The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation is the highlight of the collection: Created in the second half of the 10th century, it was used to crown the empire's emperors. The octagonal crown was highly symbolic and is decorated with numerous biblical references.

The second important crown in the Imperial Treasury is the Austrian imperial crown. It was made in 1602 as a private crown for Emperor Rudolf II. (1552-1612). From 1804, it acted as the crown of the newly created Austrian Empire. However, it was never used to crown an Austrian emperor.

Unicorn and Holy Grail

Also on exhibit are the Burgundian treasure from the 15th century and the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece (the Habsburg dynastic order). One of the biggest emeralds in the world and many other richly decorated pieces of temporal and spiritual power can also be seen, such as two "inalienable heirlooms of the House of Austria": a giant narwhal tooth, which was believed to come from a unicorn, and a late antiquity agate bowl, which was considered to be the legendary Holy Grail.

The entrance to the Treasuries can be found in the Schweizerhof, whose name is reminiscent of the Swiss Guard that was once posted here.

Imperial Palace Overview