194 CultureShock! Austria
Spanish Riding School
Located within part of the Hofburg is another of Vienna’s trademarks,
the Spanische Reitschule (Spanish Riding School), where tourists
flock to see the performance of the legendary white Lippizaner
horses. Commercialism aside, it is still enjoyable to watch these
beautiful horses as they execute graceful, ballet-like movements. The
horses received their name from the town of Lipizza in present-day
Slovenia, where the line began during the time of Maximilian II by
crossbreeding horses from Spain with horses from Italy and Arabia.
Karl VI created the Winter Riding School, providing a home for the
horses in a new annex to the Hofburg, built in 1735. It is difficult
to obtain tickets and they are away on tour quite often, so plan this
visit well in advance. It is easier to attend the training sessions which
offer an entertaining show just the same.
In the wake of Slovenia’s independence from Yugoslavia, the
Slovenian government filed a claim against Austria’s use of the name
‘Lippizaner’ before the European court, arguing that they hold the
right to the name, since Lippiza is a town in Slovenia.Belvedere
The Belvedere was built by architect Johann Lukas von
Hildebrandt for Eugene of Savoy, a French prince who helped
Austria repel the Turks in 1683. The palace was completed
in 1723. Following his death, it became the property of the
emperor. It was the home of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
before he was assassinated in 1914. Its most important
moment in history was on 15 May 1955, when the Austrian
State Treaty was signed by the United States, France, Britain
and the Soviet Union, granting Austria independence and
sovereignty. Austrian Foreign Minister Leopold Figl waved
the treaty from a balcony, declaring “Austria is free!” to the
crowd below.
The Belvedere (belvedere is Italian for ‘beautiful view’) is
actually two palaces, Upper Belvedere and Lower Belvedere,
separated by beautifully laid out gardens. The admission fee
allows entry into both. The Upper Belvedere houses Austrian
works from the 19th and 20th centuries, including many
pieces by the late 19th century artist Hans Makart. The
museum is famous for its collection by Jugendstil artists,
notably The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. See it to appreciate Klimt’s
unique style. Also on display are Judith I, other portraits and