Imperial Palace Vienna (IPV)
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
Imperial Palace Vienna (IPV) was residence of Austrian sovereigns for 700 years. In republican Austria IPV became residency for president and government. The largest coherent secular building complex in EU carries EHL and hosts 16 museums, 61 collections, national library, Lipizzaner horses and butterflies. Business and service organisations thrive here, while in 2019 about 25 million visitors came to see. IPV literally moved from Emperor‘s palace to versatile usage – a City in the City.
Project Region
EU Programme or fund
Description of the project
Summary
The oldest parts of Imperial Palace Vienna (IPV) date back to 1240 and have been enlarged and improved over almost 800 years. Been residence for archdukes and emperors of Austria ever since IPV became more and more important for Austria and Europe. This culminated in the Viennese Congress 1814/15 redesigning Europe after Napoleon’s reign. After termination of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire IPV was turned into residency for president and government of the republic. Nowadays IPV is home for 16 museums, containing 61 collections, the national library, Lipizzaner horses, 500 butterflies and uncounted bees, plants and romantic corners. Businesses and service organisations thrive here and about 25 million visitors enjoy the flair of the largest coherent secular historic building complex in Europe.
So to speak from “Emperor‘s palace to versatile usage – City in the City”.
Burghauptmannschaft Oesterreich is caring for IPV since its foundation in the 15th century, however the requirements have changed dramatically. In modern times much more effort is taken to preserve the complex for future generations as national cultural treasure, which needs to be protected and maintained accordingly. Beside the pure care, architectural conservation and maintenance BHOe now needs to take care of proper utilisation and interpretation of the historic site. Important measures in the past 10 years were development of sophisticated further education of staff and suppliers, engagement in EU initiatives like the European Heritage Label, EHL Network, EYCH 2018 and pilot projects. Equally important was the creation of a holistic concept for IPV as “City in the City”, which transmits a modern image, addressing the wide public by informing about the incredible size of the complex and its significance for Austrian and European history. Accompanied were these developments by the set up of final governance and a Creative Hub.
Key objectives for sustainability
Objectives are to:
- preserve Imperial Palace Vienna (IPV) as one of the most important Cultural Heritage (CH) sites in Austria
- maintain largest coherent secular building complex in European with more than 300.000m²
- secure CH site IPV for future generations
- keep the City in the City alive, containing various buildings, parks, gardens, squares, courtyards, monuments and fountains, utilised for several purposes
- guarantee conservation be done by qualified and highly skilled staff/ suppliers
- carefully plan and allocate available budget to complex
- adopt complex to regulations like accessibility and energy efficiency
- invest in initiatives like EHL, making sure to keep label
- broaden view on historic buildings like IPV through information and education
The key objectives are all met by specific actions and a clear strategy to preserve, care for and maintain the historic site IPV. BHOe is a subordinate agency of Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and responsible for ca. 110 historic assets in Austria. IPV is the largest and also seat of BHOe. The main task of BHOe is to guarantee protection, longevity and best maintenance of historic assets. Important here is to have a clear vision and mission for delivery, translated into clear strategies for utilisation of buildings, further VET of personnel and budget allocation, which is usually planned ahead for 10 years. In order to fulfil all aspects of the task BHOe follows the principle of low-level intervention and step-by-step approach. Applying for EHL and engagement in EU initiatives/projects strengthen the expertise of BHOe and support the maintenance of IPV and other sites. Developing and implementing sophisticated guiding system, modern visitor centre and concept of „City in the City“ approach are seen as necessary steps towards an historic site being attractive to local/regional/national/international visitors.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
Objectives are to:
- keep grandezza of historic facades, windows and roofs
- make sure conservation measures are low-level interventions to maintain the historic appearance
- apply sensitive care and sure instinct when adapting to new technologies and modern comfort like internet access, cabling, indoor climate and lifts
- guarantee appearance stays unchanged in order to fulfil requirements of EHL and other awards
- provide visitors and guests with information, guidance and entertainment in terms of final governance
- give space to cultural events, exhibitions and concerts to engage public with historic complex
- tell story of site and develop concept for „Spirit of the Place“
- represent and display EHL values IPV stands for
- support users/tenants in fitting into the historic complex, while providing up-to-date services to customers
- go extra mile for visitors, users and civil society in order to make IPV a liveable place
The key objectives in regards to aesthetics are quite obvious for historic buildings as protecting them means keeping their unique appearance. For this purpose BHOe selects and provides personnel with high skills levels. The low-level intervention approach ensures the proper preservation of valuable historic assets for future generations. Applying sensitive care and sure instinct when intervening keeps the building in the original shape. Utilising those for living, working, celebrating and entertaining is also necessary in order to spend budgets wisely. Having such great witnesses of the past means responsibility keeping them for next generations. As this costs money it has to create value at the same time. Opening IPV to the public as much as possible for business, education, entertainment and recreation means viability for the historic site. Presenting it’s story and “Spirit of the Place” make IPV tangible and people – 25 million in 2019 - come to enjoy the place.
Key objectives for inclusion
Objectives are to:
- develop concepts for informing and educating all age groups
- provide accessibility for all people as much as historic building and safety/security reasons allow
- open building complex as much as possible to general public
- provide services for people of all ages, colour and sex
- provide modern information system in visitors centre + guiding system
- provide variety of information channels for people of all kinds
- provide comprehensible guiding system, awarded 2021 by International Institute for Information Design (IIID)
- foster utilisation of IPV as location for businesses, restaurants, educational institutions, museums, NPOs, cultural institutions
- allow integration of complex into the Inner City of Vienna and rather turn that into benefit – City in the City approach
- network with experts, other sites and visitor groups to match the needs of visitors, users and guests
- stay informed about new developments in regards to digitisation, teaching, education and learning
- aim for awards to display efforts made and being rewarded e.g. EHL, guiding system, pilot projects
The key objectives of inclusion are met by a variation of considerations. In order to fulfil needs of visitors, users and guests those have to be found out first. Staying in touch with relevant groups help to develop successful concepts and strategies. In case of IPV this happens through research, expert input and input from Creative Hub. BHOe aims to met as many needs as possible under budget restraints and security regulation. Setting up a modern visitor centre and an award-winning guiding system were important steps towards the key objective of inclusion. Developing online and board games, supporting cultural events and allowing access to parks and gardens for recreation are other steps towards the goal. Close cooperation with users/tenants is also crucial for success, which is mirrored in the Creative Hub initiated by BHOe for IPV.
Results in relation to category
- BHOe cares for IPV for nearly 600 years
- IPV received European Heritage Label (EHL) 2016, monitoring process successfully undergone 2020
- IPV guiding system received bronze award 2021 of Internationale Institute for Information Design (IIID)
- IPV established Creative Hub and applied for membership of ECHN
- IPV wellknown for imperial style conferences and congresses taking place in grand rooms of complex
- BHOe as responsible body providing sophisticated services to users/tenants
- BHOe installed award-winning information and guidance system for IPV
- BHOe developed useful concept for accessibility to IPV
- BHOe reached low carbon footprint by reducing energy consumption of complex to 80kWh/m² a
- BHOe manages a budget of approx. 6 million Euros and aims to optimise available budget for conservation and maintenance
- Imperial Palace Vienna welcomes around 25 million visitors each year
The main results/impact of the IPV “project” are a well maintained, functional and representative buildings, ready for versatile use as residence of president, government and internat. NPOs. It hosts flats, businesses, restaurants, world famous museums, conference facilities, national library, Lipizzaner horses, butterflies, bees and service orgs. Since 2016 it carries the European Heritage Label, which was confirmed by EHL panel in 2020. BHOe is currently coordinating EHL Network, developing support and services for EHL sites. In 2021 the new guiding system was awarded bronze by IIID, which confirms good work done by responsible body BHOe. IPV is well known as tourist and conference destination, encasing each event with imperial glory and grandeur. The complex is part of the city of Vienna, considered an integrated “City in the City” area containing 16 museums with 61 collections. It is considered cultural heart of Vienna, offering world famous exhibits of several centuries.
How Citizens benefit
Citizens benefiting through:
- tax-based budget spent with great care and used for low-level interventions, keeping historic appearance
- maintenance of largest secular building complex in European
- IPV representative seat of Austrian President and government
- IPV remind Europeans of Viennese Congress 1814/15 re-designing Europe after Napoleon
- IPV carry European Heritage Label since 2016, being second AT site with award
- IPV internationally reknown as conference and congress location, contributing significantly to GPD, added value 1.2 billion Euros per year (2018 before Covid)
- IPV host 16 world-known museums, 61 collections containing invaluable national treasures, all accessible by public
- being rewarded with well-preserved IPV financed by civil society/taxpayers
- have access to parks, gardens and squares for recreation and entertainment
- IPV considered main tourist attraction of Europe and attracting 25 million tourists in 2019, highly contributing to GDP of 4 billion Euros in Vienna
Austrians and Europeans benefit quite greatly from maintenance of IPV, as complex is unique in appearance and significance. Location of major events e.g. Viennese Congress 1814/15, meeting of J.F.Kennedy and Nikita Chruschtschow 1961 and several international conferences IPV is essential part not only of Austrian history. Former residence of Maria Theresia, Karl I, Kaiser Franz Joseph und Sisi, complex is well known around the world and considered centre of a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual state with 51.390.223 inhabitants 1910. Keeping such important witness of historic events in shape and fully functional is responsibility and commitment for Austrian admin. This way IPV still represents Austria and its values to the world, making people proud and give them sense of belonging. Hosting invaluable collections in major museums of the country and being urban home of famous Lipizzaner horses adds to significance of IPV.
Innovative character
Innovative character:
- Imperial Palace Vienna one of 29 EHL sites holding European Heritage Label since 2016
- BHOe coordinator of EHL@Network, providing tools and services to EHL sites, promoting and supporting them
- BHOe develops holistic concept for advancing the historic site Imperial Palace Vienna as „City in the City“ to enhance significance
- BHOe utilises ancient techniques to achieve modern comfort through natural ventilation and heating, reducing energy consumption per m² by almost 2/3
- BHOe implies modern technology to historic site IPV e.g. guiding app, digital damage identification system
- BHOe engages in EU initiatives to stay at forefront of new developments in Cultural Heritage
- BHOe established Creative Hub in IPV complex for purpose of improving goods and services of own org&users/tenants
- BHOe together with partners from around EU developed sophisticated further VET measures to train/retrain staff responsible for IPV e.g. MODI-FY, BIM-Herit, PRO-Heritage, VI-TRAIN, INCREAS
- BHOe active in pilot projects like FLIP2 INCREAS, aiming to describe new sector for CH & CCIs
Being responsible for the largest secular coherent historic building complex in Europe BHOe aims to be at the forefront of innovation. Taking part is research and EU projects seems an appropriate measure to get there. Beside that a new holistic concept for IPV was developed to point out the actual size and significance of the site – a City within the City with traffic routes, buildings, squares, parks and gardens, restaurants, shops, flats and service organisations. All that condensed on 300.000m² and managed by BHOe. In order to succeed in this implies modern management & traditional conservation techniques, digital development, highly skilled personnel and suppliers. BHOe stimulates creative power of people involved by having initiated a Creative Hub, which is driving the advancement of the site.
