Ausgrabungen Michaelerplatz

First mentioned in a document dated 1572, it is the only equestrian institute in the world which follows a Renaissance model of classical schooling. Eleves, or students, begin their training immediately after completion of Austrian primary education (age 15 or 16), and are expected to be both sporty and clever. The school takes its name from a Spanish breed of horse first mentioned in Roman writings. In 1562, Emperor Maximilian II brought some of these Spanish horses to Austria to found a royal stud farm in Kladrub (Bohemia), housing them for a time in the "Stallburg" (oldest section of the Imperial Palace). The present school location was built in 1572. In 1580, Maximilian's brother, Archduke Karl, founded the stud farm in Lipizza near Trieste (now Slovenia). Interest in elegant riding had been growing for about 50 years at that point. During Renaissance times, powerful gentlemen who had already conquered the worlds of finance and politics looked to the writings of antiquity for new learning and an educated lifestyle to which they could aspire. Horsemanship which followed the ancient models described by Socrates and others became the fashion. Xenophon (430 – 354 BC) wrote "Men who understand the art of horsemanship, in truth, look magnificent." Who wouldn't want that? In the new Winter Riding School (built 1729-35), tournaments, masked balls, and other entertainment was held, but this would soon draw to a close – the royal stud farms at Lipizza were threatened by Napoleon several times and twice the precious stud horses were evacuated to Hungary. No photos or video taping allowed.

Designed by Adolf Loos and completed in 1909, this is considered to be one of the most significant buildings of the Wiener Moderne era from 1890-1910, although initially it was fiercely criticised. Today the building is occupied by the Wiener Raiffeisenbank, but a permanent exhibit in the building has photographs and documents illustrating the building's history.

This trio of museums includes the Imperial Apartments (Kaiserappartements), Sisi Museum, and Imperial Silver Collection (Silberkammer). The Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum include 22 state rooms of 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.

The original chapel of the Palace, built in Gothic style 1447-1449, was made over in Baroque style. On Sundays and Catholic holidays (of which the Austrians celebrate many), the Court Musicians perform here. This group is made up of members from the Vienna Boys Choir, as well as performers from the orchestra and choir of the Vienna State Opera. Tickets can be purchased online here.

The best part of the Hofburg and an absolute must. It contains the Habsburgs' collection of jewels, crowns, and other valuables, perhaps the best on the Continent. Second only to a tour of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, of which the Schatzkammer is a part. There are 20 rooms of priceless treasures that give a fairly accurate representation of the ceremonial Habsburg court life over the centuries.

The only museum of its type in the world, this museum contains a collection of 650 globes of all types, as well as a collection of nearly 300,000 historic maps.