Imperial Castles Tour Research

Prague: Capital of the Czech Republic and its largest city (1.2 million in 2007)
Old Town Prague: The original place of settlement of Prague, dating from around the 9th century
Prague Astronomical Clock: An incredibly advanced medieval astronomical clock including an astronomical dial representing the positions of the sun and moon in the sky and other astronomical details, an hourly show of the figures of the Apostles, and a calendar dial
Prague Castle: The castle complex in Prague where the Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices

Hluboka nad Vltavou: Basic Wiki page on this town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, known for its Chateau
Chateau Hluboka nad Vltavou: Czech castles website page with detailed history of the Chateau and additional photos
Cesky Krumlov: Small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, best known for the fine architecture of the historic old town and Krumlov Castle

Vienna: Capital of Austria, its largest city (1.7 million), and the country's cultural, economic and political center
St. Stephen's Cathedral: The seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vienna, the main religious edifice in Vienna, and one of the city's defining symbols
Hofburg Imperial Palace: Former residence of the Habsburg dynasty, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian empire, now the official residence of the President of Austria
Schonbrunn Palace: Schönbrunn is one of the most beautiful and important cultural monuments in Austria, illustrating the tastes and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs. Massive and elegant palace and gardens complex.

Salzburg: Capital of the Austrian state of Salzburg, famous for its baroque architecture
Fortress Hohensalzburg: One of the largest medieval castles in Europe, atop Festungberg Hill
Innsbruck: Capital of the western Austria federal state of Tyrol, renowned winter sports center
Munich: Munich (München / Muenchen) is the capital of Bavaria and Germany's third largest city (1.3 million in 2006)
The Residenz: The former royal residence of the Bavarian Dukes, Electors and Kings
Nuremberg: Nuremberg (Nürnberg, population ~500,000) is strategically located in the middle of Germany. Its development over the ages resulted from its position on major trade routes, and it was protected by castles towering over the city.

UNESCO World Heritage: UNESCO website listing World Heritage properties by country and providing background on selection criteria and processes. There are five UNESCO World Heritage Sites on this tour: the historic centres of the cities of Salzburg, Vienna, Cesky Krumlov, and Prague, and the Palace and Gardens of Schonbrunn.