Vienna Hofburg - Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Collection

When the imperial couple moved into separate sleeping quarters, this room became the emperor’s bedroom. Franz Joseph slept on this simple iron bed, a habit reflecting the rather Spartan lifestyle preferred by the emperor. He began his day long before daybreak, as a rule at half-past three in the morning. Only if he had attended late-night functions the night before did he allow himself another hour‘s sleep. First the emperor was bathed by an attendant in a rubber tub which was set up in his bedroom every day. The simple dressing-table for his daily toilette that you can see by the bed indicates not only that Franz Joseph preferred the modest furnishings of his private chambers but that he rejected any kind of luxury as superfluous. After he had dressed, he knelt at his prayer-stool to say his morning prayers. Afterwards breakfast was served to the emperor in his study.www.hofburg-wien.at | Download Tour-Guide (PDF)© by Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H.