A Golden Set of Wheels

Considered the most elegant carriage of the Vienna Court, the "grand carosse", is thought to have been built around 1730-40 for Emperor Karl VI and later converted several times. Zoom in here to see the incredible carved details and paintings on the coach. The panels show mythical allegories of the virtues of the ruler, and thought to refer to Karls's daughter, Empress Maria Theresa.

The "Imperial Carriage" was an insignia representing the power of the dynasty and was only used at the most important events. Firstly it was drawn by six white horses from the Kladrub imperial stud farm and from the early 19th century with eight. It was last used on 30 December 1916 in Budapest at the Hungarian coronation of Kaiser Karl I.