We walked through the palace grounds which now constitute the old city. There are many sculptures, archways and hidden courtyards. This is also where the Spanish stallions are kept, the ones famous for dressage. We didn't get to see them performing but we stuck our noses in and saw them practicing in the beautiful ornate enclosed ground. It was like they had taken a ball room and cleared it out to make room for the horses. There is really a lot to see in Vienna.
We next took a tour of the Imperial Apartments where the royal family used to live. The last Hapsburg died 2 years ago. After reading in the guide book, I remembered that I had once been in a radio play about the Hapsburgs. Elizabeth and Francis Hapsburg had 4 children, 3 daughters and Rudolf, a son who committed suicide at 30 and left them no heir. The crown then fell to their nephew who was, I think Ferdinand, who's murder started the WWII. The apartments are beautiful with gold leaf on the ceilings. The dining room has been laid out as if for a banquet, with all the cutlery and glasses.
We have both become enchanted with Elizabeth Queen of Hungary. She has several exquisite portraits, and she was very popular, and married at 14. After her son's death she became a recluse, and Hungary was her only passion, she loved the people and the language, although she was originally from Bavaria. She was assassinated in the end. We were both enthralled reading her biography in the book store when we got to the bit where it describes how she began to travel the world writing poetry and calling herself Tatiana queen of the fairies! We both burst out laughing, realizing that the poor dear must have cracked - lost a marble or two!
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