After lunch, we walked some more and found ourselves at the vicinity of Burggarten, the former private garden of the emperor which was laid out in 1818. In the garden is a statue of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austria's most famous composer.
A dove sits indifferently on the head of the composer. I was wary of poop from the multitudes of birds flying all over the city.
After more walking, I found myself in front of two huge buildings that resembled each other. Both were also facing one another majestically.
Sorry, I wasn't able to take a photo with both in one shot. This is the Naturhistorisches Museum or the Museum of Natural History.
And this one is the Kunshistorisches Museum or the Museum of Art History.
The similarity is uncanny. The sculptures attached to the facade, however, are different.
In the middle of the two grand buildings is the monument to the Empress, Queen, Archduchess Maria-Theresia von Habsburg-Lothringen. This is considered to be the most important monument of the Habsburg empire in the city.
This is the Josefsplatz, a public square located at the premises of the Hofburg Palace.
An equestrian statue and monument of Emperor Joseph II built between 1795 and 1807 centres the square.
The Emperor Franz Monument, which was unveiled in 1846, is another distinguishable feature at the Hofburg Palace grounds.
Statues are aplenty in Vienna. Every building seems to have one.
Or two or even more.
At the Michaelerplatz or the St. Michael Square is an interesting displayed excavation.
Smack at the center of the square are archeological diggings of the Ancient Celtic and eventual Roman City of Vindobona.
These are supposedly ruins of a Roman settlement.
Some guidebooks states that this used to a Roman household while others believe that it was a brothel for soldiers.
Just the thought that this wall was built during the Roman Empire and is still existing today blows my mind away.
Within the grounds of Volksgarten, a public park within the Hobsburg vicinity, is Theseus Temple. What is more interesting is the Statue of a Hero that can be seen at the entrance of the temple. The statue embodies the physique of a working class Austrian, according to my friend and guide Karsten. Interesting.
The Austrian Parliament Building on the Ringstraße Boulevard. The grand building is where the two houses of the Austrian Parliament conduct their sessions.
The building is huge. I couldn't get my eyes off the statues of classic antiquity on the roof.
The Statue of Pallas Athene, the Goddess of Wisdom, stands majestically at the front of the building.
More walking ensued as we passed through Ferstel Passage or Freyung Passage, an elegant shopping arcade built in the 19th Century.
The elegant arcade was built by Austrian architect Heinrich von Ferstel in 1860 and the marble-clad passages house chic stores.
There is an inner courtyard that has a fountain and statue of the Donaunixen or Danube water nymph with a fish in her hand.
Even the stairs and small pathways are done in marble.
One of the expensive shops in the arcade.
From the Freyung or Herrengasse, we headed towards Judenplatz.
Judenplatz used to be the heart of the Jewish ghetto from the 13th to 15th Centuries. It is now a small square with beautiful Baroque and 19th-Century buildings.
In the middle of Judenplatz is the Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial or the Nameless Library.
The memorial resembles a stack of books which represents the untold stories of the Holocaust victims.
Within the Judenplatz square is the Statue of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, a German poet who helped in the formulation of the idea of tolerance.
Ankeruhr or the Anker Clock at the Hoher Markt, which is the oldest square in Vienna, is anchored between the two buildings of the Anker Insurance Company. The clock was built between 1911 and 1914 by Franz von Matsch in the typical Art Noveau design of the era.
Every day at noon, twelve historical figures parade to music from the Twenties. We arrived in the afternoon so no show for us.
All the walking we did needed some rest and coffee afterwards. Karsten suggested that we check out Kaffee Alt Wein.
The café is located at Bäckerstaße 9 in Vienna's 1st District.
A menu of hearty traditional dishes to choose from.
The old-fashioned café is interesting with walls filled with vintage posters and low-lit interiors.
It may border on being shabby but being situated in the smartest area of Austria makes a visit more fascinating.
When I went to the toilet, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the toilet facilities are very modern and sleek. Its such a stark contrast to the decades-old design of the restaurant's interiors.
There's even a glass-cased plant adorning the toilet.
A much-needed cup of latte after all the sightseeing.
I paired my coffee with a slice of Apfelstrudel or Apple Strudel.
The pie was tasty and I enjoyed the abundance of cream on the side.
The plan was to get some cocktails afterwards but I declined eventually since I was tired from all the walking. If I had a pedometer, I'm sure that I went way over the minimum 10,000 steps to be fit. I'm glad my walking routine hasn't been curbed during this vacation.
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