Imperial Silver Collection
The Imperial Silver Collection in the Imperial Palace provides insights into the court dining culture of the former imperial dynasty.
Valuable porcelain and crystal glasses, magnificent centerpieces and services, as well as simple kitchenware made from copper can be seen in the Imperial Silver Collection. The most impressive exhibit is the 30 meter-long "Milan centerpiece", which was created for the coronation of Emperor Ferdinand I as king of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia in 1838.
Also on view are porcelain from East Asia, from Sèvres (a gift from Louis XV of France to Maria Theresa) and from Vienna, as well as panoramic plates, glazed earthenware, gold- and silverware. This includes the Vienna court table silver and the gold-plated "Vermeil service", an extensive showpiece service for 140 people.
Imperial Treasury Vienna
The most important treasury in the world is home to two imperial crowns as well as the Burgundian treasure and the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation is the highlight of the collection: Created in the second half of the 10th century, it was used to crown the empire's emperors. The octagonal crown was highly symbolic and is decorated with numerous biblical references.
The second important crown in the Imperial Treasury is the Austrian imperial crown. It was made in 1602 as a private crown for Emperor Rudolf II. (1552-1612). From 1804, it acted as the crown of the newly created Austrian Empire. However, it was never used to crown an Austrian emperor.
Austrian National Library, State Hall
The State Hall, the heart of the Austrian National Library, is one of the most beautiful library halls in the world. It is the biggest Baroque library in Europe.
The former Court Library was created in the first half of the 18th century as a private wing of the Hofburg imperial residence. Emperor Karl VI. ordered its construction. The library was built by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach according to plans of his father, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.
The impressive state hall of the library is almost 80 m long and 20 m high and is crowned by a dome that is magnificently decorated with frescoes by the court painter Daniel Gran. More than 200,000 volumes are exhibited here, among them the comprehensive library of Prince Eugene of Savoy as well as one of the largest collections of Martin Luther’s writings from the Reformation Era.
Among the exhibits are two exquisite Venetian baroque globes: one for the earth and one for the sky, each with a diameter of more than one meter.
No comments:
Post a Comment