This Vienna exhibition reveals the compelling story behind the Neue Burg, an imperial residence whose grand designs by Gottfried Semper and Carl Hasenauer were never fully realized. It traces the complex architectural ambition and historical challenges that shaped this significant part of the Hofburg. Learn how evolving uses adapted the building's purpose even before its completion, impacting institutions like the House of Austrian History and the Austrian National Library.
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This exhibition explores the historical context and architectural ambition behind the 'Neue Burg' (New Castle) in Vienna. It delves into the grand, yet ultimately unfinished, plans for imperial residences, reception halls, and festive spaces, examining the challenges and evolving uses of this significant part of the Hofburg.
The exhibition 'Auftakt: Die unvollendete Residenz' (Opening: The Unfinished Residence) examines the complex history and architectural vision of the Neue Burg in Vienna. Originally intended as opulent living spaces, reception halls, and areas for imperial festivities, this section of the Hofburg, located between Heldenplatz and Burggarten, now houses prominent institutions like the Austrian National Library and the House of Austrian History. The content traces the origins of the Neue Burg back to the unrealized Kaiserforum plans by Gottfried Semper and Carl Hasenauer from 1869-1871, a colossal project that envisioned a grand throne hall and a symmetrical second wing on Heldenplatz, neither of which came to fruition. The narrative highlights a fundamental flaw in the early planning: a lack of sustained consideration for the future utilization of the expansion buildings. This challenge was compounded by frequent changes in the architects following Semper and Hasenauer's deaths, alongside numerous, often significant, reinterpretations of the designs. The gradual decline of the Habsburg monarchy necessitated continuous adaptation and new ideas for usage, leaving the final major expansion of the imperial residence marked by this pervasive uncertainty. By the time the Republic was proclaimed in 1918, the Neue Burg had been under construction for 37 years. While its exterior was nearly complete, large sections of the middle wing's interior remained unfinished. Only the 'Corps de logis,' facing the Ringstraße, was fully completed and, contrary to its initial purpose, had already been utilized as a museum and library during the monarchy.
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