Albertina Museum

  Built in the latter half of the 17th century, the Albertina Museum (situated across from the Vienna State Opera House) sits on the Augustion Bastion, one of the last remaining sections of Vienna's ancient fortifications. In 1744, the Director of the Court Construction Office, Count Silva-Tarouca refurbished the building to be his palace, aka Palais Tarouca. After it was finished, however, Duke Albert of Saxan-Tescher took it over for his home. Albert was an avid art collector and his friend, Count Giancomo Dunazzo, Austrian Ambassador in Venice, in 1776, donated 1000 pieces of art to the Duke and his wife Maria Christina. Two hundred years later (1919) ownership of the Albertina Palace, as it had become known, passed from the Hapsburgs to the newly founded Republic of Austria. During World War II (March 1945) the Palace/museum was damaged by bombings but was later rebuilt to its former glory. On the upper floors of the building are the 21 Hapsburg State Rooms in which Duke Albert and Maria Christina lived with their family.

The front and main entrance to the Albertina Palace Museum.

A tribute statue of Emperor Franz Joseph sits in the courtyard just in front of the main entrance.

The ground floor and lower level currently are showing an exhibition of more modern artists such as Andy Warhol and Gerhard Richter.

The main staircase leads to the upper floors and is reminiscent of other grand palaces throughout Europe.

At the top of the stairs is this statue of Euterpe muse of music and lyric poetry.

The next series of pictures depict some of the 21 Hapsburg State Rooms the Duke Albert and his wife Maria Christina lived in while in Vienna.

Duke Albert's study.

Ladies sitting room.

For lack of a better description, the Red Room.

The large ballroom lined on both sides by elegant statuary.

Overview of the ballroom.

The palace could be quite cold during winter months so each room had fancy decorated fireplaces.

Green bedroom.

On the top floor is an exhibition of Impressionist art such as Monet's Lillies.

And Paul Sarnac's Pink Cloud.

Fritz Wotrube's large Reclining Youth (1933).

This beautiful fountain sculpture sits in front of the Albertina on street level.