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70-440: SECI or Seci may refer to: Southeast European Cooperative Initiative Solar Energy Corporation of India SECI model of knowledge dimensions Pio Seci , Fijian rugby league footballer Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title SECI . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

140-544: A financial assistance plan. The idea was to allow SEE countries access to resources that would help them rebuild and stabilize, but not to provide money. Instead, outside organizations and countries like the United States would offer technical assistance and provide experts on relevant subjects. Schifter's hunch was realized on 14 December 1995, when a cease-fire was announced and peace negotiations were signed in Dayton, Ohio under

210-640: A form not visible to the viewer. The Redoutensäle reopened in 1998 in the framework of the first Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and became since then part of the Hofburg Congress Centre. Restoration of the roof of the wing gave an opportunity to convert the original loft space into a new amenity called the Rooftop Foyer ( Dachfoyer ). The architect Manfred Wehdorn designed

280-737: A member of the imperial family. In the Knight's Hall ( Rittersaal ), on 15 May 1717 the Empress Maria Theresa was baptised by the papal nuncio Giorgio Spinola, representing Pope Clement XI , with baptismal water containing a few drops from the River Jordan . Next to the Knight's Hall is the Guard Room ( Trabantenstube ), where the duty officer of the Household Guards kept watch over the emperor. The lower section of this wing once accommodated

350-488: A minority party won the popular vote, eventually being allowed in as Serbia and Montenegro and Slovenia and Croatia originally agreed to join but only as observer nations. The Slovenian concern was that they were a Central European country, not part of SEE, but once Hungary joined, they quickly followed suit. Croatia was more of a challenge in that not only did they not see themselves as a SEE country, but President Tudjman in an interview with Richard Schifter said that Croatia

420-724: A modern interior, completed with a spherical structure for secure conferences and panoramic windows. Besides the roof, he also converted the former courtyard between the Hall of Festivals and the southwest wing of the Swiss courtyard to another space. By 2017 the wing was renovated to house the National Council and the Federal Council while the Austrian Parliament Building is under renovation. Although not physically connected to

490-530: A square outline, with four turrets , and was surrounded by a moat with a drawbridge at the entrance. These oldest sections of the castle today form the Swiss Court ( Schweizerhof ), where there are a gothic chapel ( Burgkapelle ), dating from the 15th century, and the treasury (or Schatzkammer ), affiliated to the Kunsthistorisches Museum which holds, among other things, the imperial insignia of

560-470: A statue of Athena riding on a quadriga above the main entrance. On the left portion of the roof, he situated Atlas , supporting the celestial globe, flanked by Astronomy and Astrology, and on the opposite side, Gaia with the terrestrial globe, flanked by allegories of Geometry and Geography. The library to the north is located at Joseph Square. More structures and annexes were successively added. Particularly from 1763 to 1769, Nicolo Pacassi connected

630-446: A sustainable economic strategy in and for the region and to focus on trans-border cooperation programs and projects in the fields of development of infrastructure, trade, traffic, security, energy, environment and the private sector. Providing regional peace and stability among the countries of Southeastern Europe through cooperative activities, the further integration of its member states into the European Union shall be facilitated through

700-564: A traditional Maundy ceremony. Later on the Hall of Ceremonies became fully integrated into the New Castle ( Neue Burg ) by 1916. With its 1,000m of floor space, the Hall of Festivals ( Festsaal ) is the biggest hall in the whole of the Hofburg. Although built as a throne room, it was never used as such. The internal works were finished in 1923, but the artwork remained incomplete. The hall has Alois Hans Schramm's three ceiling paintings, dedicated to

770-451: A view to increasing efficiency in the flow of goods and improved trade, identification of bottlenecks at main international traffic corridors, creation of networks and zones of energy efficiency, investing in the promotion of networks of pipelines and their connections with international pipelines, provision of funds for the promotion of entrepreneurship, primarily through projects of small and medium-sized enterprises, etc. The SECI initiative

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840-468: Is also located here. The Hofburg featured as the main motif on the 20 euro Renaissance commemorative coin . The coin shows the Swiss Gate of the palace. This gate bears Ferdinand I's coat-of-arms and titles. It is flanked by two soldiers of the period as a reminder of the unsettled times which saw Vienna besieged by Turkish armies in 1529, as well as the struggles between Protestants and Catholics during

910-1032: Is guided by the Co-ordinator, which has been nominated by the OSCE. Its principal body is the Programme Committee comprising national coordinators of the Member Countries. It ensures that activities fulfil SECI's mission and acts as its representative to outside parties. This regional depth and experience ensure its ability to fully support its regional membership and engagement on regional issues. SECI activities and projects include for example: • SECI Bucharest Center for Combating Transborder Crime and Corruption, renamed Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC) ; • Trade and Transport Facilitation in Southeast Europe (TTFSE); • Memorandum of Understanding on Road Transport (Athens MoU); • Memorandum of Understanding on

980-565: The Albertina museum, is also considered a part of the Hofburg because of its structural connections to the Augustinian monastery. In the early 19th century members of the imperial family had their residence here, such as Archduke Albrecht and, later, his nephew, Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen . After the renovation of the Palais in the 1820s by Joseph Kornhäusel , that section became connected to

1050-610: The Amalienburg and the Swiss Court is the Leopoldine Wing ( Leopoldinischer Flügel ) which was first built in the 1660s under Emperor Leopold I and thus named after him. The architect was Filiberto Lucchese, but after the Siege of 1683 by the Turks, the wing was rebuilt by Giovanni Pietro Tencala with an additional floor installed. Through its architecture, this wing still bears a connection to

1120-787: The Augustinian church and monastery. As the palace expanded, the church and monastery became an integral part of the building. The Augustinian Church was used by the Habsburgs as their court church and also for weddings. This is where Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth , alias Sisi, were married. Behind the Loreto side chapel is located the Hearts' Crypt , a semicircular-shaped annexe separated by an iron door, where 54 hearts of House of Habsburg members are kept in silver urns. The Palais Archduke Albrecht (formerly Palais Tarouca-de Sylva), home of

1190-769: The Dayton Agreement . The Participating States of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative held an inaugural meeting in Geneva on December 5–6, 1996 and formally adopted the SECI “Statement of Purpose” on December 6, 1996, and its Annex I as well as the “Final Points of Common EU-US Understanding”, dated December 6, 1996, which define the legal status and form of SECI. The Participating states requested then OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Swiss Foreign Minister Flavio Cotti , to designate, after appropriate consultations,

1260-524: The Hofburg were opened to the public as a convention centre. In the first ten years, the Burghauptmannschaft operated the convention centre; since 1969 a private company (Hofburg Vienna – Wiener Kongresszentrum Hofburg Betriebsgesellschaft ) has been managing the international congress and events centre. Every year the convention centre hosts about 300–350 events, with around 300,000–320,000 guests. Among

1330-686: The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). The whole palace complex is under the administration of the governor ( Burghauptmann ), who in turn is part of the Burghauptmannschaft , an office which has been in existence since the Middle Ages under the auspices of the Burgrave . At present the Burghauptmannschaft is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Ministry of the Economy. In September 1958, parts of

1400-965: The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Central European Initiative (CEI), Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation , Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC), Danube Commission (DC) and specialized UN agencies and programs and other organizations. SECI Member states are: Austria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia and Turkey. SECI Observers states are: Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Kosovo, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States. The principal SECI goals are: elimination of administrative and other obstacles with

1470-402: The centre of Vienna , it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn Palace was the summer residence. Since 1946, it has been the official residence and workplace of the president of Austria . Since 1279, the Hofburg area has been the documented seat of government. The Hofburg has been expanded over

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1540-564: The Danube River Basin; • Coordination of the "Interim Save Commission"; • SECI Business Advisory Council (BAC); • European Economic Danube Forum (EEDF) and • Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe (till 2019) Hofburg Palace The Hofburg ( German: [hoːf.buʁk] ) is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty in Austria . Located in

1610-1010: The Facilitation of International Road Transport of Goods in the SECI Region (in cooperation with UNECE and the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT)); • Exchange of Information of Securities Markets in the SECI Countries; • Regional Transmission Planning in SECI Member Countries; • Policy facilitator within the framework of the Danube Cooperation Process (DCP); • Dialogue forum for interinstitutional and interdisciplinary communication with its Partnership for Improvement of Danube Infrastructure and Navigation (PIDIN); • Overall regional stakeholder, observer and promoter of cross-sectoral developments and trends within

1680-623: The High-Level Personality (HLP) referred to in the Statement of Purpose. On December 19, 1996, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, as authorized by all OSCE Participating States, named Erhard Busek , former Vice-Chancellor of Austria, as SECI "High-Level Personality", hereinafter Coordinator. The next step was to get all the countries in the region together and agree to join a cooperation initiative, an extremely difficult task considering

1750-510: The Hofburg as well. Empress Maria Theresia had a 17th-century opera house converted into the dance and concert halls now known as the Redoutensäle , which consists of a small and a large hall. Together with a number of smaller antechambers they form the Redoute Wing. The original plans were drawn up by Jean Nicolas Jadot de Ville-Issey  [ de ] , while the external façades are

1820-764: The Holy Roman Empire ( Reichskleinodien ) and of the Empire of Austria. The Court Music Chapel ( Hofmusikkapelle ) is located inside the Court Chapel ( Hofburgkapelle  [ de ] ) and is where the Vienna Boys' Choir traditionally sing mass on Sundays. The appearance of the Swiss Court dates from the Renaissance , during the reign of the Emperor Ferdinand I . The Swiss Gate entrance ( Schweizertor ) displays

1890-564: The Holy Roman Empire since the ceremonial position of Imperial Arch-Chancellor ( Reichserzkanzler )—whom the Imperial Vice Chancellor represented—had always been filled by the Archbishop of Mainz since the Middle Ages. After the end of the Holy Roman Empire, this wing housed the apartments of Napoleon, The Duke of Reichstadt and later those of Emperor Francis Joseph I. The chancellery, Swiss court, Amalienburg and Leopoldine Wing form

1960-526: The Imperial Library to the other parts of the Hofburg and its other side to the Augustinian Church and he thus created the present Joseph Square ( Josephsplatz ), marked by its almost symmetrical proportions. Of note are the bronze equestrian statue of Emperor Joseph II . Built right before the adjacent Court Library, on the south-east side of Joseph Square, lies the baroque Augustinian Wing with

2030-661: The Inner Castle Court ( innerer Burghof ). In the middle is a bronze statue of Francis I dressed as a Roman emperor, by Pompeo Marchesi . Originally a free-standing structure, the Court Library ( Hofbibliothek ) was housed on the other side of the complex. Charles VI had the main building and the Prunksaal main hall constructed. Today it is under the auspices of the Austrian National Library . Its construction

2100-762: The Late Renaissance. It is in this wing that the offices of the Federal President are located. The Privy Council Room ( Geheime Ratstube ) is part of the wing. This is where Emperor Franz Joseph I held his opening speeches at the sessions of the Austro-Hungarian Delegation. Here the Archduke Franz Ferdinand , a nephew of emperor Franz Joseph I and heir to the throne, spoke the Oath of Renunciation on 28 June 1900 and in so doing renounced all claims to

2170-582: The Polish King John III Sobieski in the side panels. The hall was also the venue for 1967 Eurovision Song Contest . In 1809, a part of the old bastion adjacent to the palace was demolished in the course of the Napoleonic Wars. All the way up to the present Ring Road , new grounds were laid out, in which the neoclassical main castle gate ( Burgtor ) was integrated. Within the new walls which were erected in 1817, three gardens were made:

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2240-616: The Ring Road, with the twin museums ( Kunsthistorisches Museum and Naturhistorisches Museum ) as flanks and terminating at the old Imperial Mews (the Hofstallungen , not to be confused with the much older Stallburg) of Fischer von Erlach. The project was led by Gottfried Semper and later by Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer . The museums were completed in 1891, but construction of the rest of the forum dragged on slowly and conflicted since because of rising costs and no real function could be found for

2310-694: The SECI agreement were Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia and Turkey. The SECI headquarters are located within the Hofburg Palace in Vienna . The SECI was formed in 1996 under the guidance of Ambassador Richard Schifter , at the time the Senior Director for Eastern Europe in the United States National Security Council . The group's mission

2380-652: The Stallburg (and where the first Austrian parliament sat in 1848) and in the Imperial Chancellery Wing (Reichskanzleitrakt) across from the Leopoldine Wing. The latter was originally planned by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt and accommodated, in addition to the Aulic Council ( Reichshofrat ), the offices of the Imperial Vice-Chancellor ( Reichsvizekanzler ), who was the de facto prime minister of

2450-765: The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo ( UNMIK ), under the UNSC Resolution 1244 ; in February 2008, the Assembly of Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. Despite this, they are still only recognized as an independent state by 114 UN member states , with Russia and Serbia leading the opposition of the declaration and the European Union having no official position on

2520-407: The United States of America as well as its observer International Organizations are the International Organization for Migration (IOM), European Institute for Law Enforcement Cooperation, renamed European Institute for Freedom, Security and Justice (EULEC), International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). SECI's purpose is to develop

2590-399: The architects of the Neue Burg built between 1881 and 1913. The name translates as "Castle of the Court", which denotes its origins when initially constructed during the Middle Ages . Initially planned in the 13th century as the seat of the Dukes of Austria , the palace expanded over the centuries, as they became increasingly powerful. From 1438 to 1583, and again from 1612 to 1806, it was

2660-426: The balls held in the Redoutensaele in the framework of the Congress of Vienna in 1814/15. Johann Strauss served as musical director to the court for the balls held here. Over the centuries, various modification has been made the balls in line with changing tastes. On 27 November 1992 the whole wing with the Redoutensäle was seriously damaged by fire. The reconstruction and restoration work lasted five years. While

2730-406: The centuries to include various residences (with the Amalienburg and the Albertina ), the imperial chapel ( Hofkapelle or Burgkapelle ), the imperial library ( Hofbibliothek ), the treasury ( Schatzkammer ), the Burgtheater , the Spanish Riding School ( Hofreitschule ), the imperial mews ( Stallburg and Hofstallungen ). The palace faces the Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square) ordered under

2800-445: The collection forms the core of the later Kunsthistorisches Museum from 1889. The residence was converted during the Baroque era to house the imperial horses on the ground floor and is used by the Spanish Riding School ( Spanische Hofreitschule ). St. Michael's Wing was also planned by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and it serves as the connection between the Winter Riding School and the Imperial Chancellery Wing. However, because

2870-430: The countries of Southeast Europe within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as a support to the implementation of the Dayton Accords in December 1996 at the inaugural session at Geneva on the basis of Final Points of Common EU-USA Understanding . SECI's purpose is to develop a sustainable economic strategy in and for the region and to focus on trans-border cooperation programs and projects in

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2940-489: The economy in the region to serve the regional cooperation and European and Euro-Atlantic integration of South East Europe in order to spark development in the region to the benefit of its people. The same year, SECI founded the SECI Bucharest Center for Combating Transborder Crime and Corruption, later renamed Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC), which is concentrating on the cooperation to prevent and combat trans-border crime. The countries that signed and ratified

3010-448: The enormous construction project. In 1913, the south-west wing, the New Castle (Neue Burg), was completed. However, the Imperial Forum was never completed and remains a torso. The New Castle wing today houses a number of museums (the Ephesos Museum , the Collection of Arms and Armour, the Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments, and the Museum of Ethnology) as well as some reading rooms of the national library. The Hofburg Congress Centre

3080-411: The ethnic tension that dominated the region. The SECI was originally composed of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Croatia and Slovenia. However those last three participants caused some growing pains for the initiative in its nascent stages. Yugoslavia's invitation was revoked after the country cancelled local election results when

3150-429: The events are conventions and meetings as well as banquets, trade fairs, concerts, and balls. The oldest parts of the palace date from the 13th century and were primarily constructed by the last of the Babenbergers , or by Ottakar II of Bohemia . Before that the castle of the Austrian rulers had been located on the square called "Am Hof", which is near the Schottenstift (Scottish Monastery). The castle originally had

3220-409: The fields of development of infrastructure, trade, traffic, security, energy, environment and the private sector. Its impetus is encouraging cooperation among its Participating States and facilitating their integration into European structures. SECI is not an assistance program. It does not interfere with, but rather complements with existing initiatives. SECI endeavours to promote close cooperation among

3290-406: The foci of Heroes Square. On 15 March 1938 Adolf Hitler proclaimed from the balcony of the New Castle onto Heroes' Square the " Anschluss " of Austria into the Nazi Third Reich. Following the enlargement of Vienna after the demolition of the city walls in the 1860s, the Hofburg had its last great expansion. An Imperial Forum ( Kaiserforum ) was planned, in which a two-winged structure reaching beyond

3360-408: The governments of the region and to create new channels of communication among them. Furthermore, SECI attempts to emphasize and coordinate regionwide planning, identify needed follow-up and missing links, provide for better involvement of the private sector in regional economic and environmental efforts, help to create a regional climate that encourages the transfer of know-how and greater investment in

3430-461: The greater glory of the Habsburgs, complete with Emperor Franz Joseph's motto "Viribus Unitis" (with united strength). The lower lunettes and octagonal panels are decorated with paintings by Eduard Veith and Viktor Stauffer  [ de ] of famous people from Austrian history, with Maximilian I, Charles V , Ferdinand I, Rudolph II and Ferdinand II of Tyrol to be seen in the ceiling paintings, and Leopold I, Charles VI, Prince Eugene and also

3500-413: The imperial kitchen. Across from the Swiss Gate is the Amalienburg , named after Empress Amalie Wilhelmine , the widow of Joseph I . However, this wing had already been in use for more than a century, constructed as the residence of the Emperor Rudolph II in the style of the late Renaissance . Of note is the small tower with its cupola and the astronomical clock on its façade. The connection between

3570-728: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SECI&oldid=855161142 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Southeast European Cooperative Initiative Its member states include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey and Montenegro. SECI's observer states are Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Kosovo, Ukraine, United Kingdom and

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3640-403: The many titles of Ferdinand I and the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece are painted on the ceiling. An adjoining section of the Swiss Wing houses the Radetzky Apartments. In recognition of his services in the Italian campaign during the revolutionary year of 1848, the Emperor Franz Joseph I permitted the worthy Field Marshal Radetzky to live in these apartments, even though he was not

3710-437: The members countries. All SECI programs and projects are being implemented by experts from the member states and states supporting this Initiative with the technical support of the European Commission , UN Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), World Bank , European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), European Investment Bank (EIB), World Customs Organization and the OSCE. Also, SECI closely cooperates with

3780-437: The old Imperial Court Theatre ( Burgtheater ) stood in the way, these plans remained unrealized until Ferdinand Kirschner built the wing from 1889 to 1893, utilizing a slightly altered plan. After the completion of St. Michael's Square, two sculpted fountains were installed on the façade of the wing: Power at Sea by Rudolf Weyr and Power on Land by Edmund Hellmer . The wing is named in reference to St. Michael's Church on

3850-401: The opposite side. The walls of the Marble Hall in front of the Hall of Ceremonies date back to the 16th century and theoretically belong to the Leopoldine Wing, but the scagliola for the interior was changed around 1840 to match the appearance of the newer Hall of Ceremonies. During the imperial period it was used as a dining room and for balls for the children at court. The Hall of Ceremonies

3920-473: The private Imperial Castle Garden ( Burggarten ), Heroes Square ( Heldenplatz ) as a large open, green area, and the People's Garden ( Volksgarten ) with the Temple of Theseus ( Theseustempel ). Along with the Burgtor , it was designed by Peter von Nobile . The Hall of Ceremonies and the Neue Burg make up the backdrop of the square. Equestrian statues of the two most important Austrian field marshals, Prince Eugene of Savoy and Archduke Charles , stand at

3990-536: The private sector, and assist in harmonizing trade laws and policies. According to its official mandate, SECI advises the EU-Commission , European Investment Bank (EIB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and governments of the member and observer states on business matters in Southeast Europe and request their intervention when necessary. Furthermore, it advises business communities ensuring an effective follow-up of recommendations as well as attracting investments and increasing trade with and among

4060-455: The reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I , as part of what was planned to become the Kaiserforum  [ de ] but which was never completed. Numerous architects have executed work at the Hofburg as it expanded, notably the Italian architect-engineer Filiberto Luchese, Lodovico Burnacini and Martino and Domenico Carlone, the Baroque architects Lukas von Hildebrandt and Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach , Johann Fischer von Erlach , and

4130-412: The rest of the complex, the imperial mews ( Stallburg ) of the Hofburg were originally built as a residence for the then crown prince, Maximilian . It is said that Ferdinand I did not wish to house his son under his roof, as Maximilian had veered towards Protestantism. This structure later accommodated the art collection of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm , the art-inclined brother of Emperor Ferdinand III , and

4200-409: The seat of the Habsburg kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire , and thereafter until 1918 the seat of the Emperors of Austria . Since then, the palace has continued in its role as the seat of the head of state and is today used by the Austrian Federal President. It is also the permanent home of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and also houses the Vienna Office of

4270-409: The situation as well as the United Nations saying that Resolution 1244 will remain the legal framework in Kosovo. Kosovo has never been and currently is not considered a member state by the SECI either, only a permanent observer. The South-East European Cooperative Initiative (SECI) is a multilateral regional initiative that has been initiated by the European Union , the United States of America and

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4340-443: The smaller Kleiner Redoutensaal was faithfully restored, for the interior of the larger Grosser Redoutensaal a design competition was held, which was won by the Austrian artist Josef Mikl . He created a number of oil paintings based on literary quotations taken from Ferdinand Raimund , Johann Nepomuk Nestroy and Elias Canetti . His 404 m ceiling painting incorporates 34 handwritten verses of Karl Kraus ' poem "Youth", albeit in

4410-531: The support of main international organizations and observer states. The initiative has provided regional stability and peace since its founding in 1996. In 1999, SECI, together with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) under the then Chairman-in-Office, Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek, co-founded the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe , renamed Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), owned and run by countries mainly in Southeast Europe, aiming at strengthening peace, democracy and

4480-405: The throne for his descendants. A dynastically necessary act as his intended marriage was to be morganatic, due to the unequal rank between him and his future wife . The lower section of this wing as well as that of the Amalienburg served as the enormous wine cellar for the Hofburg. An additional father-son collaborative project resulted in the Winter Riding School ( Winterreitschule ) across from

4550-522: The work of Nicolò Pacassi and Franz Anton Hillebrandt  [ de ] . The Redoutensäle soon became the setting for the cultivated style of baroque entertainment. The name is derived from the French word " redoute ", meaning an elegant masked ball , and such balls were also held there. The audience was treated to music by Joseph Haydn and Niccolò Paganini and Franz Liszt . The premiere of Beethoven 's 8th Symphony took place there in 1814. The well known saying "The Congress dances" derives from

4620-422: Was a “Catholic, Mediterranean country” that wants nothing to do with the “Orthodox and the Muslims.” In 1999, President Tudjman was hospitalized, eventually dying, and shortly after, Croatia joined the SECI as a full-fledged member. Kosovo is another area of contention for the SEE countries. During the time of the formation of the SECI, in 1996, they were only recognized as a region and by 1999, they were governed by

4690-447: Was begun by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and finished by his son Joseph Emanuel in 1735. The large Prunksaal hall contains the book collection of Prince Eugene of Savoy , an enormous ceiling fresco by Daniel Gran , and statues of emperors by Paul Strudel making this part of the Hofburg its most significant in artistic terms. The exterior decoration with attic style figures was executed by Lorenzo Mattielli in 1726. He placed

4760-413: Was built for Emperor Francis II/I by the Belgian architect Louis Montoyer at the beginning of the 19th century. Because of its additional nature, it formed a clearly visible protrusion at right angles to the Leopoldine Wing for almost a hundred years, and was therefore also called the "Nose". With its ornate coffered ceiling and 26 crystal chandeliers, which once held 1,300 candles, the Hall of Ceremonies

4830-475: Was grand. The 24 Corinthian columns are done in scagliola technique, in which painted gypsum resembles marble. In this hall Napoleon I asked for the hand of Archduchess Marie Louise , the daughter of Emperor Francis II/I. This was also where court balls were held and later also speeches from the throne . and where the exclusive Ball at the Court was held. On Maundy Thursday , the emperor and empress invited twelve poor old men and women to have their feet washed in

4900-413: Was modeled after the Marshall Plan of 1947, which helped rebuild Europe after World War II. Since the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was coming to a close, Schifter saw a need for greater stability in the region. His initial plan, called the Southeast European Cooperative Development Initiative, was intended to focus on regional cooperation of the countries in Southeast Europe (SEE), and not be considered

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