I hope some fellow forum members can help me out or give some suggestions. I've got a bit of free time in Vienna this Saturday and plan to visit at least one museum.

I'd like to mainly see schiavona and similar period swords as well as some a bit earlier or a bit later. More or less 15th-17th centuries. I'm mainly interested in blades and not in any of the fancier parade armours or arms. Ideal for me would be a place with quite a few examples on display in an armoury type of setup.

The museums I'm aware of with arms and armour displays are:

1. Heeresgeschichtliches Museum

2. Hofburg Palace

3. Vienna Museum Karlsplatz

Any suggestions about where best to spend my time? :)

Kunsthistoriches holds one of the world's great arms and armour collections. Do that first, because you're gonna cry if you run out of time there.

My advice is Heeresgeschichtliches - http://www.hgm.or.at/ - it´s in the old Arsenal building, and cuts through the military history from 16./17. century to WW2. It´s quite huge (we´ve spent the whole day there and I cannot say we had enough time do see everything properly), so you could focus on period that interests you.

And then, of course, the Kunsthistorishes Museum mentioned by Sean - http://www.khm.at/besuchen/sammlungen/hofjagd-und-ruestkammer/. But if you are interested in arms and armour, head for the Neue Burg building - http://www.khm.at/en/explore/angebote/renting...neue-burg/ Otherwise you end up at art and antiques collections (which are also extremely interesting, but probably not what you are looking for in a limited time you have).

Thanks guys, sounds like I'll go to both of the places Radovan mentioned. I have to admit I'm after some fairly specific things so I really don't mind if I don't see everything in one shot. Vienna's only a 2.5 hour trip from where I am, I just rarely head down that way.

Cheers,

Iain

well, if you live that close to VIenna, you need to hit the armoury at Graz. That matches your description perfectly.

Hi Sean,

Yes, Graz is on my list of places to get to. That's about 4 hours away.

I should explain my interests are a little narrow because I'm mainly focused on blades of a type and style that filtered into Sudanic arms, namely takouba and kaskara. Having built up a few examples in those mounts, I'm keen to see a few more in their original mounts as well for comparative purposes.

Iain,

From personal experience I realize it is very difficult to make a decision when faced with little time and you wish to see specific items. Suffered with remorse more than once over choices I have made as to what collection I should visit, etc.

Was faced with the same decision as you a few years ago and I opted for the Hofburg Palace (Kunsthistoriches). Agree with Sean, this is not to be missed. Was the first one in and the last out ... or nearly so. The next choice was to visit Graz or stay in Vienna. Choose Graz; never regretted either decision. Missing the Vienna Museum and Heereheeresgeschichtliches has given me an excuse for a return trip.

Only a 2.5 trip? Do think I would spend my weekends there; of course most of us are faced with that pesky task of earning a living... Please do a posting about your trip.

Regards,
Dan

Hi Daniel,

Distance is a funny thing in Europe, while certainly not far I'm one country away and it's just one of those things that when a weekend rolls around... there's always something else on that needs doing and sadly that pesky business of earning a living sees me travelling a lot during the week. Which somewhat dampens my interest to venture far from home when I have spare time. I also have to admit, given my non European collecting orientation, there are not many places which hold collections from the particular regions I find interesting. None that are close anyways.

I'll certainly share any images I manage to shoot while I'm there. :)