Page:Three Years in Europe.djvu/336

296 to our left. The imperial palace of Vienna is the only building unworthy of modern Vienna,—and the Vienese [sic] feel it and are building a new palace here which will be in keeping with its modern surroundings. The present imperial palace is an assemblage of straggling buildings of different periods. Its origin goes back to the 13th century, and the Gateway of the Swiss guards was built on the 16th.

Leaving the Burg Ring behind we proceed along the Opera Ring with the splendid new opera house to our left—and a line of fine buildings to our right. We go along next by the Karuthner Ring and see on our right the splendid St. Charles's Church with its lofty dome and two lofty columns on two sides. We then come to the spacious and beautiful Shwarzenburg Place with a fine equestrian statue of Shwarzenburg in it. Further on is the Kollowral Ring, and then the Park Ring with a beautiful park to the right, and the huge barracks to the left. The Stubens ring completes the semi-circle and bring us back to the Danube canal.

Within the semi-circle spoken of above, rises in its hoary pride an ancient building which far surpasses in grandeur and majesty the wonderful creations of modern art and wealth. The lofty cathedral of St. Stevens,—the pride of old Vienna, as it is of modern Vienna even with her hundreds of modern palaces,—dates from the 12th century of the Christian era. It was rebuilt in the 14th