16: Vienna and the Best of Austria in Visual Studio .NET

Creator ECC200 in Visual Studio .NET 16: Vienna and the Best of Austria

Gemma Augustea, and a roly-poly blue hippopotamus from 2000 BC Egypt (which also serves as the museum s mascot) Also check out Archimboldo s idiosyncratic and allegorical still lifes cum-portraits, in which the artist cobbles together everyday objects to look like a face from afar Craggy, wooden-faced Winter is really Francis I of France, and flame-haired Fire may be Emperor Maximillian II himself See map p 314 Maria Theresien Platz (across the Burgring from the Neue Burg) % 01-525-240 wwwkhmat U-Bahn: Mariahilferstrasse Tram: 52, 58, D, or J Admission: 10 ($16) adults, 750 ($12) seniors and students, free for children 5 and under Guided tours in English at 11 am and 3 pm 2 ($320) Open: Daily 10 am 6 pm (until 9 pm Thurs)

Installed in former Hapsburg stables, MuseumsQuartier is one of the largest cultural complexes in the world It s like combining the Guggenheim Museum in New York with that city s Museum of Modern Art Toss in the Brooklyn Academy of Music, a children s museum, an architecture and design center, lots of theaters and art galleries, along with video workshops and much more and you ve got it There s even a tobacco museum Our favorite attraction here is the Leopold Museum (% 01-525-700; www leopoldmuseumorg) with its brilliant collection of Austrian art We d visit it for no other reason than it contains the world s largest treasure-trove of the works of Egon Schiele (1890 1918), ranked by some critics right up there with van Gogh and Modigliani Schiele died at the age of 27, but Leopold has more than 2,500 drawings and watercolors along with 330 oil canvases There s so much more, including works by Gustav Klimt Of almost equal importance is the Kunsthalle Wien (% 01-521-8933; www kunsthallewienat), a showcase for both classic modern art and contemporary cutting-edge paintings Every artist from Picasso to Andy Warhol is represented here yes, even Ms Yoko Ono, not the world s greatest painter, although she married well From Expressionism to cubism to abstraction, the art is magnificently spread across five floors A final attraction, Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation (MUMOK; % 01-525-000; wwwmumokat) presents one of the most outstanding collections of modern art in central Europe, even American pop The museum features five exhibition levels (two of which are underground) From cubism to surrealism, major art movements are grouped together The fabled names of the 20th century, including Jasper Johns and Roy Lichtenstein, are on ample display See map p 314 Museumsplatz 1 % 01-523-5881 for MQ Point, the complex s information center wwwmqwat U-Bahn: MuseumsQuartier Admission: Leopold Museum 10 ($16) adults, 7 ($11) seniors, 550 ($880) students and children 8 18, free for children 7 and under; Kunsthalle Wien 11 ($17) adults, 850 ($14) seniors, students, and children; MUMOK 10 ($16) adults, 8 ($13) seniors, 650 ($10) students 19 and over, 4 ($640) students 14 18, 2 ($320) children 6 13 Open: MQ Point daily 10 am 7 pm; Leopold Museum Wed Mon 10 am 6 pm (until 9 pm

Thurs); Kunsthalle Wien Thurs Tues 10 am 7 pm (until 10 pm Thurs); MUMOK Tues Sun 10 am 6 pm (until 9 pm Thurs)

Schloss Sch nbrunn (Sch nbrunn Palace)

You have to travel about 4 miles from Vienna s center to experience this palace but it s definitely worth the effort Schloss Sch nbrunn was the baroque playground of Empress Maria Theresa and served as the Hapsburgs summer palace after its completion in the mid-18th century Only 40 of the sprawling palace s 1,441 rooms are open to visitors Two different self-guided tours lead the way through state apartments that brim with gorgeous chandeliers and old-world detail The basic Imperial Tour guides you through 22 rooms; the Grand Tour includes 40 rooms, including 18th-century interiors from the time of Maria Theresa (Be sure to call ahead for tour costs and times; summertime tours leave as frequently as every 30 minutes) Your visit is not compete without a jaunt through the extravagant rococo gardens, complete with faux Roman ruins and a baroque coffeehouse that overlooks the gardens (a fantastic photo op) If imperial coaches are your thing, don t miss the Wagenburg carriage museum See map p 314 Sch nbrunner Schlossstrasse % 01-8111-30 wwwschoen brunnat U-Bahn: U4 Admission: Imperial Tour 950 ($15) adults, 790 ($13) students, 590 ($950) children 14 and under; Grand Tour 13 ($21) adults, 990 ($16) students, 790 ($13) children 14 and under; gardens 290 ($470) adults, 240 ($390) seniors and students, 170 ($270) children 6 15 Open: Palace Apr June and Sept Oct daily 8:30 am 5 pm, July Aug daily 8:30 am 6 pm, and Nov Mar daily 8:30 am 4:30 pm; gardens daily 9 am to sunset

Staatsoper (State Opera House)

One of the world s greatest opera meccas, the regal Staatsoper has a marvelous musical heritage dating all the way back to its 1869 opening with a performance of Mozart s Don Giovanni Mahler and Strauss among other classical musical titans have served as its musical directors Take a short 40-minute tour during the day or, even better, catch a thrilling performance in the evening (see More cool things to see and do, later in this chapter) See map p 314 Opern Ring 2 % 01-514-44-2606 wwwstaatsoperat U-Bahn: Oper or Karlsplatz Tram: 1, 2, D, J, 62, or 65 Admission: Tours 5 ($8) adults, 4 ($640) seniors, 2 ($320) students and children 14 and under Open: The ever-changing schedule of tours (1 3 English-language tours offered daily, usually between 1 and 3 pm) is posted at an entrance on the right (east) side

Stephansdom (St Stephan s Cathedral)

The heart of Vienna lies in this visual and cultural landmark from the 12th to 14th centuries (Mozart s 1791 pauper funeral was held here) Visit the fanciful tombs, an impressive 15th-century carved wooden altar, and a