exhibition area: flat floors, wheelchair-accessible. Second floor area reachable via steps (width 128 cm, 12 steps, landing, then 155 cm, 10 steps, handrail on both sides of the steps, 100 cm high). Restroom outside Coach Collection.
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Special offers for people with disabilities
Otto Wagner's Court Pavillon (Hietzing)
Schönbrunner Schloßstraße1130 Vienna
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Opening times
- Sa - Su, 10:00 - 13:00
- Sa - Su, 14:00 - 18:00
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Accessibility
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Main entrance
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2 Steps
(Doppelschwingtüre 156 cm wide)
Stufenhöhe je 16cm
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2 Steps
(Doppelschwingtüre 156 cm wide)
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Further information
- Seeing eye dogs allowed
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Special offers for people with disabilities
Guided tours on request.
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Main entrance
Vienna Furniture Museum
Andreasgasse 71070 Vienna
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Vienna City Card
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-38%
Additional information on the offer: Standard ticket price: 10,50€. Sisi Ticket (Imperial Furniture Collection, Schönbrunn Palace, Sisi Museum & Imperial Apartments & Silver Collection) 33€ instead of 36€ with the Vienna City Card
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-38%
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Opening times
- Tu, 10:00 - 18:00
- We, 10:00 - 18:00
- Th, 10:00 - 18:00
- Fr, 10:00 - 18:00
- Sa, 10:00 - 18:00
- Su, 10:00 - 18:00
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also open on: Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Mondays between December 24 and January 6.
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Accessibility
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Main entrance
- no steps (Doppelschwingtüre 180 cm wide)
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Elevator available
- Door 90 cm wide
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Further information
- Seeing eye dogs allowed
- Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
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Special offers for people with disabilities
Seeing-eye dogs permitted. Guided group tours for wheelchair users on request.
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Comments
All areas accessible via elevator. Elevator 3rd-5th floor.
Lifting platform to the first floor: door width: 83 cm, cabin depth: 117 cm, cabin width: 75 cm. Access to the restaurant / café: no steps.
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Main entrance
Museum of Military History
Arsenal, Objekt 11030 Vienna
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Vienna City Card
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-29%
Additional information on the offer: Standard ticket price: 7€
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-29%
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Prices
- Free admission on first Sunday of the month
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Opening times
- Mo, 09:00 - 17:00
- Tu, 09:00 - 17:00
- We, 09:00 - 17:00
- Th, 09:00 - 17:00
- Fr, 09:00 - 17:00
- Sa, 09:00 - 17:00
- Su, 09:00 - 17:00
- on holidays, 09:00 - 17:00
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closed Jan 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, Nov 1, Dec 25, Dec 31
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Accessibility
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Main entrance
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3 Steps
Access via ramp
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3 Steps
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Side entrance
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2 Steps
Access via ramp - Ramp 119 cm wide
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2 Steps
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Car parks Main entrance
- 4 Parking spaces for people with disabilities
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Further information
- Seeing eye dogs allowed
- Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
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Comments
Access to Tank Garden (Panzergarten) on ground floor.
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Main entrance
Imperial Burial Vault Kaisergruft
Tegetthoffstraße 21010 Vienna
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Vienna City Card
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-19%
Additional information on the offer: Standard ticket price: 8€
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Your benefit with the Vienna City Card:
-19%
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Opening times
- Mo, 10:00 - 18:00
- Tu, 10:00 - 18:00
- Mo, 10:00 - 18:00
- Th, 09:00 - 18:00
- Fr, 10:00 - 18:00
- Sa, 10:00 - 18:00
- Su, 10:00 - 18:00
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1 and 2 November: 10.00 am - 2.00 pm, 24 and 31 December: 10.00 am - 4.00 pm.
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Guided tours
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Wednesday - Saturday
- 2 pm (German)
- 3.30 pm (English)
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Accessibility
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Main entrance
- no steps (Automatische Schiebetüre 142 cm wide)
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Elevator available
- Door 90 cm wide
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Further information
- Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
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Comments
Access to all exhibition rooms: no steps, except 3 steps to the tomb of emperor Franz Joseph and to the burial vault chapel.
The touching of objects is not permitted due to reasons of preservation.
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Main entrance
www.habsburger.net is an excellent source of information on the history and lives and times of the Habsburgs (in German and English).