2007 Europe Trip

EC 73
8:26AM/27 Nov Praha Holesovice
12:28PM/27 Nov Wien Suedbahnhof

EC 75
10:26AM/27 Nov Praha Holesovice
2:28PM/27 Nov Wien Suedbahnhof

check-in

Built between 1861 and 1865 in a style inspired by the French Renaissance (and faithfully reconstructed after World War II), it was so severely criticized when it was unveiled that one of its architects, Eduard van der Null, committed suicide.

On Opernring, walk 1 block north on Austria's most famous pedestrian street, Kärntner Strasse. We'll eventually walk past the glamorous shops and famous houses, but for the moment, turn left behind the arcaded bulk of the State Opera onto Philharmonikerstrasse. On the right side, you'll see the lushly carved caryatids and globe lights of Vienna's best-known hotel, the:

confectionery store sell Sachertorte.
Home to the eponymous Sacher Torte (now 175 years old), the recipe for which is a proprietary secret (at least two types of dark chocolate for the couverture and apricot jam to finish, that much we do know). Due to enforcement of a dress code, limited seating in the tourist area and inability to cajole and persuade in German, I wasn't able to enjoy a piece in Vienna but you just go to their shop (the Sacher Eck) nand buy one. In some respects, this is better than consuming a piece there. Also. their other cakes are as delicious and decadent.

This Hofburg museum, named for a son-in-law of Maria Theresa, explores the development of graphic arts since the 14th century. It houses one of the world's greatest graphics collections. Dürer's Hare and Clasped Hands, which the Albertina has owned for centuries, are two of the most frequently reproduced works in the world. Among the Albertina's 60,000 drawings and one million prints, the children's studies of Rubens as well as the masterpieces of Schiele, Cézanne, Klimt, Kokoschka, Picasso, and Rauschenberg are among the best known. Located in the center of Vienna, the former Habsburg residence is one of the most beautiful classical palaces in the world. The Albertina's state apartments are among the most valuable examples of classical architecture. Visitors who remember the old Albertina are often surprised at the $110-million overhaul. Today there are three airy new galleries on four floors constructed into a former city wall.

Adjacent to Albertinaplatz, at Lobkowitzplatz 2, lies one of the many baroque jewels of Vienna. Its position is confusing because of the rows of buildings partially concealing it. To get here, walk about 50 paces to the right of the Albertina. This is the:

This privately owned building existed in smaller form at the time of the second Turkish siege of Vienna. After the Turks were driven from the outskirts of the city, the palace was enlarged by the reigning architect of his day, Fischer von Erlach. In 1735, it passed into the hands of Prince Lobkowitz, a great patron of the arts; Beethoven's Third Symphony premiered here in 1803.

At the far end of Lobkowitzplatz, take Gluckgasse past a series of antiques shops filled with Art Deco jewelry and silverware. At the end of the block, at Tegetthoffstrasse, go left. About 50 paces later, you'll be in front of the deceptively simple facade of the:

Church of the Capuchi Friars
Originally constructed in the 1620s, its facade was rebuilt in 1935 along a severely simple design following old illustrations. Despite its humble appearance, the Kapuzinerkirche contains the burial vaults of every Habsburg ruler since 1633. The heavily sculpted double casket of Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis, is flanked with weeping nymphs and skulls but capped with a triumphant cherub reuniting the couple.

The portal of this church marks the beginning of the Neuer Markt, whose perimeter is lined with rows of elegant baroque houses. The square's centerpiece is one of the most beautiful works of outdoor art in Austria, the:

Augustinerkeller, Augustinerstrasse 1 (tel. 01/533-1026), in the basement of the Hofburg palace sheltering the Albertina collection. This popular wine tavern, open daily from 11am to midnight, offers wine, beer, and Austrian food.

Designed in 1910, it immediately became the most violently condemned building in town. That almost certainly stemmed from the unabashed (some would say provocative) contrast between the lavishly ornamented facade of the Michaelerplatz entrance to the Hofburg and what contemporary critics compared to "the gridwork of a sewer." Franz Joseph hated the building so much that he used the Michaelerplatz exit as infrequently as possible.

A covered tunnel that empties both pedestrians and automobiles into the square takes you beneath the Hofburg complex. Notice the passageway's elaborate ceiling: spears, capes, and shields crowning the supports of the elaborate dome. This must be one of the most heavily embellished traffic tunnels in the world. As you walk through the tunnel, a series of awesomely proportioned courtyards reveals the Imperial Age's addiction to conspicuous grandeur.

When you eventually emerge from the tunnel, you'll find yourself surrounded by the magnificent curves of: