The sophisticated and sophisticated capital of Austria annually attracts thousands of tourists who dream of seeing a unique city with their own eyes. The sights of Vienna are associated with many great names. Composers and poets, artists and musicians, scientists and artists loved to be here. Strauss, Schubert, Mozart and other composers turned this city into the capital of world classical music.
Why is Vienna attractive?
The city is surrounded by numerous hills with stunning views of the sights of Vienna, the old city, which is located near the Alpine mountains and the Danube River. To see all the interesting places in the capital, it will take more than one month. It develops and grows, attracting more and more tourists.
This is a city of politicians and lovers, the author of the theory of psychoanalysis, the most beautiful waltzes and famous opera premieres. In Vienna, the soul rests, and therefore it is necessary to visit here at least once.
Austrian Parliament
This building is very different from the traditional Gothic buildings of the capital. It was erected in 1883 in the neo-Greek style. The magnificent building is located on the Ringstrasse. Outwardly, it resembles an ancient temple. This historical monument has another name that is often used by citizens - the Higher House.
During the construction of this building, not only the design of the facade was carefully thought out, but also the smooth transitions between various decor elements, the nuances of the interior, up to the design of picture frames and the shape of the lamps.
State Opera
The opera building was built in 1869. Thanks to the excellent acoustics and luxurious decoration, the Vienna State Opera is considered one of the main attractions of the capital. The building was built in the Renaissance style. Today it is a historical and architectural monument. We can not say about the sad fate that befell its creators. The king’s phrase about the insufficient grandeur of the structure caused a heart attack of one of the architects and the suicide of another.
During the Second World War, the Vienna State Opera lost most of the scenery, and the building itself was destroyed. They began to restore it in 1953. Supervised the restoration work E. Boltenstein. The first work performed on the stage of the theater was Mozart’s opera Don Juan. The second discovery (after restoration) occurred in 1955. Beethoven's works sounded that evening. And today, the famous world opera and ballet troupes consider it an honor to perform on this stage. The annual income from the productions is over one hundred million euros.
Museum of Art
This unique building was built by decree of Emperor Franz Joseph I. The opening of the Museum of Art History in Vienna took place in 1891. The building, built in the Renaissance style, houses one of the largest museums in the world. The basis of his collection are art objects that belonged to the Crown. The museum building contains numerous exhibits:
- coin collections;
- eastern antiquities;
- Egyptian artifacts;
- canvases of famous masters;
- works of European sculptors;
- ancient monuments.
Of particular interest at the Museum of the History of Art in Vienna is the art gallery, which is the fourth most valuable exhibit in the world and the collection of Egyptian artifacts.
Viewpoint
The program of all excursion programs includes a visit to this building. The Danube Tower was built for the International Garden Exhibition (1964). She is in Donaupark. This is Vienna's best observation deck.
Its height is 252 meters. You can climb to the upper platform on one of the elevators or on the stairs numbering 779 steps. The observation deck is located at an altitude of 150 meters. Tourists can visit two revolving restaurants in the Danube Tower, which are located at an altitude of 160 and 170 meters, a bungee for jumping, which works only in the summer, shops with souvenirs.
Town Hall
Many tourists prefer self-guided tours of Vienna. In this case, you need to purchase a city guide in order not to miss the most interesting monuments. Be sure to visit the Vienna City Hall, located in the historical center of the capital opposite the Burgtheater building. The facade of this building is made in the neo-Gothic style and faces the famous Ringstrasse.
The central tower of the Vienna City Hall soars up 94.5 meters. At the very top is the figure of Rathausmann. The Austrians consider it an unofficial symbol of the city. In front of the Vienna City Hall is the square where celebrations and social events are held - the May Ball of Life, the Christmas Market.
Even in winter, the area is never deserted: it is flooded with the park and turned into a huge, always crowded rink. Today the town hall is not only a public building, but also a cultural monument. Here is the parliament of the land, the residence of the mayor of Vienna, the municipality, the city library.
Three times a week, tourists can visit the building and admire the amazing architecture of this historical monument.
University of Vienna Botanic Garden
The unique garden was founded in 1754, after Empress Maria Theresa decided to create a Pharmaceutical Garden here for the needs of the Faculty of Medicine, in the Baroque style, so that students study plants and their features.
Designer Robert Logier created the landscape in geometric order. First, he planted plants that were borrowed from previously developed gardens, including the Belvedere Palace. After that, the Botanical Garden began to expand and develop rapidly. Since the beginning of the XIX century, the object has been expanded almost to its current size - eight hectares.
Greenhouses were built on its territory. Exotic plants brought from around the world were planted in them. During the Second World War, the whole city was badly damaged, and the Botanical Garden was seriously damaged. More than 200 trees were cut down because they were damaged by artillery shells, the vast majority of greenhouses required a full restoration or partial restoration.
Today, the Botanical Garden has a huge collection of flora representatives. Here you can see almost 9 thousand plants. The garden can be visited not only by local residents and guests of the city - it is a scientific laboratory and takes an active part in seminars. Moreover, the scientific significance of the Botanical Garden is due to the opportunity for visitors to take part in nature studies in the Green School organized here.
Mozart House Museum
Already reached the peak of popularity, Mozart quite often changed his place of residence in Vienna. Unfortunately, the only apartment in which the great composer lived for three years (1784-1787) has survived to this day. Today, this attraction of Vienna is very popular among fans of the work of the ingenious composer. Since the musician lived here longer than in other places, the cultural value of this museum is very high.
In 1945, the Mozart House Museum in Vienna became part of the city museum. The last large-scale reconstruction was carried out only in 2006, when the whole world was preparing to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great Austrian composer. Reconstruction work cost the state treasury more than 8 million euros. The total area of the museum is one thousand square meters. The restorers, who were entrusted with the restoration of the museum, did everything possible to restore the appearance of the house, which was inherent in it at the end of the 18th century.
This is an amazing landmark of Vienna. Tourists entering the lobby are surrounded by numerous multimedia elements that recreate the atmosphere of the 18th century. Then the guests take the elevator to the fourth floor, where the most interesting exposition is located. Pictures, sculptures, photos tell about the life of the composer and the places where the brilliant musician lived and worked.
On the third floor there are exhibits related to the maestro’s musical heritage - musical instruments, theater costumes, scores and manuscripts of plays. On the lower floor of the Mozart House, guests can visit the concert hall and appreciate the skill of the orchestra teams performing classical music.
After the tour, you can relax in the Figaro cafe, where you will be offered punch prepared according to old recipes.
Plague pillar
This is one of Vienna's main attractions. The unique sculptural composition is located in the very center of the Austrian capital, on Graben street. The plague pillar is a symbol of gratitude to the saints for delivering the people of the country from the plague epidemic that raged in 1679.
Emperor Leopold I ordered the installation of a column of mercy, perpetuating the memory of thousands of victims of a terrible epidemic.
Hofburg
This attraction of Vienna can be safely called the heart of the capital. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Hofburg Palace was the residence of the Austrian emperors. The building was rebuilt many times, and as a result a magnificent complex arose that resembles a very complex maze. Each emperor tried to bring his own innovations to the ensemble. In addition to chambers, cabinets, spacious halls, the palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens, wine cellars, patios, playpens and stables. Today, Hofburg remains partly the official presidential residence, the rest is open to tourists.
The magnificent cathedral was built on the spot where in the XIII century there was a small church. For the first time the temple is mentioned in the chronicles of 1221. The cathedral was rebuilt several times and it got its present look in 1523.
The temple has two towers: north and south, 137 meters high. If you want to get to its observation deck, you will have to overcome more than 300 steps. It offers stunning views of the Pannonian Valley, the Alps, the Danube.
The north tower is much lower. Its height is 68 meters. The fact is that it remains unfinished today. It is crowned by a renaissance-style dome, under which is the largest bell in the country. 180 cannons were melted to make it, which became a trophy after the battle with the Turkish army.
During the war (1941-1945), the cathedral was badly damaged: a fire broke out in the building, and the bell broke and broke. Restoration work lasted seven years, and only in 1952, parishioners were able to visit the temple. Today, services are regularly held there. Like a hundred years ago, the townspeople notifies the bell about this. In the cathedral you can see rare images of saints, sculptures, tombstones and monuments, altars, skillfully executed by famous masters. In addition, the temple is the tomb of representatives of the country's creative elite and kings.
Vienna: tourist reviews
According to people who have visited the Austrian capital, he will remember this trip for many years. This is an amazing city: every meter of its territory stores ancient monuments. The capital has many historical, architectural and cultural attractions, which will take a long time to explore. Excursions in Vienna are conducted by experienced guides, so they are always informative and interesting. Tourists advise in one trip not to plan visits to other cities of the country.