about Vienna
Austria’s capital offers a unique blend of imperial traditions and stunning
modern architecture. It is famous for its cultural events, imperial sights,
coffee houses, cozy wine taverns, and the very special Viennese charm.
Vienna’s history dates back to the first post-Christian century when the
Romans established the military camp Vindobona. Today’s cityscape is
characterized by the abundance of baroque buildings created mostly under the
rule of Empress Maria Theresia and Emperor Franz Joseph who was largely
responsible for the monumental architecture round the Ringstraße.
Schloss Schönbrunn, the former imperial summer residence, is one of most
popular sights. The sumptuous palace with the beautifully tended formal
gardens, the Gloriette monument, the Palm House and the zoo attract hordes
of visitors each year. The huge Hofburg (Imperial Palace) was the base of
the Habsburgs for over six centuries, and is an impressive repository of
culture and heritage.
The splendid baroque Belvedere palace today houses the Österreichische
Galerie (Austrian Gallery) displaying the largest collection of works by
Klimt and Kokoschka as well as famous paintings by Schiele. Vienna’s prime
landmarks are the gothic Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral), the Giant
Ferris Wheel in the Prater, Vienna’s old recreational park, and the Spanish
Riding School with their world-famous Lipizzan.
Looking at Vienna
Vienna has more museums and galleries of international reputation than you
can shake a stick at: Kunsthistorischen Museum with the world’s largest
collection of Bruegel paintings, MuseumsQuartier with Leopold Museum (Schiele!),
Museum Moderner Kunst (Museum of Modern Art), Architekturzentrum
(Architectural Center) and Kunsthalle rank among the cities most important
cultural venues. Albertina is home to the world’s largest collection of
graphic arts and prints (60,000 drawings, 1 million prints), and
Liechtenstein Museum presents selected masterpieces from the Princely
Collections in Vaduz.
Vienna owes much of its international fame to the many celebrated composer
who lived and worked here including Strauß, Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn. The
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is one the world’s best, the Staatsoper one of
the world’s leading opera houses, the Vienna Boys’ Choir one the world’s
most famous. In the last years Vienna has also established itself as a great
musical metropolis.
In Vienna old coffee houses and rustic wine taverns stand alongside with top
modern restaurants and shops, time-honored events alternate with
internationally acclaimed extravaganzas (Life Ball) to create a unique and
very special ambiance. Another special feature of Vienna are its many
greenspace and recreational areas such as the Wienerwald, the Prater and the
Donauinsel.
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