Day dawned and it was windy but not wet - an early rise for Graeme as he went on the Imperial Vienna tour - a visit to Schonbrun Palace. Originally it was a 1 hour coach drive out of town into the country as the summer residence of Empress Maria Theresa, now it is very much part of the suburbs but set in 400 acres - house of 2000 rooms and gardens. It was left furnisdhed as it was when Emperor resigned at the end of WW1 when Austria was defeated. Then was a pleasant frive into the Vienna Woods to hear some of the tales - a visit to the Heiligenkreutz Abbey (Holy Cross, a Cistercian Abbey which is still working (70 monks) and was adeclared a Papal Univeristy in 2008. It has beuatiful inlay on the pews, choir hymn books are hugew with wooden covers, a plague memorial, the chapel is a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. It's claim to fame is that it houses a relic - brought there in about 900AD - a piece of Christ's Cross. It also has beuatiful stained glass windows in the cloisters and Chapter House
. Then we went on to Mayerling - a hunting lodge of the Crown Prince but since his death along with his very young mistress there in 1898, it is now a nunnery! We then came back to Vienna and a tour of the royal crypts and tombs. After lunch the two of us visited the museum containing the the Austrian Crown jewels and ecclesiatical treasury dating back to the 900's - what finery of robes, pink boots and matching gloves, mantles, capes, swords, orbs and sceptres and of course the jewelled crowns and other altar furniture. Following a nana/papa nap a group of us headed for the Kursalon for a 4 course dinner followed by a concert of Viennese classical music with the works of Strauss, Mozart, Rossini performed by a 13 piece salon orchestra but also a couple of dancers who waltzed and a male and female soloist - Figaro from the Barber of Seville was a highlight, as of course was Radetzky March and the Blue Danube. a real quality fun night. The building was erected in the late 1800;s especially for the perfomance of Strauss waltzes and set in the City Park adjacent to the golden statue of Johann Strauss.
. Then we went on to Mayerling - a hunting lodge of the Crown Prince but since his death along with his very young mistress there in 1898, it is now a nunnery! We then came back to Vienna and a tour of the royal crypts and tombs. After lunch the two of us visited the museum containing the the Austrian Crown jewels and ecclesiatical treasury dating back to the 900's - what finery of robes, pink boots and matching gloves, mantles, capes, swords, orbs and sceptres and of course the jewelled crowns and other altar furniture. Following a nana/papa nap a group of us headed for the Kursalon for a 4 course dinner followed by a concert of Viennese classical music with the works of Strauss, Mozart, Rossini performed by a 13 piece salon orchestra but also a couple of dancers who waltzed and a male and female soloist - Figaro from the Barber of Seville was a highlight, as of course was Radetzky March and the Blue Danube. a real quality fun night. The building was erected in the late 1800;s especially for the perfomance of Strauss waltzes and set in the City Park adjacent to the golden statue of Johann Strauss.
That's another great shot of 2 lovely ladies.
ReplyDeleteBoth looked like they are thoroughly enjoying themselves, as they should! xx