Victoria!

Ein Hofwagen und seine bewegte Geschichte A Court Carriage and its Colourful History

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A long-lost carriage once used almost daily by Austria's longest-serving monarch Franz Joseph for his commute from Schonbrunn Palace to his office in central Vienna has gone on display after an epic renovation.

The carefully restored vehicle can be seen at the Imperial Carriage Museum, which houses one of the world's most important collections.

"People usually saw him in exactly this type of vehicle, and the emperor in his beloved everyday carriage became a popular subject of postcards and paintings," said historian and museum curator Mario Doeberl.

People would line the streets hoping to throw petitions and protest letters into his carriage, knowing it was the only way to get the emperor's ear," he added.

But his well-known commute also made him a potential assassination target, and the police patrolled to make sure nobody came close.

The head of the Habsburg dynasty had access to about 600 vehicles, including sleighs and sedan chairs.