Wien, Vienna: The Capital of Austria
Maria-Theresien-Platz and Naturhistorisches Museum
Maria-Theresien-Platz in Vienna
Maria-Theresien-Platz is a square in Vienna city centre, named after Empress Maria Theresa, who ruled Austria-Hungary in 1740-1780 (for 40 years and 40 days). You can find Maria Theresa Monument in the middle of Maria-Theresien-Platz.
See more information about hotels near Maria-Theresien-Platz.
Naturhistorisches Museum (Museum of Natural History)
Nevertheless, two things make Maria-Theresien-Platz known even more than the empress’ monument – the two identically looking museums: Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) and Naturhistorisches Museum (Museum of Natural History). They are facing one another, each on one end of the square. On the picture above you can see Naturhistorisches Museum with the square in front. The whole surface area of Maria-Theresien-Platz is covered by fountains and neatly arranged flowers and plants, which make the square look more like a park.
See more information about hotels near Naturhistorisches Museum Vienna.
Getting to Maria-Theresien-Platz and Naturhistorisches Museum
Maria-Theresien-Platz is situated between Ringstrasse and Museumsplatz on the south-western border of Innere Stadt – the inner city of Vienna. Naturhistorisches Museum is on the north-western side of the square, while Kunsthistorisches Museum is in the south-east. The metro station next to Naturhistorisches Museum is Volkstheater, located at the crossing of Museumstrasse, Museumsplatz, Burggasse, and Bellariastrasse. Tram stops next to Naturhistorisches Museum (each on one side) are named Volkstheater (Burggasse) and Doktor-Karl-Renner-Ring.
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Burgring and Burggarten Fence
Burgring
Burgring is a street in Vienna Inner City, stretching between Maria-Theresien-Platz and Vienna State Opera. It is a part of the Ringstrasse (Ring Street), the street that makes a circle around the Inner City. Each section of the Ringstrasse has its own name, typically after a nearby landmark or important place. Burgring is named after Hofburg, the Imperial Palace, the past seat of Austrian Emperors and currently the office of the Austrian President.
Here you can see more details about hotels near Burgring.
Burggarten
Burggarten is a large park next to Burgring. Like the street, Burggarten is also named after the Imperial Palace – it is in fact the garden of the palace, but nowadays it is mainly a place of relaxation for locals and tourists alike. There are several statues in Burggarten, the best-known are the statue of Mozart and the statue of Emperor Franz Joseph I.
Burggarten fence on Burgring side
The fence you can see on the picture divides Burgring and Burggarten. It runs along almost the whole length of Burgring. You can enter Burggarten either through the gate from Burgring, or from the other side from Albertinaplatz and Hanuschgasse (next to Palmenhaus).
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Vienna University of Technology Library at Karlsplatz
Vienna University of Technology
Vienna University of Technology (Technische Universität Wien) is a leading technology and natural sciences university in Austria and also highly recognized in the whole Europe. It offers bachelor, masters, and doctoral programmes in a broad range of sciences and specializations (see faculties below). Vienna University of Technology is also a leading centre of scientific-technical research.
Faculties at Vienna University of Technology
At present, Vienna University of Technology has 8 faculties:
- Faculty of Architecture and Planning
- Faculty of Civil Engineering
- Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
- Faculty of Mathematics and Geoinformation
- Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Technical Chemistry
- Faculty of Informatics
Vienna University of Technology Library Building
Vienna University of Technology Library (Universitätsbibliothek der Technischen Universität Wien) was founded in 1815, together with the whole University. The library is divided into four deparments: the Main Library, the Chemistry Library, the Mathematics and Physics Library, and the Urban Design Library.
Main Library building on the picture
The building of the Main Library of Vienna University of Technology is situated at the corner of Resselgasse and Wiedner Hauptstrasse on the southern side of Karlsplatz, just a few steps from the Main Building of Vienna University of Technology. The characteristic Karlsplatz – Wiedner Hauptstrasse corner of the library building is on the picture above.
Karlsplatz in Vienna
Karlsplatz is one of the main squares in Vienna city centre and a busy U-Bahn station. The main landmark of Karlsplatz is Karlskirche (Charles Church). The large park in front of the main building of Vienna University of Technology is Resselpark.
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Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum Detail
Kunsthistorisches Museum roof and dome
Kunsthistorisches Museum is translated as Museum of Art History, but it’s also often called Museum of Fine Arts. It is situated in a beautiful historical building, which looks like a palace and has a characteristic octogonal dome in the middle section of its roof (right above the main entrance to the museum).
You can see the dome and the central part of the roof of Kunsthistorisches Museum on the picture above.
Here you can see the whole museum building on another picture.
Hotels near Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum
Here you can see more details and tips regarding hotels near Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum location and directions
The building of Kunsthistorisches Museum is facing another, almost idential building, which also houses a museum – in this case Museum of Natural History, or Naturhistorisches Museum. Both museums are situated at Maria-Theresien-Platz, between Hofburg and MuseumsQuartier in Vienna city centre.
Public transport near Kunsthistorisches Museum
There are two U-Bahn (metro) stations near Kunsthistorisches and Naturhistorisches Museum: MuseumsQuartier Station on line U2 and Volkstheater Station, which is the interchange of lines U2 and U3. There are also trams in Burgring, which separates Maria-Theresien-Platz from Hofburg Palace.
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Franz Josef Statue in Burggarten
Franz Josef Statue, Burggarten Vienna
One of the monuments in Burggarten Park in central Vienna (probably the most popular monument in Burggarten is that of Mozart) is the statue of Franz Josef I, the long-ruling Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (see more details about Franz Josef I below). The statue was completed in 1904 (still during the life of Franz Josef) and placed in a park in Wiener Neustadt, a smaller town near Vienna. Only in 1957, long after the Emperor’s death, his statue was moved to its current location in Burggarten.
Emperor Franz Josef I
Franz Josef I ruled the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1848-1916 – just a few days short of 68 years. During his reign (and shortly before it entered World War I and eventually disintegrated) the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy included many different countries and regions, among others the areas in today’s Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, parts of Poland, Italy, and Croatia – therefore it is no surprise that this emperor is known by various names: the most commonly used are Franz Josef, Franz Joseph, Francis Joseph, or Ferenc Jozsef.
Burggarten in Vienna
- See also: Hotels near Burggarten in Vienna
Burggarten (can be translated as Castle Garden or Court Garden – see explanation of Burggarten’s name) is a large park immediately next to Vienna Imperial Palace (Hofburg) in the first district (Innere Stadt). It is situated in the centre of the main tourist area in Vienna and near many other landmarks and tourist attractions – the ones closest to Burggarten are Albertina Gallery, Vienna State Opera, or the twin museums at Maria-Theresien-Platz.
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Vienna Stephansdom Roof Detail
Stephansdom in Vienna
Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Catherdral) is one of the symbols of Vienna. Its South Tower is 137 metres high and you can climb up to its Türmer Stube (former watchman’s apartment) – it provides wonderful views of Vienna, its surroundings, and also a detailed view of Stephansdom’s roof, which is an attraction by itself.
Stephansdom Roof
The roof of Vienna cathedral is unusually colourful. This is because Stephansdom roof is made of thousands (230 thousand to be precise) glazed tiles of various colours. They are arranged like a mosaic to form geometric shapes and symbols of Vienna and Austria.
Symbols of Vienna and Austria on Stephansdom roof
The symbol you can see on the picture is the double-headed Austrian eagle, a typical mark of the former Habsburg Empire and still Austrian national symbol today. The part of roof on the photo is the southern side of Stephandom – the picture was taken from the South Tower. On the northern side, which you can see from the North Tower, there are other two symbols (also eagles): one representing the city of Vienna and the other representing the contemporary Republic of Austria.
Public transport and hotels near Stephansdom
There is an U-Bahn (metro) station directly under St. Stephen’s Cathedral – Stephansplatz Station on lines U1 and U3. Stephansplatz means Stephen’s Square. There are many hotels around Stephansdom and Stephansplatz – the area is a very popular place to stay, mainly thanks to its location in the middle of Innere Stadt (Inner City, Vienna first district) and proximity to most other landmarks.
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Museum of Natural History and Maria Theresa Monument
Museum of Natural History in Vienna
Museum of Natural History (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) is a very large museum dedicated to natural sciences and history of life on Earth. Among its best known exhibits are giant dinosaur skeletons, Stellers Seekuh, or the Venus of Willendorf – a little statuette of a female figure estimated to be made about 24,000 years ago.
Here you can see information and tips regarding hotels near Museum of Natural History.
Museum of Natural History building
Although the exhibits are really precious, it would be a mistake to overlook the museum building itself, including its historical interior and equipment. The building was designed by architects Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer; Naturhistorisches Museum was opened in 1889. Here you can see another picture of Natural History Museum.
Maria Theresa Monument and Maria-Theresien-Platz
Museum of Natural History is facing another almost identical building – the Museum of Arts History (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien). The twin museums are situated each on one side of Maria-Theresien-Platz (Maria Theresa Square) in the south-western part of Vienna Inner City between the Imperial Palace Hofburg and Museums Quarter (technically these two museums are not part of Museums Quarter). In the middle of Maria-Theresien-Platz between the two museums there is the monument of Empress Maria Theresa, which you can see on the picture.
Getting to Natural History Museum and Maria Theresa Monument
The metro station closest to Museum of Natural History is Volkstheater (lines U2 and U3). There is also a very frequent tram service on Burgring (part of Ringstrasse). The tram stop next to Natural History Museum of Dr. Karl Renner Ring.
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Burggarten Sign, Ringstrasse, Vienna
Burggarten Park in Vienna Inner City
Burggarten is a large park in the very centre of Vienna.
Burggarten is situated in the first district (Innere Stadt – Inner City), next to several very important buildings and landmarks, including the Imperial Palace, Palmenhaus, Albertina Gallery, or Vienna State Opera. Besides trees and a lake, there are several statues inside the Burggarten – the most popular ones are the statue of Mozart (there’s always a queue of tourists eager to take a picture with Mozart) or Emperor Franz Joseph I.
Bundesgarten Burggarten sign
On one side, Burggarten borders at Burgring Street – the two are separated by a fence, which you can see on this picture. The official name of the park is Bundesgarten Burggarten. When something is Bundes- in Austria, it usually means that it is owned or managed by federal (Austria-wide) public authority – in this case Bundesgärten (Federal Gardens).
Ringstrasse and Burgring
Don’t get confused – Ringstrasse and Burgring are just different names for the same street. In fact, Burgring is one of the sections of Ringstrasse, which is a very well known street that runs in circle around the historical centre of Vienna.
Burgring and Burggarten names explained
Burgring, as well as Burggarten, derives its name from die Burg, which means the castle or the court in German – and in Vienna it means the Imperial Palace Hofburg, the seat of Austro-Hungarian Emperors in the past and the office of the Austrian President in these days. Here you can see another picture of Burgring, which is a beautiful wide boulevard with many trees and wide pedestrian pathways – something very typical for Vienna city centre.
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