Among The Other Striking Buildings In The Old Town Is The Hofburg Or
Imperial Palace, A Very Extensive Quadrangular Building, With A Large Court
In Its Centre.
A Guard mounts here every day at eleven o'clock.
It was in
one of the saloons of this palace that the celebrated Congress of Vienna
was held; a Congress whose labours will be long and severely felt by Europe
and duly appreciated by posterity, who will feel any other sentiment but
that of gratitude for the arrangements entered into there. The Hofburg
was built by Leopold VII in 1200. This building, from its being extremely
irregular and from its having received additions at intervals in the
different styles of architecture, has been aptly enough considered as the
type of the Austrian monarchy, and of its growth from a Markgraviate to an
Empire; in this, by the continued acquisition of foreign territories
differing from each other in manners and hi speech; in that, by the
continued addition of various specimens of architecture and style of
building in its augmentation.
VIENNA, Aug. 8th.
I am very well content with my abode at the Weisser Wolf, tho' it is not
a first-rate hotel. They are very civil people, and I have an excellent and
spacious room for two florins Wiener Whaerung per diem. Lodgings are the
only things that are dear in Vienna, every other article is, however,
cheaper than in any other city I have yet been in. All kinds of Hungarian
wine may be had at the most reasonable prices. I generally breakfast at a
neighbouring Cafe in the Fleischmarkt for the sake of reading the
Allgemeine Zeitung which is taken in there, and which is the only journal
having a shade of liberality which is permitted in the Austrian dominions.
From the hours of twelve to three, dinners a la carte are served at the
Weisser Wolf. For two and half florins W.W., I get an excellent dinner
with a bottle of Offener wine. The wine of Offen resembles much that of
Bordeaux in its quality and flavor. The tariff however of the dinners and
wines varies daily a few kreutzers, in consequence of the eternal
fluctuation of the W.W., so that every morning a fresh tariff is affixed
to the wainscot of the saloon where the dinners are served. Supper, served
likewise a la carte, is at its full tide between the hours of eight and
ten o'clock; and as Vienna is renowned for the celebrity of its beefsteaks
and cutlets, called here Rostbraten, these and a salad seem to be the
favourite dish for supper. My mornings I have hitherto passed in lounging
about the Kaernthner Gasse, St Stephen's Platz, Kohlmarkt, etc. For an
hour before dinner the fashionable promenade is on the rampart in front of
the palace of Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen; in the evening on the Prater,
in a carriage, on horseback, or on foot. The Prater is of immense extent
and offers a great variety of amusements and sights.
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