Nowhere in Vienna will you experience a more salient account of Austrian imperial history. The building’s layout even echoes the geography of the Habsburg monarchy - the impressive central stairwell represents the Alps and divides the two major European artistic schools. While the east wing contains all of the northern German, Flemish and Dutch pieces (Rubens, Bruegel, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Dürer), the west wing boasts a comprehensive overview of important Spanish and Italian works (Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Velásquez). Egyptian, near East, Greek and Roman antiquities and the Kunstkammer with the most wonderful of artworks, such as the world famous »Saliera« (salt cellar) by Benvenuto Cellini, make up the ground floor.
