Vienna
Vienna (
German:
Wien ) is the
capital of
Austria, and also one of the nine
States of Austria. Vienna is Austria's
primate city; with a population of about 1.6 million (2.2 million within the metro area), Vienna is by far the largest city in Austria as well as its
cultural, economic and
political centre.
Situated on both sides of the River
Danube, and only 60 kilometers off Austria's Eastern border, Vienna lies in the South East corner of
Central Europe and is close to the
Czech Republic,
Slovakia and
Hungary.
Vienna is the seat of a number of
United Nations offices and various international institutions and companies, including the
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Furthermore, the 1980 Diplomatic Conference was held in Vienna that led to the adoption of the United Nations Convention of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. Additionally, Vienna is the seat of the
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law's secreteriat (UNCITRAL).
Main article: History of Vienna
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 German tribes to the north. During the
Middle Ages, Vienna was home of the
Babenberg Dynasty and in
1440 became residence city of the
Habsburg Dynasties from where Vienna eventually grew to become the secret capital of the
Holy Roman Empire and a cultural centre for arts and science, music and fine cuisine. The
Ottoman-Turkish invasions of
Europe in the
16th and
17th centuries were stopped twice just outside Vienna. See the
Siege of Vienna (1529) and the
Battle of Vienna (1683).
In
1804 Vienna became capital of the
Austrian Empire - the later
Austro-Hungarian Empire, both played a major role in European and World politics. (See
Congress of Vienna,
1815)
In
1918 after
World War I Vienna became capital of the
First Austrian Republic. After the annexation of Austria by
Germany in
1938 (see
Anschluss) Vienna lost its status as a capital to
Berlin.A preliminary Austrian government was reinstated on April 27, 1945, with Vienna, once more, as capital. After
1945 Vienna and neutral
Austria was a hotbed for international espionage between the Western and Eastern blocs (
Cold War). Since the end of the
Cold War the city of Vienna is actively rebuilding ties with its Eastern neighbours.
Historical population
Due to the industrialization and immigration from other parts of the Empire, the population of Vienna increased sharply during its time as capital of
Austria-Hungary (
1867-
1918). However, after
World War I, many
Czechs and
Hungarians returned to their ancestral countries, which resulted in a decline in the population. Following the immigration at that time, about one third of the population of Vienna were of
Slavic or
Hungarian descent.
Inhabitants according to official census figures:
1800: 231,900
1830: 338,700
1850: 446,400
1880: 724,800
1900: 1,769,137
1910: 2,083,630
1923: 1,918,720
1934: 1,935,881
1939: 1,770,938
1951: 1,616,125
1961: 1,627,566
1971: 1,619,885
1981: 1,531,346
1991: 1,539,848
2001: 1,550,123
2005: 1,631,082
 |
UN complex in Vienna, with the non-affiliated Austria Center Vienna in front - picture taken from Danube Tower in nearby Danube Park. This photo was taken before the massive expansion of this area, which started in the 1990s. Today there are several skyscrapers and dozens more low-rise buildings on this site. (See photo below) |
 |
town highway A23 & a cellphone provider's headquarters (inspired by a ship lifting off), with trans-Danubian Donaustadt skyline in the background |
Main article: Districts of Vienna
The city itself is composed of 23 districts (
Bezirke), which, although they all have their own names, are numbered for the sake of convenience. Legally, they are not
districts in the sense of administrative bodies with explicit powers (such as the districts in the other Austrian states), but mere subdivisions of the city administration. However, there are elections on the district level, which gives the representatives of the districts some political clout (e.g. in matters of planning, traffic etc.).
1.
Innere Stadt (city centre) 2.
Leopoldstadt 3.
Landstraße 4.
Wieden 5.
Margareten 6.
Mariahilf 7.
Neubau 8.
Josefstadt 9.
Alsergrund 10.
Favoriten 11.
Simmering 12.
Meidling 13.
Hietzing 14.
Penzing 15.
Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus 16.
Ottakring 17.
Hernals 18.
Währing 19.
Döbling 20.
Brigittenau 21.
Floridsdorf 22.
Donaustadt 23.
LiesingThe heart and historical city of Vienna, the Innere Stadt (Inner City), was once surrounded by walls and open fields (in order to deny cover to potential attackers). The walls were razed in
1857, making it possible for the actual city to expand and eventually merge with the surrounding villages. In their place, a broad boulevard called the
Ringstraße was built. Along the Ringstraße were imposing public and private buildings, monuments, and parks. These buildings include the Rathaus (town hall), the
Burgtheater, the University, the Parliament, and the State Opera, which was burned in 1945 and reopened in 1955. It is also the location of the
Hofburg, the former imperial palace. The mainly
Gothic Saint Stephen's Cathedral is located in the centre of the 1st district. Beyond the Ringstraße was another wall called the
Linienwall, which was torn down in the second part of the
19th century to make room for expanding
suburbs. It is now a street called Gürtel (belt). Industries are located mostly in the southern and eastern districts. The Innere Stadt is not situated at the Danube, but at the Donaukanal (Danube Canal). Vienna's second and twentieth districts are located in between the canal and the
Danube River. Across the Danube are the newest districts, which include the location of the International Center.
Vienna is famous for its many parks. Many of these parks include monuments, such as the
Stadtpark and
Belvedere Park with its
baroque-style castle where the
State Treaty was signed. The principal park of Vienna is the
Prater, which is situated on an island formed by the Danube River and the canal.
Schönbrunn, the beautiful Imperial Summer Palace, includes an
18th century park and the world's oldest zoo (1752).
Vienna's postal codes can be determined by the district where a given address is located; 1XXA - 1 denotes Vienna, XX the district number (if it is a single digit then with a leading zero), A is the number of the post office (irrelevant in this case, usually zero). Example: 1070 for Neubau. Exceptions of that are 1300 for the
Vienna International Airport located in Lower Austria near
Schwechat, 1400 for the
UN Complex, 1450 for the Austria Center, and 1500 for the Austrian UN-Forces.
Vienna is the seat of the Viennese
Roman Catholic archdiocese, and its acting
Archbishop is
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn. The religions of the Viennese resident population is divided according to the
2001 census as follows:
Music, theatre and opera
Translated from here |
State Opera |
Art and culture have a long tradition in Vienna, in the areas of
theatre,
opera,
classical music and fine arts. Apart from the
Burgtheater which, together with its branch, the Akademietheater, is considered one of the best theatres in the German-speaking world, the
Volkstheater Wien and the
Theater in der Josefstadt also offer high-quality theatre entertainment. There is also a multitude of smaller theatres, often equal in quality to their larger counterparts and in many cases devoted to less mainstream forms of performing arts such as modern, experimental plays or
cabaret.
Vienna also offers a great many opportunities for opera lovers: The
Staatsoper and the
Volksoper offer something for everyone, the latter being especially devoted to the typical Viennese
operetta. Concerts of classical music are performed, among others, in the well known
Wiener Musikverein, home of the
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and in the
Wiener Konzerthaus. In addition, various concert venues offer concerts aimed at visitors, featuring the best known highlights of Viennese music (particularly the works of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and
Johann Strauss).
In recent years, the
Theater an der Wien has become widely known for hosting premieres of
musicals, although it has recently devoted itself to the opera again. The most successful by far was "Elisabeth" which was afterwards translated into several foreign languages and performed all over the world. With the opening of the
Haus der Musik in
2000, Vienna also has a "Museum of Sound" for all ages now.
Finally, many Roman Catholic churches in central Vienna feature performances of religious or other music, including masses sung with classical music and organ.
See also: Vienna Philharmonic,
Vienna State Opera,
Vienna State Opera BalletMuseums
:
To be translated from hereIn the
Hofburg, the Schatzkammer (treasury) holds the imperial jewels. The
Sisi Museum allows visitors to see the Imperial apartments as well as the silver cabinet. Directly opposite the Hofburg is the
Kunsthistorisches Museum (opposite the
Natural History Museum) that houses multiple paintings by the old masters.
The group is completed by the
Museumsquartier, the former Imperial Stalls which were converted into a complex of museums in the 1990s. This houses the Museum of Modern Art (Ludwig Foundation), the
Leopold Museum (which primarily displays works of the Viennese Secession, Viennese Modernism and Austrian Expressionism), and additional halls with changing exhibitions as well as the Tanzquartier. The Liechtenstein Palace presents one of the world's largest private art collections. Additionally there are a multitude of other museums, from the Military History Museum to the Technical Museum, from the Vienna Clock Museum to the Burial Museum. The museums of Vienna's districts are not to be missed as they offer a view into the history of their respective districts.
Architecture
:
Translated from hereThere are buildings of all
architectural styles in Vienna, from the
Romanesque Ruprechtskirche to the
Baroque Karlskirche, and
classicist buildings all the way through to
modern architecture. Likewise,
Art Nouveau left many architectural traces in Vienna. The
Secession,
Karlsplatz Metropolitan Railway Station, and the
Kirche am Steinhof by
Otto Wagner rank among the best known examples of Art Nouveau in the world.
The
Hundertwasserhaus by
Friedensreich Hundertwasser, designed to counter the clinical look of modern architecture, is one of Viennas most popular tourist attractions. Another example of unique architecture is the Wotrubakirche by sculptor
Fritz Wotruba.
In the 1990s, a number of quarters were adapted and extensive building projects were implemented in the areas around Donau City (north of the Danube) and Wienerberg (in southern Vienna). The 202 m high
Millennium Tower located at Handelskay is the highest building in Vienna since the time of its construction in 1999. In the last years, Vienna completed numerous architecture projects combining modern architecture elements with old buildings, like the remodelling and revitalization of the old
Gasometers in 2001.
However, Vienna is not a city of
skyscrapers. Currently (early 2006) around 100 buildings top the 40 m mark. The number of high-rise buildings is kept low by building legislation to preserve areas of unspoiled nature and to preserve city districts declared as
world cultural heritage. Therefore strong rules apply to planning, authorization and construction of high-rise buildings, and as a consequence, some parts of Vienna, in particular the inner districts, are declared as highrise free zones.
Other culture
|
Michaelerplatz in Vienna. |
Between Michaelerplatz and Josefsplatz is the
Spanish Riding School. It is a famous
equestrian school.
Other famous Viennese features include the
Lipizzaner stallions of the
Spanish Riding School, the
Vienna Boys' Choir (
Wiener Sängerknaben),
Wiener Schnitzel,
Sachertorte, and various
pastries, including the
bagel. Viennese cafes claim to have invented the process of filtering
coffee from the captured baggage after the second
Turkish siege in
1683. Viennese cafes claim that when the invading Turks left Vienna that year, they abandoned hundreds of sacks of coffee beans. The Emperor gave a man named Franz George Kolschitzky some of this coffee as a reward for providing information that allowed the Austrians to defeat the Turks. Kolschitzky then opened Vienna's first coffee shop. The Viennese passion for coffee continues to this day.
In terms of folk dancing, the
Viennese Kathreintanz is the best known.
Vienna is also Austria's main centre of education and home to many
universities, professional
colleges and
gymnasiums.
Universities
*
Diplomatic Academy of Vienna *
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna*
Medical University of Vienna*
PEF Private University of Management Vienna*
University of Applied Arts Vienna*
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna*
University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna*
University of Vienna*
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna*
Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration*
Vienna University of Technology*
Webster University ViennaInternational schools
*
American International School Vienna*
Danube International School*
Vienna Christian School*
Vienna International School12
Danube bridges connect the city, which is divided by the
Danube and the
New Danube (Neue Donau).
Public transportation
 |
The ULF tram stock, designed by Porsche and built by Siemens boasts an entry height of 180 mm (7 inches), the lowest in the world. Of these vehicles, by 2003 some 150 were in use by the municipal Vienna Lines, along with around 400 older high-floor models (substitution proceeding) |
Vienna has a large public transportation network.
*
Vienna S-Bahn*
Vienna U-Bahn*
Local Railways (Lokalbahn Wien-Baden)
*
Wiener Linien (= Vienna Lines, municipal company operating
U-Bahn,
trams, and most )
Vienna has an extensive tram and bus network - the tram network being third largest in the world. In the most populated areas of Vienna, transportation systems are run so frequently (even during off-peak hours), that any familiarity with departure timetables is virtually unnecessary. The convenience and flexibility of the public transport is therefore reflected through its popularity. During night hours, public transportation is continued by the
Nightline buses operating on the more important routes, most of them every thirty minutes. They're increasingly utilized by younger night-owls vitalizing the atmosphere, most of whom mingle with the many workplace commuters and fatigued shopping tourers at daytimes.
Within the town's boundaries, prices, except for pre-defined short-distance hops, are independent of the ride's length (including commutation tickets, varying between 24h and a year, valid also for Nightline). In (approximately) one direction, with a single ticket you may change as often as necessary but must not interrupt remarkably. With a commutation ticket (incl. those for one day's shopping [time] rides, or for certain events - 2 hour before to 6 hours after), you may ride anytime anywhere, long as its specific validity lasts. And there are more combinated offers, for tourists as well as for residents.
The Viennese public transport services are incorporated into a larger, widely concentrical structured system of travel zones, the VOR (Verkehrsverbund Ostregion = eastern region traffic association). It includes railway and bus lines operating 50 kilometers into the surrounding countryside, ticket prices resulting from the number of zones you pass. Here, commuting tickets so far pay off mainly for residents and (very-)long-run-guests.
Vienna uses an "honor system." There are no turnstile gates or ticket checks when boarding transit lines, yet onboard you may be checked unexpectedly by undercover employees. If you are caught "Schwarzfahren" (dodging the fare), you could incur a hefty citation or, at the very least, be forced to leave at the next stop. At any rate, it's undesirable to get "controlled". Hint: a ticket, also from a station's automat, like stampable pre-paid ones, must then be inserted into a stamper (on bus & tram
vehicles, but for subways - don't miss before entering a station - on
entrance zones' open gate bars).
Onboard automat tickets come out stamped.
There are also two railways which run through parks: the
Liliputbahn Prater in the
Wiener Prater and the Donauparkbahn in
Danube Park.
Railways
|
Vienna public transportation single ride ticket (hint saying "Bitte entwerten" / please validate = stamp: like mentioned in preceding article, drawing to its close). |
Historically, all traffic facilities were oriented towards the main capitals and residential cities of the
Austro-Hungarian monarchy consequently, Vienna has several train stations that form the beginning of several train lines:
*
Vienna Franz Josefs Station is the starting point of the
Franz Josefs Railway*
Vienna West Station is starting point of the
West Railway*
Vienna South Station (Former South and East Station) for the
South Railway and the
East Railwayas well as several through train stations:
*
Vienna Hütteldorf on the West Railway
*
Vienna Heiligenstadt on the Franz Josefs Railway
*
Vienna North (Viennese lines: Praterstern) on the
North Railway. The convenient North Station was destroyed in
World War II and was not built again after the decay of the Danube monarchy, especially when the
Iron Curtain closed almost all passenger traffic to the north. Since World War II a smaller station called "Vienna North" has served as a transit station between S-Bahns, the U1 U-Bahn line, trams, and buses. In 2004 it was essentially completely torn down and is being rebuilt. In
2008 the extended U2 will also stop here.
*
Vienna Meidling (Philadelphia bridge) - South Railway. This is Vienna most frequented transit station.
*
Vienna Central (
Landstraße)
Between these, there are still many smaller stations that are particularly important for local passenger traffic. Since the mid 1990s, the West and South stations have handled all long-distance travel. Many trains stop at Hütteldorf or Meidling, especially when inbound.
In order to bundle all long-distance traffic it has become necessary to build a tunnel, colloquially known as the Wildschweintunnel ("boar tunnel"), underneath
Lainzer Tiergarten linking the West Railway to the South Railway. The new bundled train line will connect to a new train station called
Vienna-Central Europe that will be constructed somewhat to the south of today's South Station. This new station will give Vienna a main train station for the first time.
Road traffic
To be translated from hereLike the train lines,
Bundesstraßen leave the city in a star shaped pattern. Some are designated after their historical final destination (Prager Straße -- to
Prague, Linzer Straße - to Linz, Triester Straße - to
Trieste and Brünner Straße - to
Brno).
Bundesstraßen can be compared to
Federal Highways in the United States, being two-lane in rural areas and multi-lane in urban areas.
Three national
autobahns leave Vienna in the westerly (
A1), southernly (A2), and easterly directions (A4). Similar to the rail lines, they are commonly referred to after their exit direction (
Westautobahn, Südautobahn, and Ostautobahn). In addition, several spur and branch autobahns circle around the southern and eastern areas of the city. The western and northern areas were left mostly untouched because of the
Wienerwald protected forest.
Air traffic
Southeast of Vienna is
Vienna International Airport. In 2005, there were over 230,900 separate flights departing or arriving, and the airport was used by 15.86 million passengers.
Water transportation
:
To be translated from hereVienna is connected to water by the
Rhine-Main-Danube Canal via the
port in
Rotterdam and its nearby German
Industrial areas, as well as
Eastern European countries up to the
Black Sea. The planned
Danube-Oder canal remains unfinished.
Nearly all of Vienna's drinking water is brought to the city via two large water pipelines, built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and stretching 120km (75 miles) and 200km (124 miles), respectively, from the
Alps to the city's
Hietzing district. The Alpine sources are pristine enough that their water does not have to be treated.
Vienna is today considered the centre of
social democracy in Austria. In memory of the
First Republic (1918-1934), the name
Red Vienna is also used. Since the end of
World War I, the city has mostly been governed by a social democratic party with absolute majority. Current
mayor of Vienna is Michael Häupl. Before the
World Wars, Viennese politics were shaped by the
Christian Social Party, in particular long-term mayor
Karl Lueger. An example of the city's many social democratic
policies is its low-cost residential estates called
Gemeindebauten.
Ever since Vienna obtained
federal state (
Bundesland) status of its own in 1921, the mayor has also had the role of the
state governor (
Landeshauptmann). The city hall accommodates the offices of the mayor and the state government (
Landesregierung). The city is administered by a multitude of
departments (
Magistratsabteilungen).
Nightlife
Vienna has a variety of nightlife options. Its low crime rate and extensive public transportation network make going out at night safe and convenient. Regular public transportation (subway, tram, and bus) runs until approximately 12:30. After this, nighttime bus lines provide service every half hour (fifteen minutes on some segments). Almost all night lines circle the inner city before heading outbound. Most lines are numerated the same as their corresponding daytime line. For example, if you take the 60 tram line followed by the U4 subway into the city, you can take the N60 bus directly from the city back out. At approximately 5 a.m. the daytime lines resume. Day and night lines use the same tickets.
Starting in the
1980s, the pedestrian zone between the
Ruprechtskirche (the oldest in Vienna) and the Fleischmarkt became populated with bars etc. and became known as the "Bermuda Triangle" (the name starting as a local joke that in this area there are so many bars that you can disappear there completely and reappear days later, remembering nothing). It is the one area of the inner city district where relatively loud music and noise are (grudgingly) tolerated. Many bars and small clubs are located in this neighborhood, but drinks tend to be more expensive than in the rest of the city.
Jazz lovers may go to "Jazzland", situated beneath the Ruprechtskirche.
The First District in general has an abundance of night life options for any budget. There are many Irish pubs with pint prices starting at €2. On the other side of the price-spectrum are bars such as
Sky Bar and
Do & Co., which are frequented by the Austrian elite. Opening hours vary essentially by neighborhood noise ordinance agreements. In the summer, bars' outdoor seating often has to be vacated by 11 p.m. Generally there is an abundance of establishments open until 4 a.m. or later, especially on the weekend.
Larger
nightclubs are generally located further out. Popular ones include
U4 Disco[
1], located on the U4 subway line, two medium sized clubs in the wine-producing neighborhood of
Grinzing, and an ever-increasing amount of large clubs on the eastern side of the Danube, often located in shopping malls and cinema complexes. One popular club located near the centre of the city is
Flex[
2], which was built into an abandoned subway tunnel on the shores of the Donaukanal, and, like
U4 is also located on the U4 subway line.
Flex often features world-acclaimed
dance music DJs. Another new nightclub is the
Ost-klub[
3], which features music from the former east bloc states and the balkan area. It is located at the
Schwarzenbergplatz. There you find also the Russian monument behind a coloured fountain. Some sort of underground club may be
Fluc[
4] at the Praterstern.
In the summer, the eastern shore of the Danube is very popular. It is called
Copa Cagrana, which is a word-play of
Copacabana and
Kagran, which is a sub-district nearby.
Starting in the late 1980s, the city undertook much effort to revitalize the area around the
Westgürtel (Western Beltway), which had become a
red-light district. Today, large portions of the
Westgürtel have been modernized, with many restaurants, bars, and mini-clubs now located under the elevated tracks of the U6 subway line.
Recently the
Freihausviertel, right outside the First District by
Karlsplatz has also gained some popularity for its restaurants. It includes the
Naschmarkt, the major
market in Vienna.
Useful nightlife terminology
Austria, particularly Vienna, has unique terminology for drinks. Here is the terminology commonly used:
Beer sizes: These are either ordered by name or small/large for the 0.3/0.5 L sizes. The names are usually one used for
draft beer, as it is dispensed into glasses of the same name.
* "Ein Pfiff": 0.2 L (6 U.S.
fl oz) (not always available) Meaning: "A whistle"
* "Ein Seidl" or
Ein kleines Bier: 0.3 L (10 U.S. fl oz). (common)
* "Ein Krügerl" or
Ein grosses Bier 0.5 L (17 U.S. fl oz). (common) Meanings: "A little
crock" and "a big beer"
* "Ein Maß" 1 liter (usually only available in microbreweries) This term originates from
Bavaria, and essentially means "a measurement."
Wine sizes: These are ordered in fractions of a liter
* "Ein Achtel" 1/8 L (4.2 U.S. fl oz)
* "Ein Viertel" 1/4 L (8.4 U.S. fl oz)
It is also common to order a half-liter or a liter of wine with mineral water and then mix them to a desired concentration. The above mentioned quantities are also nearly always available pre-mixed with mineral water. This is called "
G'spritzt" ("sprayed"). So to order wine one would say "Ein Achtel/Viertel Rot (red) / Weiß (white), followed by the word "G'spritzt" if one wants it diluted. The form "Ein weißer/roter Spritzer" is also used commonly.
Viennese coffeehouses
: Translated from
here
Viennese cafés have an extremely long and distinguished history that dates back centuries, and the caffeine addictions of some famous historical patrons of the oldest are something of a local legend. The traditional coffee preparations are mostly based on espresso of a lesser intensity than may be found in Italy, served with (Brauner
or Wolf
) or without (Schwarzer
or Bär
) milk, Kaffeeobers
(thickened cream) or Schlagobers
(or simply Schlag
) (whipped cream). In traditional coffee houses, there is a whole range of varieties in size and preparation. Addition of various alcohols is less common, creating sweeter drinks, some of which may be given obviously recognisable Austrian names, e.g. Mozart Kaffee
(mocha with Cherry Brandy and Schlagobers
) or Maria Theresa
(mocha with a shot of orange liquor). Traditionally, the coffee comes with a glass of water. Coffee is generally served along with lighter fare (although some desserts are not to be reckoned with lightly). Visitors to traditional cafés are welcome to take their time and enjoy the large selection of newspapers on offer. In Vienna, a coffee house is a place to pass the time, to think, to meet, to read or write papers, to smoke if one so desires, or, as a writer once put it, "to be away from home without being exposed to fresh air". In addition to the many modern chrome-brightened 'Espressi', a number of 'real' Vienna coffeehouses still exist to maintain the original charm of this institution.''
Viennese parks and gardens
 |
The "Alte Donau", one of the top bathing and recreation spots |
Vienna possesses many park facilities and is one of the greenest cities in the world. The most famous parks and green areas are the
Stadtpark, the
Burggarten and
Volksgarten, which belong to the
Hofburg, the
Schloßpark of Castle Belvedere with the
Vienna Botanic Gardens, the
Donaupark, the
Schönbrunner Schlosspark, the
Prater, the
Augarten, the
Rathauspark, the
Lainzer Tiergarten, the
Dehnepark, the
Resselpark, the
Votivpark, the
Kurpark Oberlaa, the
Auer-Welsbach-Park and the
Türkenschanzpark,
Laaer-Berg with the Bohemian Prater and the foothills of the
Wienerwald (Viennese Forest), which reaches into the outer areas of the city. Small parks, known by the Viennese as
Beserlparks, are everywhere in the inner-city areas.
Sport
Vienna has become a popular host of many different sporting events including the
Vienna City Marathon, which attracts more than 10,000 participants every year and normally takes place in May. In 2005 the
Ice Hockey World Championships took place in
Austria, the final was played in Vienna. After already being the stage of four
Champions League (originally European Champion Clubs' Cup) finals (
1964,
1987,
1990,
1995) the final of
Euro 2008, the European Football Championships, will take place in Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium.
Austria's capital is also the home of numerous sports teams. The best known of them are the local
football clubs
SK Rapid Wien (31 time Austrian national champions),
FK Austria Wien (23 time Austrian national champions and record 25-time cup-winners) and though the oldest is
First Vienna FC. Important other sport clubs are the Chrysler Vikings Vienna (
American Football), who won the Eurobowl title as Europe's best American Football team in 2004, the Vienna Hot Volleys, one of Europe's premier
Volleyball-organisations, and the Vienna Capitals (
Ice Hockey). Vienna also had submitted a bid for the
1964 Olympic Games.
Food
In winter small stands on bustling street corners sell hot chestnuts and potato fritters. Sausages are also well loved and available almost everywhere. The sausage known in the USA and Germany as Wiener (German for "Viennese") is called a Frankfurter here. However other varieties are more popular at Vienna's sausage stands, such as Burenwurst, a coarse, usually boiled, beef and pork sausage or Käsekrainer, spicy pork with small chunks of cheese within it. Hot dogs are also very common, whereas due to regional food legislation the
Bosner or
Bosna as the Austrian equivalent of a hot dog (filled with a fried Bratwurst sausage, onions and spices) can seldomly be found at the typical viennese
Würstelstand.
Vienna is also well known for
Wiener schnitzel, a cutlet of veal that is pounded flat, coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and fried in lard. It is available in almost every eatery that serves viennese cuisine for about 14 Euros. Don't confuse it with pork schnitzel viennese style (Schweinsschnitzel Wiener-Art).
Other Viennese cuisine includes Tafelspitz, very lean boiled beef, often served with grated horseradish.
Vienna has a long tradition of cakes and desserts. These include
Apfelstrudel (hot apple strudel),
Palatschinken (sweet pancakes), and Knödel (dumplings) often filled with fruit such as apricots (Marillenknödel).
Sachertorte, a chocolate cake from the
Sacher Hotel, is world famous and available to take home from many shops in Vienna airport.
The Naschmarkt is a permanent market for fruit, vegetables, spices, fish, meat and much more. It is well worth a visit. The city centre has speciality food stores like Julius Meinl.
Vienna is a Vegetarian and Vegan-friendly city, with many modern restaurants featuring a vegetarian section in their menus. There are also many vegetarian restaurants operating in Vienna, with some highlights being
Vegetasia (Taiwanese menu/buffet featuring many styles of mock-meat),
Rupps (Austrian-style menu featuring traditional Austrian meals utilizing mock meats),
Art of Life (Gourmet veggie/vegan menu plus fish specialties) and
Hollerei (Gourmet veggie/vegan menu). A list of more restaurants catering to vegetarians and vegans can be found at
Happy Cow (in English) or
vegan.at (in German).
Drink
Vienna is the world's only capital city with its own vineyards. The
wine is served in small viennese pubs known as Heuriger, that are especially numerous in the wine growing areas of
Döbling (
Grinzing,
Neustift am Walde,
Nußdorf,
Salmannsdorf,
Sievering) and
Floridsdorf (
Stammersdorf,
Strebersdorf). The wine is often drunk as a spritzer "Gespritzter" with sparkling water. The Gruner Veltliner, a white wine, is the most widely cultivated wine in Austria.
Beer is next in importance to wine. Vienna has a single large brewery,
Ottakringer, and more than ten
microbreweries. A "Beisl" is a typical small Austrian pub, of which Vienna has large numbers.
 |
Hermesvilla |
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A WW II Flak tower in Vienna |
|
Riesenrad, the giant ferris wheel at night |
Among the most important places of interest are:
*
Inner City*
Hofburg (Imperial Palace, winter residence)
*
Kahlenberg*
Parlament*
Ringstraße*
Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Palace and gardens, summer residence)
*
Belvedere Palace*
Stephansdom (St. Stephens Cathedral)
*
Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Vienna Zoo)
*
Wiener Prater with the
Riesenrad(
ferris wheel), a local recreation area and
Wurstelprater and the
Schweizerhaus beer garden and restaurant.
Other tourist attractions:*
Albertina*
Beethoven historic sites*
Burgtheater (Imperial Court Theatre)
*
Donauturm (Danube Tower)
*
Gasometer (Dwellings and a
shopping mall; converted from a former
gasometer Gasometer-Website)
*
Heldenplatz (Heroes Square)
*
Hermesvilla Lainz (
Villa of
Empress Elisabeth, also known fondly as "
Sissi"
*
Hundertwasserhaus (Designed by architect and artist
Friedensreich Hundertwasser)
*
Jesuitenkirche / Universitätskirche (Jesuit Church / University Church)
*
Judenplatz ("Jewish-Square") with
Shoah-monument
*
Kapuzinergruft (Imperial Tombs)
*
Kaiserliches Hofmobiliendepot (Imperial Furniture Collection)
*
Karl-Marx-Hof*
Lutherische Stadtkirche*
Karlskirche (St. Charles Church)
*
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)
*
Pestsäule (Vienna) (a
plague column)
*
Peterskirche (St. Peter´s Church)
* The Church
Maria am Gestade*
Minoritenkirche (Greyfriars or Minorite Church)
*
Millennium Tower*
Museumsquartier (Museums-Quarter)
*
Palais Kinsky*
Palais Palffy*
Palais Schwarzenberg*
Rathaus (City Hall)
*
Ruprechtskirche*
Schottenkirche*
Schottenstift*
Spittelberg (16th century houses)
*
Staatsoper (State Opera)
*
Stadtpark (City Park)
*
Tempel (old
Synagogue in
Innenstadt)
*
Theater an der Wien*
University of Vienna*
UNO-City (UN-Headquarters in Vienna)
*
Urania (former observatory)
*
Virgilkapelle*
Votivkirche*
Wiener Secession*
Zentralfriedhof with numerous graves of famous people
*
Michaeler Church (Wikipedia Commons)
*
St. Marx cemeteryOther attractions:*
Cafe Hawelka*
Cafe Demel*
Mariahilfer Straße*
Kärtner Straße*
Graben*
Kohlmarkt*
Heuriger in
Grinzing*
Schloss Neuwaldegg*
Wienerwald (Vienna Woods)
*
Donauinsel (Danube Island) with
Copa Cagrana*
Republik Kugelmugelother remarkable objects (not accessible for tourists)
*
Funkturm Arsenal*
Mannesmann Tower Vienna*
GK Wien-Southeast*
Gemeindebauten
The
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as other United Nations Offices and many
international institutions and companies, are located in Vienna.
UNO,
IAEA,
OPEC,
OSCE,
UNIDO,
IUFRO...
Vienna is
twinned with the following cities:
*
Ljubljana,
Slovenia*
Belgrade,
Serbia (since 2003)*
Budapest,
Hungary *
Zagreb,
Croatia (since 1994)*
Bratislava,
Slovakia*
Tel Aviv,
Israel (since 2005)In addition, individual Viennese districts are twinned with
Japanese cities/
districts:
*
Alsergrund (Vienna 9) with
Takarazuka,
Hyogo. Since
1994.
*
Döbling (Vienna 19) with
Setagaya,
Tokyo. Since
1985.
*
Donaustadt (Vienna 22) with
Arakawa, Tokyo. Since
1996.
*
Floridsdorf (Vienna 21) with
Katsushika, Tokyo. Since
1987*
Hernals (Vienna 17) with
Fuchu, Tokyo. Since
1992.
*
Hietzing (Vienna 13) with
Habikino,
Osaka. Since
1995.
*
Innere Stadt (Vienna 1) with
Taito, Tokyo. Since
1989.
*
Meidling (Vienna 12) with
Gifu,
Gifu. Since
1992.
*
Names of "Vienna" in other languages*
Vienna International Airport*
Vienna Circle*
List of mayors of Vienna*
List of famous Viennese*
List of Honorary Citizens of Vienna*
Vienna Travel Guide at Wikitravel*
Wikipedia:WikiProject Vienna*
Wien.info - Official site of the tourism board: events, sightseeing and cultural information, etc.
*
Wien.gv.at - Official site of the municipality, features interactive map.
*
Virtual Vienna Net,
Vienna Expats -
Expat communities with visitor guides.
*
Vienna Photos*
vien.at - daily photos of Vienna
*
ZoomVienna - Artistic Photos of Vienna
*
Vienna Pictures*
A Century of New Music in Vienna detailed chronology of musical events in Vienna, French Revolution to WW1
*
Vienna photo gallery*
List of Embassies in ViennaCoordinates: nds-nl:Wienen
