Eurotrip: Charlemagne’s Vienna

Our second day in Vienna was destined to be all about art. We started appropriately with the oldest stuff before moving to the new, and to that end we gathered up the family and went off to visit the Kaiserliche Schatzkammer, which I too would have assumed was a sex act illegal within any incorporated U.S. territory, but turns out to be the Imperial Treasury! That place was absolutely stunning. I guess that you shouldn’t be surprised that the consolidated treasures of a 1000 years of imperial domination would be impressive, but the sheer craftsmanship on display I would not have comprehended until I got there. The place isn’t too large really, but there is room after room of items of exquisite mastery. From a sheer artistry standpoint I think the most impressive items were all the textiles. They had a number of liturgical vestments that used a “needle painting” and embroidery technique to make these portraits out of thread and I just did not know that you could do that. It is amazing…