Vienna contains the Hofburg, the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg monarchy.
The Hofburg began as a medieval fortress and expanded over centuries as Habsburg power grew. It served as the principal winter residence of the Austrian rulers, while Schönbrunn Palace functioned mainly as their summer residence. The complex occupies a large area in central Vienna.
Its buildings represent several architectural periods, including Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and 19th-century historicism. Notable sections include the Imperial Apartments, the Austrian National Library, the Treasury, the Spanish Riding School, and the office of Austria’s federal president.
The Hofburg was the political center of the Habsburg monarchy until the empire ended in 1918. Visitors sometimes mistake it for one single palace, but it is actually a large collection of interconnected buildings and courtyards developed over roughly seven centuries.