Vienna is home to two imperial palaces, the Hofberg and Shoenbrun. A visit to Shoenbrun reveals its similarity to Versailles. Long the home of the Hapsburgs who ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire for centuries, the buildings and gardens reflect Rococo style and European history. The city is home to over 100 museums, many churches, and cemeteries that contain such famous musicians as Beethoven and Mozart.
St. Stephen's Cathedral / Karntnerrstrasse / Staatsoper / Hofburg Palace (Augustine Church, Imperial Apartments, Treasury, Spanish Ridding School, Burkapelle - Vienna Boys Choir chapel / Ringstrasse
Begin your day in Vienna at St. Stephen's Cathedral, begun in the 12th century. Inside is the tomb of Emperor Frederick III, first leader of the Hapsburg lineage that ruled Austria until after World War 1. For an inspiring view of the city, cliomb 343 steps up the south tower to look out over Vienna. From here, walk up the Karntnerstrasse, the main shopping street of Vienna, comparable to Fifth Avenue in New York. Pass the Staatsoper, Austria's leading opera house whose French Renaissance facade is all that remained after the end of World War 2. The interior has been restored to the luxury of its past.
Then visit the Hofburg Palace complex. This was the winter palace of the Hapsburg Emperors, and today contains several memorable sights to visit. The 14th century Augustine Chapel served as the parish church for the rulers dating back to the 14th century. The Imperial Apartments are a portion of the 20 rooms open to outsiders (of the 2,600 rooms in the complex!). The imperial Treasury contains the Hapsburg jewels and includes the Holy Roman and Austro-Hungarian Crowns. The Spanish Riding School is home to the famed Lipizzaner horses. The Burgkapelle, dating to 1447, is home to the Vienna Boys Choir.
After your time in the Hofburg Palace, Take time to walk (or ride the streetcar) around the Ringstrasse, circling the old city of Vienna.
Vienna
Vienna is the capitol of the republic of Austria and is one of the nine states of Austria. It is Austria’s primary city and it by far the largest city in Austria. Vienna is host to many major international organizations, such as the United Nations and OPEC.
There are many major tourist attractions in Vienna. The imperial palaces of the Hofburg and Schonbrunn, as well as the worlds oldest zoo, Tiergarten Schonbrunn, are located in Vienna. There are over 100 museums attracting millions of visitors each year, some of the most popular being the Albertina, Belvedere, and the Leopold Museum. There are also many famous sites in Vienna associated with Beethoven and Mozart, such as the grave at Zentralfriedhof, the Habsburg gardens, and St. Marx cemetery. The famous churches in Vienna also draw a crowd. St. Stephens Cathedral is located in Vienna. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna. It is a Romanesque Gothic Cathedral and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches. It is the most important religious building in the city.
End Notes:
“Vienna”. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 24 July 2009. <
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vienna&oldid=303863716
>