Page 136 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Vienna
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134 VIENNA AREA B Y AREA MUSEUM AND T OWNHALL QU AR TER 135
o The Burgtheater Auditorium
The central part of the VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Burgtheater was rebuilt
The Burgtheater is the most prestigious stage in the German-speaking in 1952–5 after war Practical Information
world (see also p230). The original theatre built in Maria Theresa’s reign damage, but the audit Universitätsring 2, A1014. Map 1
was replaced in 1888 by today’s Italian Renaissance-style building by orium is still decorated C5 & 5 A2. Tel 514444140. Open
for guided tours only (3pm Mon–
Karl von Hasenauer and Gottfried Semper. It closed for refurbishment in the imperial colours Thu). Closed Easter, 24 & 25 Dec.
of cream, red and gold.
in 1897 after the discovery that the auditorium had several & 7 8 Tel 51444 4140.
seats with no view of the stage. Forty-eight years later ∑ burgtheater.at
a bomb devastated the building, leaving only the Transport
side wings containing the Grand Staircases intact. % Schottentor. v D, 1, 71.
Subsequent restoration was so seamless that
today its extent is hard to assess.
. Der Thespiskarren
This ceiling fresco (1886–8)
by Gustav Klimt, part of the
Busts of playwrights series The History of the
Lining the walls of the Grand Theatre, depicts
Staircases are busts of playwrights Thespis, the first
whose works are still performed performer of a
here, including this one of Johann Greek tragedy.
Nestroy by Hans Knesl.
Entrance for tours
Front Façade
A statue of Apollo
(about 1883) seated
between Melpomene and
. Grand Staircases in Thalia presides over a frieze
North and South Wings of Bacchus and Ariadne by
Two imposing staircases lead Rudolf Weyr.
up from the side entrances to
the foyer. Each is a mirror Main entrance
image of the other. on Universitätsring
1741 Maria 1945 World
KEY Theresa founds War II fire
the Burgtheater in The Old Burgtheater 1897 The destroys the
1 Candelabra lining the staircase an empty ballroom in the mid-18th auditorium auditorium
is adapted
2 Ceiling frescoes by Gustav and Foyer at the Hofburg century
Ernst Klimt and Franz Matsch cover The 60-m long 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950
the north and south wings. (200-ft) curving
foyer serves as a 1750–76 Joseph II 1874 Work on
3 Two statues of the Muses of waiting area reorganizes the the presentbuilding begins 1955 Theatre
music and dramatic art adorn the roof. during intervals. theatre and promotes 1888 The Burgtheater opens on reopens with
4 Sculpted cherubs on the Portraits of famous it to the status of a 14 October in the presence of the Emperor Grillparzer’s King
balustrade (1880–83) actors and actresses national theatre Franz Joseph and his family Ottokar
line its walls.
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