The Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) contains secular and ecclesiastical treasures of priceless value and splendour – the sheer wealth of this collection of crown jewels is staggering. As you walk through the rooms you see magnificent treasures such as a golden rose, diamond-studded Turkish sabres, a 2680-carat Colombian emerald and, the highlight of the treasury, the imperial crown.
The wood-panelled Sacred Treasury has a collection of rare religious relics, some of which can be taken with a grain of salt: fragments of the True Cross, one of the nails from the Crucifixion, a thorn from Christ’s crown and a piece of tablecloth from the Last Supper. Audio guides in German, English, Italian, French, Japanese, Russian and Spanish cost €4 (the shorter highlight audio tour is free) and are very worthwhile. A combined ‘Treasures of the Habsburgs’ ticket, which includes the Kunsthistorisches Museum, costs €20. Allow anything from 30 minutes to two hours for the Schatzkammer.
