The Swiss Gate of Old Hofburg

The Swiss gate of the old Hofburg was built in 1552 by order of Ferdinand I. The first ruler received Austria as a gift and thus decided to indicate his social status.

The golden letters on the gate are engraved with a long list of Ferninand's possessions, including Hungary, Spain and even Rome. The last letters "ZC" denote the abbreviation "etc", symbolically emphasizing that the territory can be expanded.

This unique monument of the Renaissance reproduces the classical type of arch, borrowed from the architectural solutions of Ancient Rome. Its author is the architect Pietro Ferabosco. In addition to decorative functions, the Swiss gates had a purely practical purpose: on the sides of the arch there were round holes for inserting special balls of the drawbridge chains.

One of the most important questions to ask is why Switzerland has a gate. The name appeared in the era of Maria Theresa. The Swiss Guard was part of the Empress’s guard, and they were often stationed near these gates.