Der Wiener Staatsoper, Rathaus, and More!

Vienna, Austria is one of the nicest-looking cities we’ve seen. It’s clean, and as far as we can tell, well-managed. Parks and stately-looking buildings are everywhere you look. Viennese architecture is impressive. And those building names… Wiener Staatsoper, Rathaus, and more. Continue reading “Der Wiener Staatsoper, Rathaus, and More!”

Marie Antonia Habsburg – The Rest of the Story

Marie Antonia Habsburg was the youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa, ruler of the Habsburg empire, and her husband, Francis I, the Holy Roman Emperor. Wow. With a royal pedigree like that, what could possibly go wrong? Continue reading “Marie Antonia Habsburg – The Rest of the Story”

Maria Theresa – Queen of Austria and Hungary

From downtown Vienna, Austria, it’s a short ride out of town to Schönbrunn Palace. At Schönbrunn, the wealth and power of the Habsburg dynasty comes through loud and clear. But it wasn’t always that way. It wasn’t until one particular Habsburg, Maria Theresa, arrived. She really liked the place, she had unlimited resources, and she didn’t mess around. Continue reading “Maria Theresa – Queen of Austria and Hungary”

How to Build a Dynasty – The Rest of the Story

Schönbrunn Palace, located just outside Vienna, was the summer residence of the Habsburg family. The opulence of this summer retreat might make a person curious about how a family could acquire wealth on such a grand scale. The previous two posts told how the Habsburgs started to build their dynasty. Here’s the rest of the story. Continue reading “How to Build a Dynasty – The Rest of the Story”

How to Build a Dynasty II

For hundreds of years, Vienna served as the home base of the Habsburgs. Habsburg family holdings grew large enough to earn “dynasty” status. The Western world hasn’t seen many families rich enough to be called dynastic. How did the Habsburgs do it? Let’s pick up the story where we left off last time. Continue reading “How to Build a Dynasty II”

How to Build a Dynasty

We’re in Schönbrunn Palace, just outside Vienna, Austria. The palace was the summer residence of the Habsburgs. In the 19th century, the Habsburg dynasty’s holdings were vast. How does a family build a dynasty of that size? Here’s how the Habsburgs did it. Continue reading “How to Build a Dynasty”

The Grounds at Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace is a massive estate just outside Vienna, Austria.  The Habsburg family, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, used it for their summer home. You don’t have to go inside to get some idea of the Habsburg’s power. You’ll know just by seeing the grounds at Schönbrunn Palace. Continue reading “The Grounds at Schönbrunn Palace”

A Visit to Schönbrunn Palace

We landed in Vienna yesterday.  After exploring our immediate surroundings, the Inner Stadt area, we had a good dinner and conked out.  Today we’re going to do the typical tourist thing and go see Schönbrunn Palace.  It’s a required activity on any self-respecting tourist’s What-to-See-in-Vienna list. Continue reading “A Visit to Schönbrunn Palace”