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Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna

Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna

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Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna

Recommended by 187 hikers out of 193

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Location: Vienna Woods, Lower Austria, Austria

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Best Hikes to Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna

4.6

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304

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1. Heroes' Square – Hofburg Palace loop from Volkstheater

5.92km

01:34

50m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Easy

4.6

(9)

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2. Heroes' Square – Hofburg, Vienna and the Sisi Museum loop from Messe-Prater

10.4km

02:46

110m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.7

(21)

140

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3. Hofburg Vienna and Sisi Museum – Heroes' Square loop from Neubaugasse

8.74km

02:18

80m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

Tips

Intertronic und Sonja 🎄🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️

January 29, 2022

A museum break with coffee and cake in the dome hall is a pleasure. The view of Maria-Theresien-Platz and the twin building of the Natural History Museum. opposite is also included. Attention: Only possible with an admission ticket! The museum shop is well frequented and offers nice gifts as well as nice memories of the museum.

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Gerd

January 14, 2019

It was opened in 1891 with an impressive cupola hall and a beautiful staircase. Here you will find a famous picture gallery and an Egyptian-oriental collection.

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PeterH65 (a.k.a. "Waldorf")

February 7, 2019

The Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna was built by Emperor Franz Joseph for the Imperial Collections and is one of the most important museums in the world. Objects from five millennia - from the time of Ancient Egypt to Greek antiquity to the end of the 18th century - bear witness to the passion for collecting of the emperors and archdukes from the house of Habsburg. Unique masterpieces by Dürer, Raffael, Rembrandt, Rubens, Titian, Velázquez and Vermeer as well as the largest Bruegel collection worldwide make the visit to the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna an unforgettable experience.

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Intertrain

March 24, 2021

12/28/2019 - Atmospheric building with a rich selection of different exhibits. Definitely worth a visit.

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Doradel🌅🚲🚲🚲🎶

October 12, 2019

If you are interested in art history, you can revel here.

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Christine 🚶‍♀️ 📷 🌏

September 18, 2021

The Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM) is an art museum in Vienna. It is one of the largest and most important museums in the world. It was opened in 1891 and visited by approximately 1.75 million people in 2018.

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Andi

May 24, 2022

Museum follows museum here. The choice is difficult. If you want to see everything, you need several days.

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Hunderunde

November 2, 2021

Impressive setting, historically relevant. Near the Hofburg the center of the 1st district in Vienna. Definitely worth a visit.

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Intertronic und Sonja 🎄🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️

November 13, 2022

The Kunsthistorisches Museum was built near the Hofburg for the extensive collections of the imperial family. With its collection of important works and the world's largest Bruegel collection, it is now one of the most important art collections in the world.

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Andrea und Huskys 🐺

May 26, 2023

The Kunsthistorisches Museum houses world-renowned art and cultural history collections. It emerged from the Habsburg art collections and is now the fourth largest picture gallery in the world.

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Ludger 🚴🌳🌲🍄🏞️🌅🔮

June 8, 2025

The Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna (KHM) is an art museum located on Maria-Theresien-Platz in the Austrian capital, Vienna. Founded as the Imperial and Royal Museum of Art History, it is one of the largest and most important museums in the world. The Neo-Renaissance building was constructed between 1871 and 1891 by Franz Joseph I, designed by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer, as part of the Imperial Forum. In 2024, the KHM recorded approximately 1.95 million visitors.

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Ludger 🚴🌳🌲🍄🏞️🌅🔮

June 8, 2025

The Kunsthistorisches Museum, along with its sister building, the Natural History Museum opposite, are among the most important historicist buildings of the Ringstrasse era. Together, they enclose Maria-Theresien-Platz (next to Burgring), where the Maria Theresa Memorial stands. This square occupies part of the former glacis between today's Ringstrasse and Zweierlinie, forming a monumental ensemble that is also part of the World Heritage Site: Historic Center of Vienna.

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Ludger 🚴🌳🌲🍄🏞️🌅🔮

June 8, 2025

The museum originated from the Habsburg collections, primarily the portrait and armor collection of Ferdinand of Tyrol, the collection of Emperor Rudolf II (most of which is scattered), and the painting collection of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm. In 1833, Joseph von Arneth, curator (and later director) of the Imperial Coin and Antiquities Cabinet, demanded the consolidation of all imperial collections in a single building.

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Ludger 🚴🌳🌲🍄🏞️🌅🔮

June 8, 2025

Construction History

Plan from the Encyclopædia Britannica, 1911
The commission for the construction of the museum was given by Emperor Franz Joseph I, who had decided to demolish the city walls at Christmas 1857, as part of the city's expansion that began in 1858. Subsequently, numerous designs for the Ringstrasse area were submitted. Plans by August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll envisioned the construction of two museum buildings directly adjacent to the Hofburg, to the left and right of today's Heldenplatz. The architect Ludwig Förster planned museum buildings between Schwarzenbergplatz and the Stadtpark. Martin Ritter von Kink favored buildings at the corner of Währinger Straße and Schottenring, where the Votive Church was subsequently built. Peter Joseph Lenné suggested the area around Bellariastraße (not far from the actually chosen location). Moritz von Loehr wanted to build the two court museums on the south side of the Opernring (where the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts was later built), while Ludwig Zettl wanted them built on the southeast side of the Getreidemarkt.

In 1867, a competition for the museums was announced, and their current location was determined – at the Emperor's request, the museums were to be built not too close to the Hofburg, but rather beyond the Ringstrasse. The architect Carl von Hasenauer participated in this competition and was able to persuade Gottfried Semper, then working in Zurich, to collaborate. The two museum buildings were to be constructed in the style of the Italian Renaissance. The plans met with the approval of the Imperial family. In April 1869, Semper held an audience with the Emperor and verbally awarded the commission. In July 1870, the written commission was sent to Semper and Hasenauer.

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Ludger 🚴🌳🌲🍄🏞️🌅🔮

June 8, 2025

One of the decisive factors in Semper and Hasenauer's success over other architects' projects was Semper's vision of a large building complex called the "Kaiserforum," which would have included the museums. Due not least to Semper's death in 1879, the Kaiserforum was never built as planned, but the two museums were nevertheless constructed.

Video recording of the domed hall and the staircase
Construction of the two museums began without any ceremonies on November 27, 1871. Semper subsequently moved to Vienna. From the very beginning, there were significant personal differences between him and Hasenauer, who eventually took over sole construction management in 1877. In 1874, scaffolding was erected up to the top floor and the mezzanine floor was completed; in 1878, the first windows were installed, in 1879 the attic and balustrade were completed, and in 1880–1881 the dome and tabernacles were built.

The facades are decorated with an art-historical program of sculptures and reliefs. The attic is encircled by statues depicting personalities from the world of art. The sculptural decoration was created by Edmund Hellmer, Carl Kundmann, Viktor Tilgner, Caspar Zumbusch, and others. The entrance is flanked by seated allegorical statues of painting (on the left by Edmund Hellmer) and sculpture (on the right by Johannes Benk). The dome is crowned with a bronze statue of Pallas Athena by Johannes Benk.

The staircase of the Kunsthistorisches Museum is decorated with works by Gustav Klimt, Ernst Klimt, Franz Matsch, Hans Makart, and Mihály Munkácsy.

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Elevation 190 m

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Location: Vienna Woods, Lower Austria, Austria

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Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna

1. Heroes' Square – Hofburg Palace loop from Volkstheater

2. Heroes' Square – Hofburg, Vienna and the Sisi Museum loop from Messe-Prater

3. Hofburg Vienna and Sisi Museum – Heroes' Square loop from Neubaugasse

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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