Hofburg Palace
Seven centuries of Austrian rulers worked from this address — the current president still does.
Coming soon on iOS — be first to walk Vienna offline.
Built in the 13th century by Ottokar II of Bohemia, the Hofburg grew continuously as Habsburg power expanded, absorbing a treasury, an imperial chapel, a library, and a riding school into one sprawling complex. From 1438 to 1583, and again from 1612 to 1806, it was the seat of the Habsburg kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, then Emperors of Austria until 1918, and since 1946 has been the Austrian president's official residence.
What to look for
- The Schatzkammer (imperial treasury) — one of the original institutions folded into the complex as the Habsburgs consolidated power
- The Spanish Riding School (Hofreitschule) — the imperial riding school still contained within the palace grounds
- Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square) — ordered by Franz Joseph I as the centerpiece of a planned Kaiserforum that was never completed
The complex is in central Vienna; the newest wing, the Neue Burg, was built between 1881 and 1913 and faces Heldenplatz.
Hofburg Palace is one of 39 sights worth the detour in Vienna, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Vienna pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Vienna
- Schönbrunn PalaceHabsburg emperors were born here, ruled from here, and died here — 1,441 rooms of Baroque ambition spanning 300 years.
- St. Stephen's CathedralA cathedral consecrated in 1147 as crusaders prepared to march — and built on top of a Roman burial ground that nobody knew was there until 2000.
- BelvederePrince Eugene built this summer palace on Ottoman campaign winnings — it is now three art museums inside a World Heritage Baroque garden.
- Vienna State OperaThe first major building on Vienna's Ring Road, and the house where Vienna Philharmonic musicians earn their seats.
- Ernst-Happel-StadionBuilt for workers' sport in 1931, this 50,865-seat bowl also served as a transit prison for over 1,000 Jewish deportees in 1939.
- Kunsthistorisches MuseumThe Habsburgs' private art collection, housed in the palace they built just to hold it.