2026250 Years of the Burgtheater - Set

Vienna’s Burgtheater is not only one of the most important theatres in the world, but is also a historic sight on Vienna’s Ring Road.

Austria’s national theatre was originally established on the Michaelerplatz next to the Hofburg palace when Maria Theresa had a building that was previously used for ball sports converted into a theatre in 1741. This new “theatre next to the castle” was opened in 1748. On 17th February 1776, Emperor Joseph II elevated it to the status of the “German national theatre”, which was henceforth to be managed by the court. In 1888, during the remodelling of Vienna’s Ring Road, the theatre, now known as the “k. k. Hofburgtheater” (Imperial Hofburg Theatre) moved into the building it currently occupies, designed by Gottfried Semper and Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer. The ceilings above the grand staircases were designed by Gustav Klimt, his brother Ernst and Franz Matsch. Both the stage and the auditorium were destroyed in 1945 by bombing and a subsequent fire, but the building was restored to its historic form as early as 1955. The 31-metre-wide stage is equipped with an ultramodern rotary cylinder to facilitate rapid scene changes. A particularly striking feature of the building is the angel blowing a horn that is depicted with embossing on the commemorative stamp. This weather vane on the roof is the culmination of the historic air fountain system, a complex ventilation system that served the auditorium.

With an ensemble comprising around 70 members, the Burgtheater is the biggest theatre in the German-speaking world. "Die Burg” not only puts on well-known classics, but also branches out into new fields of theatrical art with inaugural performances of new works.