{"id":19099,"date":"2019-10-13T05:39:59","date_gmt":"2019-10-13T04:39:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=19099"},"modified":"2025-09-16T17:39:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T16:39:57","slug":"burgtheater-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/burgtheater-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Tour of the Burgtheater"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><a href=\"#tickets\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/burgtourtickets.jpg\" alt=\"Front of the Burgtheater\" class=\"wp-image-83197\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Gustav Klimt painted some of its ceiling frescoes and a litany of famous actors crossed its stage: the Burgtheater is a city treasure. The in-house tour takes you on a journey through the theatre&#8217;s past and present (and up close to Klimt&#8217;s works).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Covers the building&#8217;s history, art, and personalities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plenty of entertaining anecdotes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>English tours also available<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Also special Klimt tours in the 25\/26 season<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a 2-hr <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-walking-tours-l205287\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_WalkingTours\" rel=\"sponsored\">guided walking tour<\/a>* of historical Vienna<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/theaters\/burgtheater\/\">The Burgtheater<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/activities\/theatres-cinemas\/\">Cinemas and theatres<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/gustav-klimt\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2264\">Klimt in Vienna<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Klimt and more<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/burgtheater2024.jpg\" alt=\"Theatre entrance door\" class=\"wp-image-71734\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/burgtheater2024.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/burgtheater2024-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The main entrance of the 19th-century theatre)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One particularly magnificent cultural building stands out as a mighty bastion against the overwhelming influence of music in Vienna: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/theaters\/burgtheater\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"85\">the Burgtheater<\/a>. The national theatre is dedicated to the spoken word only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go through the entrance and it all looks a little less magnificent inside (a consequence of WWII bombing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, first impressions mislead, for the Burgtheater provides a home for two rather glorious staircases and globally-important works of art that survived the bombers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The institution sits at the centre of German-language theatre in Austria, so you probably won&#8217;t be buying a ticket to a play (although a subtitle service exists for some performances).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That doesn&#8217;t mean you can&#8217;t look around inside: the in-house tours take you to both historical entrance halls, the auditorium, the stage, and various bits in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tour highlights<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"289\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/burgtheaterstaircase1910.jpg\" alt=\"Painting for a grand theatre staircase around 1910\" class=\"wp-image-74510\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/burgtheaterstaircase1910.jpg 289w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/burgtheaterstaircase1910-193x300.jpg 193w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 289px) 100vw, 289px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The grand staircase, as painted around 1910 by Rudolf Konopa and produced by Br\u00fcder Kohn KG (B. K. W. I.); Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 34745\/4; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The stand-out stops on the tour are those two hallways featuring broad staircases (all marble, stone, and richly-decorated lamps), as well as busts and statues honouring actors and playwrights such as Nestroy,  Moli\u00e8re, and David Garrick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Original paintings from the late 1880s cover each hallway ceiling with representations of theatrical history and themes, whether a medieval mystery play or a performance of <em>Romeo and Juliet<\/em> at the Globe Theatre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, what makes these ceiling paintings special is the names of the artists behind them: Frank Matsch, Ernst Klimt, and (drum roll) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/gustav-klimt\/\">Gustav Klimt<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Klimt!<\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/burgtheaterklimtshakespeare.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a ceiling fresco showing a theater scene\" class=\"wp-image-83196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/burgtheaterklimtshakespeare.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/burgtheaterklimtshakespeare-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Shakespeare&#8217;s Globe Theater, as painted by Klimt and photographed when the paint was almost still wet around 1890; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 95340\/42; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more famous Klimt contributed, for example, <em>The Altar of Dionysos<\/em>, <em>The Cart of Thespis<\/em>, and <em>The Theatre at Taormina<\/em> paintings. You can already begin to see subtle echoes of the style that would later appear in such iconic works as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/museums\/belvedere-sites\/kiss\/\">The Kiss<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Incidentally, Vienna&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/museums\/leopold-museum\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4014\">Leopold Museum<\/a> recently received Klimt&#8217;s draft painting of <em>The Altar of Dionysus<\/em> as a donation, so the work might pop up in their permanent exhibition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gustav Klimt also created the aforementioned painting of the Globe, which incorporates the performance and various onlookers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><em>Ad:<\/em><br><\/div><div data-tiqets-widget=\"discovery\" data-cards-layout=\"horizontal\" data-slug-ids=\"exp206741,exp238032\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\" data-tq-campaign=\"DA_ConcTour\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:24px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Three young men in the Globe audience deserve special mention since these are portraits of Matsch and the two Klimt brothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That innocuous addition remains the only painted self-portrait by Gustav Klimt known to be in existence. Klimt himself even once wrote a <em>Commentary on a non-existent self-portrait<\/em>, noting (my rough translation):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I&#8217;m not interested in my own person as an object of a picture<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Adding later in that short text:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I&#8217;m convinced I&#8217;m not particularly interesting as a person<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah, right.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/klimtburgtheater1890.jpg\" alt=\"Ceiling fresco in the Burgtheater, photographed around 1890\" class=\"wp-image-68433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/klimtburgtheater1890.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/klimtburgtheater1890-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(<em>The Cart of Thespis<\/em> ceiling fresco painted by Gustav Klimt; photographed around 1890; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 95340\/43; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">And the rest&#8230;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>On my tour, the route between staircases took us through foyers and interval rooms, where the rich tradition of the Burgtheater comes alive in various artifacts and mementos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you see, for example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The death mask of Oskar Werner, former member of the Burgtheater ensemble and winner of a Golden Globe for his performance in <em>The Spy Who Came in from the Cold<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Portraits of such theatrical luminaries as Katharina Schratt (a leading actress and long-time friend of Emperor Franz Joseph) or Joseph Lange (actor and Mozart&#8217;s brother-in-law)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The route also provides an opportunity to look out the windows for lovely views across to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/rathaus-2\/\">Rathaus<\/a> and other parts of Vienna&#8217;s historical centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The auditorium and stage were closed for rehearsals on my tour, but the guide took time to show photos and explain, for example, the finer points of the stage&#8217;s technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(NB: The box office kindly warned us about the shortened tour before we bought our tickets.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout the tour, my guide gave an authoritative and entertaining account of the theatre&#8217;s history, the ensemble, and the characteristics of every location, including details of each painting we passed. A true fount of knowledge full of anecdotes and insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tickets\">Tickets &amp; visitor tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Check <a href=\"https:\/\/www.burgtheater.at\/\">locally<\/a> with the theatre for current and coming tour schedules (and availability in different languages and on different days: rehearsals can cause adjustments in the tour route, for example).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the time of writing, most tours are in German with written multilingual summaries for international guests. However, the theatre does have occasional English-language tours available. You buy your tickets from the box office or online (tickets become available from the 10th of the preceding month).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 2025\/2026 season, renovation work means they also offer a special Klimt scaffolding tour that gets you even closer to the frescoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Burgtheater is, of course, not the only historical building where you can tour the interior. Try some of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/tours-historical-buildings\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"58561\">these suggestions<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get to the Burgtheater<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>See the main article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/theaters\/burgtheater\/\">Burgtheater<\/a> for travel info. Go through the main front entrance to find the box office on your right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Address: Dr. Karl-Lueger-Ring 2, 1010 Vienna<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1CvFy08QgKnm1x4rkMf89o2bjRoLw78on\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gustav Klimt painted some of its ceiling frescoes and a litany of famous actors crossed its stage: the Burgtheater is a city treasure. The in-house tour takes you on a journey through the theatre&#8217;s past and present (and up close to Klimt&#8217;s works). Klimt and more (The main entrance of the 19th-century theatre) One particularly [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19101,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-19099","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19099","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19099"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19099\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85762,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19099\/revisions\/85762"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}