This famous Vienna museum has at the heart of its collections treasures assembled by the Hapsburg Imperial family over many centuries. The museum's eight galleries embrace exhibits from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, along with medieval art and Renaissance and Baroque treasures, including jewellery and goldsmiths' work. Among the best known items is Benvenuto Cellini's golden salt cellar completed in 1543 for Francis I of France. Cellini himself described it as 'Oval in form … wrought of solid gold and worked entirely with a chisel'. Another treasure is a 14th century gold and enamel chain bearing the emblems of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the Burgundian guild which created some of the finest medieval gold ornaments.

Most magnificent, perhaps, are two crowns in the museum's 'Treasury'. The oldest is the gold crown of the Holy Roman Emperors, probably made for the coronation of Otto the Great in Rome in 962 AD; it is in gold, precious stones and enamel. The second is the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II, made in Prague about 1602, with wonderfully detailed technical gold work. Rudolph was a great patron of goldsmiths, encouraging the best in Europe to come and work in Prague.

Kunsthistorisches Museum
Marie Theresien Platz
Vienna 1010
Austria

Tel.     +43 1 525 2404
Fax     +43 1 523 2770
e-mail  info@khm.at
Web    www.khm.at

Open

Monday to Sunday 10 - 18.00 (Thursday 22.00)