Each settlement has its own history and its sights, which its residents are proud of. However, there are cities on the planet that are recognized tourist centers where people from all over the world strive to get.
The city of Vienna is one of them. Here you involuntarily experience emotional excitement from the knowledge that you are where Strauss and Mozart, Brahms and Verdi, Beethoven and Schubert did. Here, each stone "breathes" a story that you can literally touch with your hand. Once here, you involuntarily plunge into the atmosphere of solemnity and, at the same time, lightness and carelessness, which seem to be in the air. Where is the city of Vienna located? How to get here? What can I see here? What is this city famous for? In our article you will find answers to all these questions.
Where is the city of Vienna
Its location is very convenient in both climatic and economic terms. Vienna is the capital of Austria and at the same time one of its federal states. According to the administrative division, it is located on the territory of another land called Lower Austria. This is the northeast of the country. The main city of this land is St. Pelten. From Vienna to him 60 kilometers. About the same from Vienna to the border with Hungary, and to Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia). In Europe, this is the shortest distance between capitals, not counting the Vatican and Rome.
Vienna is located in the eastern part of Lower Austria. It lies at the foot of the majestic Alps, on both banks of the Danube. This aquatic artery divides Vienna into two parts. In the northeast are two of the largest urban areas of Floridsdorf and Donaustadt. In the south-west are the rest of the city 21. There are 21, including the central one, called the Inner City. It is here that you will find ancient narrow streets paved with paving stones, buildings that are more than 1000 years old, cozy little cafes, the interior of which creates the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. This is the famous Old Town. It is surrounded by boulevards and avenues buried in verdure, which enter Ringstrasse - the ring street ringing this open-air museum.
In addition to the Danube, Vienna and the Danube Canal flow through the city. Despite its name, it is a natural and not a man-made water artery, which is a tributary of the Danube.
How to get there
Having found out where the city of Vienna is located, we will see how it is more convenient to get here. If you are traveling in Europe and find yourself in Bratislava, the Czech Republic or Budapest, it’s convenient to get to Vienna by intercity bus. Tickets are purchased at the bus station. Their cost depends on the distance. For example, you will get from Bratislava by paying only 5 euros (382 rubles).
If you are following the capital of Austria - the city of Vienna - from Russia, there may be several options:
- By plane.
- By car.
- By train.
- By bus.
Consider the traffic pattern from Moscow.
Airplanes to the Austrian capital fly from Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo. Price depends on airline and departure date. About a month before the event, you can buy a ticket to the economy class for 8300 rubles. Of course, an airplane is the most convenient form of transport, as you will spend only 2 hours and 45 minutes in the sky. You arrive at Schwechat Airport, which is 18 km from Vienna. The city center can be reached by bus for 4.4 euros / 336 rubles, by train for 7 euros / 534 rubles, by high-speed train for 12 euros (916 rubles) or by taxi. For comfort you have to pay from 40 euros (3 thousand rubles.).
From Moscow to the city of Vienna, you can go by rail. To do this, you need to buy a ticket to the trailer car of train No. 21/22. Ticket price depends on the class of car. For a place in a 2nd-class carriage you will have to pay 159 euros, or at the current exchange rate of 12,100 rubles.
It is profitable to drive a car for those who are going to visit not only Vienna, who want to be mobile, who do not like to depend on public transport. You have to go from Moscow through Belarus and Poland. It is necessary to overcome 1950 km to the city of Vienna, spending 20 and a half hours on it (excluding forced stops).
The most budget option is a bus trip. A ticket in 2017 cost 5,950 rubles. You will stay on the road for about a day. Time may vary, depending on how much you will be kept on the Polish border.
Vienna Transport
In order to have time to see as many sights of the Austrian capital as possible, you will need to use public transport. Even if you arrived here by buying a sightseeing tour, you still need to have an idea of Vienna's transport, as you will be sure to be provided with free time from excursions.
Vienna has trams, municipal and private buses, subways and high-speed trains.
Vienna tram for more than 150 years, so it is also a kind of attraction. There are 30 routes in the city, a tram network is available in each district. There are also 12 routes crossing the Ringstrasse, which is very convenient for trips to the Old Town.
Vienna even has intercity trams. They are owned by a private company, so tickets for them are bought separately.
In addition, there is one route that makes a full circle on the Ringstrasse. The tram goes non-stop. The time for such an excursion is half an hour. Tickets for adults cost 8 euros (610 rubles), and for children 4 euros (305 rubles).
Buses in Vienna are very popular. Firstly, there are 98 routes, so you can get there using this mode of transport anywhere in the capital. Secondly, buses are allowed to call into the Old Town.
The metro of Vienna is small, includes only 5 lines, so it’s easy to figure out its layout. They are numbered from U1 to U4, plus, U6. The U5 line is still being designed.
In addition to the subway, electric trains and high-speed trains run in the city.
A ticket for any type of transport costs 2.1 euros / 160 rubles. for adults. For children from 6 to 15 years, the fare is half the price. You can buy travel documents in vending machines or in tobacco stalls.
In addition, there are tourist buses around the city of Vienna. Tickets for them are purchased directly from drivers or in the offices of travel agencies.
An adult costs 25 euros (1900 rubles), children - 12 euros (916 rubles). They are valid for a whole day. Sightseeing buses are single and double decker. They offer passengers audio guides in many languages, including Russian. Buses, following the route, make many stops. You can go to any of them to inspect the object that interests you, take a photo.
The symbol of Vienna
We got to Vienna, found out what kind of transport exists in the city. It's time to go sightseeing. There are so many of them that it’s impossible to visit everything even in a month. We will introduce you to the most interesting.
Let's start with the symbol of Vienna. It is St. Stephen's Cathedral. Locals call him "Steffi." This cathedral is also a symbol of all of Austria. All tourists who arrived in Vienna come to admire its slender forms and spiers, directed to the sky. The cathedral is located on the territory of the Old Town, in its central square, called Stefansplatz. In the middle of the XII century, the first temple was erected on this site. The building was repeatedly completed. It acquired a modern look by 1511.
The architecture of the cathedral has two towers - the north and south. The height of the first is 68.3 meters, and the second is 136, 44 meters. The building is unusually beautiful both outside and inside. It has three organs, a gold watch, three iron measures (medieval standards), 23 bells, 6 chapels, one of which is the St. Valentine's chapel. The Steffi relic is the Poch Icon. It is considered miraculous. Since 1945, her place near the main portal. The cathedral is also famous for the fact that 72 people from the Habsburg dynasty are buried here, as well as Eugene of Savoy, Frederick III, Rudolph IV (he built this building).
Other churches and cathedrals
Kohl, we talked about the sights of Vienna related to religion and royal dynasties, it is worth mentioning the Church of the Virgin of Angels, located five hundred meters from the Hofburg Palace. The church was erected at the very beginning of the XVII century. It’s very small in size, and its architectural style is not as monumental and solemn as the Cathedral of St. Stephen. This church attracts tourists by the fact that here is the royal tomb of the Habsburgs.
Hofburg Palace is their winter residence. It has an incredible number of apartments - 2600! Some of them are still used by the Austrian president as their residences. Around the palace there are many magically beautiful alleys, squares, and all its buildings are architectural monuments. The Habsburg treasury deserves special attention, from the splendor of the exhibits of which many are dizzy.
In the city of Vienna, it is worth taking a look at the oldest church of Ruprechtskirche, erected in the late 8th - early 9th centuries. It is dedicated to the patron saint of salt traders. There is a church a couple of hundred meters from Hoher Markt Square. On it you can admire the wedding fountain, created in 1729 in honor of the wedding of the imperial couple Mary and Joseph. Another attraction of the square is the anchor clock. At noon, they demonstrate to tourists not only time, but also the figures of 12 rulers of the country moving to the organ music, who played an important role in its history.
We also recommend that you take a look at the magnificent Karlskirche church, located near Ringstrasse. Her architectural style is Viennese Baroque.
Noteworthy is the Votive Church, located near the university. It looks especially beautiful in the evening when they turn on the backlight.
Palaces
Talking about interesting places in Vienna, one cannot ignore the buildings that housed the residence of the kings. We talked about the winter residence of the Habsburgs - the Hofburg palace complex above.
In addition to it, you should definitely visit their summer residence - Schönbrunn Palace, located 5 km from the Old Town. It is built in the Austrian Baroque style and is considered one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles in Europe. There are 1441 rooms in the palace. Among them, of particular interest are the Mirror Hall, the Great Hall of the Rose, the Ceremonial Hall. You can also admire the wonderful park, which has not only fountains, arbors and statues, but even pseudo-Roman ruins and the world's oldest Schönbrunn Zoo.
It is impossible not to say a few words about the Belvedere Palace. It is located in the Landstrasse area, adjacent to the Old Town. The palace complex includes the Upper Belvedere and the Lower, and around them there is a huge garden. It has many statues and architectural forms, and trees and shrubs are planted along the alleys, on which topiary craftsmen regularly work. In total, more than 4000 plant species can be seen here.
Lower Belvedere was built in 1716. Its most magnificent apartments are the Marble and Grotesque rooms, the main bedroom, the Marble Gallery.
The upper Belvedere was erected in 1722. Today, in this wonderful palace complex there are art galleries in which you can see the works of masters of different eras.
In Vienna there is another magnificent building - the Liechtenstein country palace. It is located in the Alsergrund area, also adjacent to the Old Town. This residence was built in 1700. Now one of the museums in Vienna is working here - the Liechtenstein art gallery. In addition, in the palace you can see a magnificent collection of sculptures.
Museums
Some people for some reason do not like to visit such places, although here you can see truly unique exhibits. It is difficult to tell about all the museums in Vienna in one article, since there are more than three dozen of them in the city. Add to them 10 museum houses that opened in the premises where Sigmund Freud, Strauss, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner lived and worked. Perhaps someone interested in the House of Erotica, the Museum of watches, theater, horses. To get around them all, as well as visit all art galleries, you need to come to Vienna several times.
We suggest you visit the Museum Quarter. It is located near the city center. In Vienna, this is the only such complex. It covers an area of 60 thousand square meters. Its central building was built in 1725. It was to become the stables for the imperial horses. Now there are three museums open and an art gallery.
Theaters of Vienna
Talking about the City of Waltzes, as many call Vienna, one cannot ignore its concert halls and theaters. This city was glorified all over the world not only by the Ginsburgs and Liechtenstein, but also by Strauss (father and son), Wagner, Beethoven, Mozart, Schoenberg, Brahms. Their gravestones are in the central cemetery. They are also attractions.
The most shocking theater in the city is the Vienna State Opera, considered the center of European musical culture. The building was erected in 1869. The first piece to be performed here was Mozart’s opera Don Juan. The acoustics in the theater are excellent, the interiors are exquisite, the productions are amazing. To get to the show, tickets must be ordered in advance. The building is located in the center of Vienna, on Opernring, 2.
The Hofburg Palace has its own wonderful temple of art. It is called the Burgtheater. It was approved by Empress Maria Theresa in 1741. On the stage of the Burgtheater were ballet and opera performances.
The Vienna Theater or An der Vin is also noteworthy. The style of his building is empire. The construction was completed in 1801. Here are theatrical performances.
Concerthaus, which opened in 1913, is of interest to classical music lovers. There are 4 rooms. In the smallest (Schubert Hall) there are 336 seats, in the largest (the so-called Big Hall) - 1840 seats.
Parks and gardens
Guides must include natural massifs in the list of attractions in Vienna. Many monuments can be admired in the city park, located near the Ringstrasse.
Between the Danube and its tributary, the Danube Canal is the Prater Park. Local people like to spend time here. Tourists may be interested in the Prater Vienna International Fair and Hippodrome. There is also a velodrome and an amusement park.
Adjacent to the Belvedere, is the University Botanical Garden. It covers an area of 8 hectares, in which over 11 thousand different plant species have found their place.
In the south-west of the city is a large nature reserve Leinzer Tiergarten, covering an area of 24.5 km square. Admission is free. In this park you can see many animals living without cages and aviaries. Of course, these are not wolves or bears, but representatives of artiodactyls - moose, roe deer, deer, as well as other non-dangerous animals.
The city is surrounded by the famous Vienna Forest.
Just buildings
Many tourists will be asked a few unique buildings when asked what to see in Vienna.
Town Hall It is located in the city center. The building was erected in an eclectic style. This means that it combines architectural styles from different times. Its central tower is impressive, with a height of 105 meters. The town hall has seven courtyards that give it the appearance of a palace.
Hundertwasser House. This is a residential building, which also has several offices. It is famous for its unusual design, including a colorful facade, windows of different sizes, and the absence of straight lines. But the main "highlight" of the house is that trees grow right inside his living quarters. The roof is also decorated with a layer of soil in which trees and shrubs are planted.
Karl-Marx-Hof. This building is famous not for the fact that its name contains the name of the founder of Marxism, but for the fact that its length is 1 km and 100 meters.
That ended our brief overview of the sights of Vienna. You can get acquainted with some of them while walking with a Russian-speaking guide. They are held daily. They are organized by many tour agencies located in hotels and tourist offices. Such walks last, on average, two hours. The cost of participation for one tourist is 25 euros (1900 rubles).
Reviews
Everyone who has visited Vienna enthusiastically describes its unique architectural monuments, magnificent parks, palaces and museums. Those who happened to get to a concert at the Vienna Opera or another theater recall the wonderful performance by the artists of their parts, the good organization and well-coordinated work of all employees. Tourists also note the abundance of transport in Vienna. This makes it possible to quickly get anywhere in the city.
However, there are complaints about excursions in Vienna. So, many tourists are unhappy that the famous monuments of history and architecture are often “dressed” in the woods, that is, they are constantly being renovated or restored, which makes it difficult to enjoy their beauty.
Another gripe concerns the working hours of many museums and places where I wanted to go. So, the elevator to the observation deck in St. Stephen's Cathedral is only open until 16:30, and the galleries in the Hofburg Palace are open only until 17:30. Only in the summer time of their work is extended until 18:00.
Also, some do not like the fact that the tram on the Ringstrasse runs non-stop.