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| VIENNA TRAVEL GUIDE Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria, and the Historic City Centre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It will be one of the eight host cities in the 2008 European Football Championships. Vienna is Austria's primary city; with a population of about 1.7 million it is by far the largest city in Austria as well as its cultural, economical and political center. It is the 10th largest city by population in the European Union and is identified having the 4th highest quality of living. The United Nations has offices there as has OPEC. The Vienna International Centre near the Danube also hosts important international offices including the International Atomic Energy Agency. Vienna lies in the very east of Austria and is close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. In 2001, the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an Economist Intelligence Unit study of 127 world cities ranked it first ex aequo with Vancouver for the quality of life. Founded around 500 BC, Vienna was originally a Celtic settlement. In 15 BC, Vienna became a Roman frontier city ("Vindobona") guarding the Roman Empire against Germanic tribes to the north. During the Middle Ages, Vienna was home to the Babenberg Dynasty and in 1440 became residence city of the Habsburg dynasties from where Vienna eventually grew to become the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and a cultural centre for arts and science, music and fine cuisine. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ottoman armies were stopped twice outside Vienna (see Siege of Vienna, 1529 and Battle of Vienna, 1683). In 1804, Vienna became capital of the Austrian Empire and continued to play a major role in European and World politics, including hosting the 1815 Congress of Vienna. After the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 Vienna remained the capital of what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During the latter half of the 19th century the city developed what had previously been the bastions and glacis into the Ringstraße, a major prestige project. In 1918, after World War I, Vienna became capital of the First Austrian Republic. During the 1920s and 1930s it was a bastion of Socialism in Austria, and became known as "Red Vienna." The city was stage to the Austrian Civil War of 1934, when Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss sent the Army to shell civilian housing occupied by the socialist militia. In 1938, after a triumphant entry into Austria, Adolf Hitler famously spoke to the Austrian people from the balcony of the Neue Burg, a part of the Hofburg at the Heldenplatz. Between 1938 (Anschluß) and the end of the Second World War, Vienna lost its status as a capital to Berlin. In 1945, the Vienna Offensive was successfully launched by the Soviets against the Germans holding Vienna. The city was besieged for about two weeks before it fell to the Soviets. After 1945, Vienna again became the capital of Austria. It was initially divided into four zones by the 4 Powers and was governed by the Allied Commission for Austria. During the 10 years of foreign occupation Vienna became a hot-bed for international espionage between the Western and Eastern blocs. GENERAL INFORMATION State Austria Area 414.90 km² (160.2 sq mi) Population 1,674,595 Density 4,011/km² (10,388.4/sq mi) Metro 2,268,656 PLACE TO VISIT The Belvedere - Intended as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy, the Belvedere was located outside the city walls. Its two palace segments, the Upper and Lower Belvedere, later became the permanent home of the Austrian Gallery. The Oberes Belvedere (Upper) contains recent Austrian and international art from the past two centuries. Viennese art from the early twentieth century is well-represented in the permanent collection "Vienna around 1900 and the Art of the Classical Modern." The New Palace - (Neue Hofburg). The New Palace is the newest and largest section of the Imperial Palace. It contains the Ethnological Museum and three branches of the Museum of Fine Arts. The Ephesus Museum contains classical art from Asia Minor, the Collection of Historical Musical Instruments is self-explanatory, but the jewel of the New Palace is the Collection of Arms. This collection, second largest in the world, houses an immense and exhaustive representation of weaponry from past centuries. Schatzkammer - (Imperial Treasury). Located in the Neue Hofburg, the Schatzkammer (also known as the Secular and Ecclesiastical Treasures) is the best part of the Hofburg, and an absolute must on any tour of Vienna. Second only to a tour of the Kunsthistorisches Museum itself, of which the Schatzkammer is officially a part, there are 20 rooms of priceless treasures that give a fairly accurate feel for Habsburg court life over the centuries. Kunsthistorisches Museum - One of the world's great art museums, in a palace that's a work of art itself. Like the Louvre, serious art fans may wish to devote more than a day to its treasures. The mother of all Austrian museums - there is no other word to describe the Kunsthistorisches other than mind boggling. It’s at the very least a full day’s worth of sightseeing, if you intend to go through it thoroughly and attempt ponder the importance of each major work. The better approach here is to break up sections of the museum and visit them over a series of days, or if that’s not an option, pick one section and concentrate on it alone. The Picture Gallery is kept open until 9 pm on Thursdays. Beginning with another section of the museum, it’s possible to have a lunch or light dinner in the café and then continue through the Picture Gallery until closing time. The Museum has an excellent collection of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art. The coin & medals collection is also exhaustive in its scope. The Museum cafe is a bit pricey, but good, and in a beautiful setting. KunstHausWien - Even an avowed hater of modern art can appreciate the KunstHausWien, Hundertwasser's (born Friedrich Stowasser in 1928) major contribution to the Viennese art world. In a time when artists often try to shock the public or merely impress other members of the rarefied gallery subculture, Hundertwasser's manifesto rings out as an utterly reasonable plea: The architecture of KunstHausWien would be a bastion against the dictatorship of the straight line, the ruler and T-square, a bridgehead against the grid system and the chaos of the absurd. Starting with the façade of the building, adapted from its prior life as a furniture factory, there is a Gaudi-in-Barcelona feel to the place. Windows peek out like eyes from curvy, rounded plaster and colorful paint. It's a Disneyland for grownups! Do not miss the Hundertwasserhaus and the shopping village situated about 300m from KunstHausWien. Take tram O/N, stop Radetzkyplatz. Technical Museum - This newly renovated museum near the Schoenbrunn Palace exhibits machines, transportations, electronic equipment and the like from their first design up to their current form. It also depicts the development of Vienna as a city, on all its technical aspects (recycling, power, sewage). The museum is huge (22,000 m2) and requires at least two hours to go through Natural History Museum - This museum was erected as a mirror to its twin museum, The Museum of Fine Arts. It exhibits various minerals (eg. a collection of meteorites), fossils, stuffed animals and skeleton reconstructions (among others, dinosaurs' skeletons). It also includes an anthropological section, where you can see the beautiful Venus of Willendorf (which is 25,000 years old!). Haus der Musik - (The Music House) This relatively new museum is a special museum, in that it attributes great value to interactive learning experience. It covers the history of the Vienne Philharmonic Orchestra, the history of Vienna as a centre of music making (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Mahler, Schubert and others are documented). In addition there are the more experimental sections of futuristic composition (The Brain Opera) and sound experiences. Highly recommended Albertina - Once a palace, it is now the most popular exhibition space in Vienna, mainly for traditional modern art. The building itself is an experience as well. It is also home to a valuable drawing collection including many works of the German Renaissance painter, Duehrer. Schloss Schönbrunn - Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996, The former summer palace of the Habsburg family, Schönbrunn is the ultimate palace experience in Vienna. Its gardens and zoo (the oldest in the world, built for Maria Theresa’ s husband in 1752) alone are worth a lengthy visit, not to mention the palace, which has seen its fair share of excitement over the years, including a meeting between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khruschchev at the height of the Cold War. The Palace Park offers a lot of attractions, such as the Privy Garden, a Maze and Labyrinth and the Gloriette with Panorama Terrace. Hofburg Palace - This immense palace complex grew into a large, unwieldy series of buildings over the years, and was the imperial residence of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. What began as a medieval castle (whose chapel is the only original element of that building to survive) was expanded, redecorated and redone as the Habsburgs’ power increased correspondingly. The Palace Stables and Amalia’s Wing were added in the sixteenth century, the Imperial Chancery Wing, Court Library and Spanish Riding School in the eighteenth. In the last century St Michael’s Wing was tacked on, and then around 1900 the New Palace was completed. The contents of each separate building contain so many treasures that the time spent moving from one to another is like opening box after box of fabulous jewels – it's difficult to know when to stop, and tempting to rush through them all at once. Karlskirche - Largest Baroque cathedral north of the Alps, designed by the famous architect Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Frescos done by Michael Rottmayr and paintings from the Italian Baroque painters Sebastiano Ricci and Giuseppe Antonio Pellegrini, and the Austrian painter Daniel Gran. Augustinian Friars' Church - Facing the sculpture in the center of the square, the entrance is small and easy to miss – it's on the left hand wall of the square. Yet another example of the gruesome divide-and-conquer burial strategy of the Habsburg dynasty. It's said that other dynasties waged countless wars to acquire new lands, but "you, happy Austria, marry." Even in death the Habsburgs placated three different churches with the honor of caring for their remains. St. Stephen's Cathedral - Yet another patchwork of architectural styles, but predominantly Gothic. None of that original construction remains – the oldest extant sections are the thirteenth century Giant Gate (Riesentor) and Towers of the Heathens (Heidentürme), both of which are Romanesque. The 448-ft South Tower (Südturm), often known by its Viennese diminutive Steffl (also a nickname for the entire cathedral), was finished in 1433. This is where the Pummerin, a huge bell cast from melted-down Turkish cannons, hangs. Steffl's intended twin, the North Tower (Nordturm) was never finished. Gothic architecture was out of fashion, and in 1511 building in that particular style ceased. Over fifty years later, in 1579, a Renaissance spire was added to the Nordturm to make it look less like the builders had stormed off the job. The main altar has a Baroque panel showing St. Stephen, Christianity’s first martyr. Kirche am Steinhof - A special church constructed by the Viennese master architect, Otto Wagner. It is situated in a psychiatric hospital on the hills near the wood overlooking Vienna. Very beautiful! The Old Synagogue - An underground medieval synagogue excavations. An interesting surprise underneath the Judenplatz (The Jewish Square). Amazingly, although the synagogue was destroyed centuries ago its existence was remembered by the area's inhabitants up to the 20th Century. If you are interested in Vienna's Jewish side you can but a combined ticket with the Jewish Museum and the Stadttempel, a well preserved 19th Century synagogue, which is being used as the main city's synagogue by the current growing Viennese Jewish community. Chapel of the Imperial Palace - (Burgkapelle). The original chapel of the Palace, built in Gothic style 1447-1449, was made over in Baroque style. On Sundays and Catholic holidays (of which the Austrians celebrate many), the Court Musicians perform here. This group is made up of members from the Vienna Boys Choir, as well as performers from the orchestra and choir of the Vienna State Opera. Haus des Meeres Aquarium Zoo - is a marvelous zoo, with a rainforest glasshouse, tiny apes, aquariums, even with sharks, and terrariums with reptiles and venomous snakes, situated into one of the leftover second world war air raid shelter, a so called "Flakturm" Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Pavilion - This city tram stop, designed by Otto Wagner, is located near the Secession Building and Naschmarkt. It is a good example of functional turn of the century architecture – ornate, yet useful. Wagner was one of the most influoential architects in Vienna and his style was widely copied. Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper) - probably the most-beloved symbol of Viennese arts, and one of the first buildings to be rebuilt in the postwar era, as a show of pride, the Opera has had a fascinating history. It was built 1861-1869 under the direction of architects were Eduard van der Nüll and August von Siccardsburg for then-emperor Franz Josef I. The first performance, 25 May 1869, was Austrian native Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. Secession Building - building 1897-98 as a display space for artists working in the new Secession artistic movement. It is topped by a giant, frothy golden ball, lovingly called "Krauthappel" by the Viennese, but the building was definitely not loved when it first opened. Lainzer Tiergarten - Its a beautiful natural reserve at Vienna's border with the woods. This reserve used to be the Emperor's private hunting wood with the fancy "Hermesvilla" - the favorite mansion of Empress Sissi in Vienna. Nowadays, the major part of the park is closed in the winter time, but in summer you can see wild pigs, dear and many Viennese families. Tuerkenschanzpark - A very beautiful park which commemorates the Austrian victory on the Turks near the city boundary. Nowadays, a tranquil resort in the heart of a nice villas cluster The Danube Island - Home to Europe's biggest Rock festival. In Summer, a very nice park with a lot of Viennese bathers. There are also floating pubs on the Danube. A nice experience! WHAT TO DO Wiener Metropol - is a beautiful little theatre in the heart of "Hernals", mostly frequented by Viennese themselves. The Naschmarkt - is the biggest of Vienna's 22 market places and provides a unique blend of typical Vienna contumely and orientalic flair. Stroll through the market and be part of the amazing ambiente. If you like to cook, you will find all spices you can possibly imagine at the Naschmarkt. The side of the Secession tends to be more touristy and thus expensive, than the side of the "Kettenbrueckengasse". Remember that it is illegal to export antiquities outside of Austria, even if you legally buy them at a market. A part of the Naschmarkt are the small nice restaurants with fresh Italien, Japanese, Greek and Turkish food, and in summer they have nice open-air gardens. Vienna Boys Choir - Vienna Boys Choir was founded at the pleasure of the Habsburgs. 20 July 1498 Emperor Maximilian I decided to hire six singing boys, the first permanent boys choir attached to the court. He also made arrangements for their education – fringe benefits that are difficult to get from a modern employer. The choir served the monarchy until its demise at the beginning of the first World War. The last Imperial Chaplain, Monsignor Josef Schnitt reestablished the Boys Choir as the "Vienna Boys Choir" in 1924 as a private institution. To earn money, the Choir began to perform outside the Imperial Chapel. Even though they are a not-for-profit organization, the rising costs of educating the choristers from a very young age as well as providing music and all the other variables required made establishing the Verein Wiener Sängerknaben necessary River and Canal tours - In the summer it's just wonderful to hang out in Museumsquartier in the evenings. The big yard is filled with large fiberglass sofas you can use for free. Optionally you can buy drinks at the open air bars there. Just ask for a glass you can take away so you can use the sofas. During the day a visit to Burggarten is highly recommended if you are looking for a more alternative young crowd. Buy something to eat and drink at a supermarket and join the others on the grass. HOW TO REACH By plane - The Vienna International Airport is actually located in the suburb of "Schwechat". The airport "Wien-Schwechat" is the home base of the Flagcarrier Austrian and the budget airline Fly Niki. Most European airlines and a significant number of international airlines have direct connections to Vienna. Nevertheless, sometimes it is cheaper to fly to a nearby city and connect by train or bus. Ryanair flies to Linz (1.5 - 2 hours by train), Graz (2.5 hours by train) and Brno (IATA: BRQ) and Sky Europe flies to Bratislava (1.5 hours by bus and 8 euros book at Ryan airlines destinations page). By March 25, 2007, SkyEurope will also serve Vienna International Airport from which the company will operate a network of 16 European routes. By train - Vienna is a railroad hub, easily accessible from other major European cities. Overnight trains arrive from places like Amsterdam, Strasbourg, Bucharest, Sofia, Belgrade, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, Moscow, Kiev, Milan, Warsaw, Cracow, Prague, Cheb, Rijeka, Koper, Rome and Venice. The day trains from Prague take less than 5 hours, the night train takes less than 8 hours. By car - Most Austrian highways ("Autobahn") terminate/originate in Vienna. Unlike Germany, there is a strictly enforced speed limit of 130 km/h on highways (80 km/h on highway sections in Vienna). Within towns it is 50 km/h, and on major roads it is 100 km/h. Also a Highway Toll Sticker (Vignette) is a must! Not having one can be really expensive. Usually they can be purchased at petrol (gas) stations. Drivers in Austria are also required by law to carry certain safety equipment. This includes a reflective vest, first aid kit and traffic warning triangle By bus - Eurolines is a relatively cheap way to reach Vienna from major European cities. Buses usually stop at the subway station Erdberg (line U3). By boat - Riverboats on the Danube include connections with Bratislava and Budapest, but it's of little value - unless you just love going on (slow and relatively expensive) riverboats. There is a fast catamaran service to Bratislava for 25 euros. |