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Vienna

Vienna

Country

Austria

Continent

Europe

Best Cities to Visit

  • Mariahilf
  • Meidling
  • Währing
  • Liesing
  • Wieden

Size

415 KM2

Population

1,945,000

Spending Budget

$75 - $78

Famous For

  • Cleanliness
  • Music

Best Time to Visit

  • January
  • April
  • May
  • September
  • October

History

Modern Vienna has undergone several historical incarnations. From 1558 to 1918 it was an imperial city—until 1806 the seat of the Holy Roman Empire and then the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1918 it became the capital of the truncated, landlocked central European country that emerged from World War I as a republic. From 1938 to 1945 Austria was a part of Adolf Hitler’s “Greater” Germany, and Vienna became “Greater” Vienna, reflecting the Nazi revision of the city limits. In the decade following World War II, Austria was occupied by British, French, American, and Soviet forces, and Vienna was divided into five zones, including an international zone, covering the Innere Stadt. In 1955 the State Treaty, by which the country regained independence, was signed with the four occupying powers, and Vienna became once again the capital of a sovereign Austria.In a city renowned for its architecture, many of Vienna’s urban prospects remain basically those devised over several centuries by imperial gardeners and architects. The skyline is still dominated by the spire of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and by the giant Ferris wheel in the city’s chief park, the Prater. The city suffered heavy damage in the last months of World War II, and much rebuilding was done after the war. Nevertheless, the character of Vienna as a whole remains much the same as in the years before 1914.

Present Day

Vienna's gorgeous city, Austria's capital, lies within the country's East on the Danube. Vienna, also dened as Europe's cultural capital, maybe a megalopolis with unique attractiveness, vibrancy, and air. It boasts outstanding infrastructure, an abundance of baroque buildings, and all the inspiration that you simply could wish to cover this great a part of Europe.Vienna is considered as The Best City To Live In The Entire World.Address to over 1,700 acres of grapevines and 320 vintners, Vienna is the only capital city in the world that produces a Great Amount Of Wine. Today, it is the second-largest German-speaking city after Berlin. Vienna is host to many major international organizations, including the United Nations, OPEC and the OSCE. The city is located in the eastern part of Austria and is close to the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. These regions work together in a European Centrope border region. Along with nearby Bratislava, Vienna forms a metropolitan region with 3 million inhabitants. In 2001, the city center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Additionally, Vienna is known as the "City of Music"due to its musical legacy, as many famous classical musicians such as Beethoven and Mozart called Vienna home. Vienna is also said to be the "City of Dreams", because of it being home to the world's first psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. The historic center of Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles, including Baroque palaces and gardens, and the late-19th-century Ringstraße lined with grand buildings, monuments and parks.

Future

Vienna is growing and rejuvenating itself. Soon it will be Austria’s federal province with the youngest population. Urban development and urban planning play a decisive role in reconciling this future-oriented dynamism with the citizens’ desire for high quality of living. Already today, Vienna occupies a top position regarding metropolitan quality of living on a worldwide scale and is considered one of the smartest among “smart cities”. The staff of Vienna’s urban planning departments have contributed significantly towards this goal. It will remain their task to find human-scale solutions for the upcoming challenges.Thus “Vienna’s future is planned by people” means working steadily towards a successful future for all inhabitants of the city. The  dynamic development of metropolitan Vienna is  complemented by efforts to preserve and further improve the city’s attractive  quality of living for the  benefit of  its citizens.
Must Visit Places ------------

Hofburg

For more than six centuries the seat of the Habsburgs - and the official residence of every Austrian ruler since 1275 - the Hofburg is perhaps the most historically significant of Vienna's palaces. The official seat of the Austrian President, this sprawling complex consists of numerous buildings reflecting various periods, including architectural flourishes from the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo movements.

Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens

The spectacular 18th-century Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) is worth visiting not only for its magnificent architecture, but also for its beautiful park-like setting. One of Vienna's top tourist attractions, this beautiful Baroque palace contains more than 1,441 rooms and apartments, including those once used by Empress Maria Theresa.

St Stephen's Cathedral

Vienna's most important Gothic edifice and the cathedral church of the archbishopric since 1722, St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) sits in the historic center of Vienna. The original 12th-century Romanesque church was replaced by a Late Romanesque one in the 13th century, the remains of which are the massive gate and the Heathen Towers (Heidentürme).

The Spanish Riding School

Dating back to the time of Emperor Maximilian II, the superb Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule) was established after the ruler had the famous Lipizzaner horses introduced to his courtesans in 1562. Today, it's one of Vienna's leading attractions, and one of the leading riding schools in the world, thrilling audiences with fabulous displays of equestrian skills in the Baroque Winter Riding School in the grounds of the Hofburg Palace, where it has been located since 1735.

Belvedere Palace

Among Vienna's most popular attractions, Belvedere Palace is really two splendid Baroque buildings: the Lower (Unteres) Belvedere and the Upper (Oberes) Belvedere. Highlights of the Upper Palace include the Ground Floor Hall with its statues, and the Ceremonial Staircase with its rich stucco relief and frescoes.

Vienna Zoo

The origins of the Vienna Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn) can be traced to Emperor Francis I's menagerie, founded in 1752 and the oldest continually-operating zoo in the world. With many of its original Baroque buildings still intact, it's one of the most pleasant zoos in Europe to visit, particularly if you spend a little time seeking refreshment in the original 18th-century Imperial Breakfast Pavilion that now houses a great café.

The prater and the giant Ferris wheel

Visiting the Prater, a large natural park between the Danube and the Danube Canal, is a little like stepping into another world. Covering an area of 3,200 acres, this vast park-once a royal hunting ground-has long been one of Vienna's most popular recreation areas.

The Vienna state opera house

One of the world's largest and most splendid theaters, the Vienna State Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper) has hosted many of the world's most prominent composers, conductors, soloists, and dancers. Operatic and ballet performances are staged at least 300 times a year, fuelled by an obsession with music that goes as far back as 1625 when the first Viennese Court Opera was performed.

Kunsthistorisches Museum and Maria-Theresien-Platz

Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum is housed in a magnificent building created expressly to show off the tremendous art collections of the Hapsburg royal family. The superb collection of Dutch art features the world's largest collection of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, including his masterpiece Tower of Babel. There are also paintings by Raphael, Titian, Bellini, Caravaggio, and Vermeer, plus portraits by Velazquez.

Vienna city hall

Vienna's City Hall (Weiner Rathaus) is an impressive Neo-Gothic building that serves as the city's administrative center. Remarkable for its size-it occupies nearly 14,000 square meters of the former Parade Ground-this attractive building was completed in 1883 and is notable for the famous Rathausmann on top of its 98-meter-high tower, a banner-carrying iron figure presented to the city as a gift from its master locksmith.