AUSTRIA: Vienna has a Long and Wealthy History

Vienna is a beautiful city with stunning architecture.

Compared to other European cities and countries during World War II “only” about 20% of Vienna was destroyed. Some of the monuments were damaged, some restored, and many important landmarks have been standing in the city for centuries. 

Since Vienna is such an old, and affluent city, the landmarks date back to different centuries and you can find various architectural styles around the city ranging from Gothic to Baroque to modern. 

The Habsburg family, primarily seated in Vienna, ruled Austria for over 600 years, from 1282 to 1918. Needless to say, they were a very rich and very powerful family that left their mark on the city.

The Schönbrunn Palace was built as a "summer residence" for the Habsburg dynasty.

It was built in several stages, starting in 1696 and ending in 1750.

The Palace has about 1441 rococo-styled rooms with 40 that are open to the public. Not all the rooms had a purpose, but, apparently, when it was built they patterned it after the palace in Versailles, (or should I say, tried to “compete” with Versailles.)

From these period paintings it would appear that they liked to throw lavish home parties.

The gardens are over 1.2 kilometres from east to west and approximately 1 kilometre from north to south. It provides employment for a lot of gardeners. 

The gardens are patterned in the popular Baroque style of the time. 

They were opened to the public in 1779.

At the top of the gardens is "Gloriette", which is now a restaurant.

The Habsburgs had a winter palace in the city, called Hofburg. 

Started in the 13th century, there are 18 groups of buildings, 19 courtyards, 2600 rooms and a surface of 59 acres. It is often called a ‘city within a city’.

There are 700 years of architectural history with different styles ranging from Gothic to Renaissance to Baroque. 

Now, it is the official residence and workplace of the Austrian president, home to the Imperial apartments, two imperial treasuries, the National Library, six museums and the Spanish Riding School. (NOTE: I have another blog post on the Spanish Riding School if you're interested.)

Another opulent palace in Vienna is the Belvedere Palace. It was originally the private residence of Prince Eugene, a military hero and bachelor who needed a lavish and large home. It is a complex of two Baroque palaces, the Upper Belvedere and the Lower Belvedere.

Also complete with beautiful baroque gardens and a view of the city. 

It is now the home of Austria’s most important art collections from the medieval period to Austrian art from the 19th and 20th centuries. They are very proud of their Klimpt "The Kiss".

 

St Stephen’s Cathedral, built in 1160 in the city centre, has a tower that is 137 meters and was the highest building in Europe for a long time. 

The roof is covered in 230,000 glazed tiles in a zigzag design. 

The double-headed eagle is symbolic of the Habsburg dynasty.

Just a few shots from the interior.

Vienna is home to musical geniuses such as Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn. This means that music is very important in Vienna and is a huge part of its culture. We saw a Mozart and Beethoven concert in St Anne’s church.

The Vienna State Opera is one of the leading opera houses in the world. 

The Parliament Buildings is Neoclassical architecture and was completed in 1883. They say the building’s construction marks the city’s transformation from a medieval town to a modern metropolis. It is the meeting place of the two houses of the Austrian Parliament.

The Rathaus, or city hall, was completed in 1883 in a neo-Gothic style. It houses the office of the Mayor of Vienna.

These are just a sampling of the beautiful buildings in the city. 

I have tons more photos, but I figured I'd be pushing my luck expecting people to keep reading and looking.