Imperial Vienna

The impressive palaces of Vienna and the extensive Hofburg complex bear witness to a glorious history whilst forming an elemental architectural part of a city which still pulsates with life. Many of these buildings have a tale to tell from the period of the Habsburgs. How Emperor Charles VI dreamed of his hunting lodge, how Maria Theresa finally commissioned Nicolò Pacassi to expand "her" Schönbrunn, how Emperor Franz Joseph ruled over an enormous empire from his chambers at the Hofburg and how the mysterious Empress Sisi sought to design her own apartments so as to make her periods of residence in Vienna as bearable as possible. Other stories related include that of the proud Prince Eugene and his construction of Belvedere Palace offering spectacular views over the historic centre of Vienna and the history of a time when the demolition of the old city walls completely changed the face of the city, giving way to the Vienna Ringstrasse and ushering in the famous period of promoterism which brought us such splendours as the Court Opera House, the Imperial Court Theatre and the blossoming paradises of the Burggarten and Volksgarten. This book takes us on a journey through Vienna and provides a glimpse behind the historic facades of one of the world's most beautiful cities.