The Hofburg is the former Imperial Palace in the centre of Vienna, at the Saint Michael Square. Built in the 13th century and expanded in the centuries since, the palace has been the seat of power of the Habsburg dynasty rulers, and today the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria.

The Michaelertrakt (St. Michael's Wing) is one of the most exuberant wings of the Imperial Palace. It was originally designed by Josef Emanuel Fischer von Erlach in 1720, but the project was delayed for a long time. The Austrian architect Ferdinand Kirschner followed Erlach’s initial plans and carried out the construction of the wing in 1889-1893. The wing is named in reverence to St. Michael's Church (Michaelerkirche) on the opposite side of the square, which served as a church of the Austro-Hungarian emperors for a long time.

In the center of the wing is the impressive gate called Michaelertor, with colossal statues of Hercules.