The Museum of Arms and Armor

 

Inside the giant Hofburg Palace is an amazing collection of antique armor, one of the largest and most valuable in the world.

 

Look at the feet on these guys!

 

 

 

 

                   

 

 

                           

 

A grand hall in the Hofburg, and a knight on horseback -- with feathers!

 

Some of the knights were little bitty guys, hardly 5 feet tall.  People were short in those days, from lack of good nutrition.

 

Most of the armor is very shiny, but these suits were almost black.

 

I think I would have snickered if I had seen this knight coming after me in battle.  Must have gotten his skirt from the roof of some chicken barn.
And look at those feet.
       

 

Another one with a skirt.
   

 

They sure couldn't see very well out of those helmets.

 

I had never seen any helmets before with faces on them -- rather comical, actually.

 

 

Some of the armor was obviously made just for display and ceremonial use, and not for fighting.
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The children's armor was made just for fun, and maybe for a bit of training.

 

I thought at first this must be some happy family, but no, the suit on the left was for a man, too.

 

 

In the Hofburg Palace, I found this magnificent Bösendorfer grand piano, made in Austria in the 1800's.

 

The End
of my trip to Vienna! 

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