General information

Vienna, Austria’s capital city, has 1,533,000 inhabitants and stands on the right bank of the Danube, at the foot of the Wienervald hills. Originally referred to as Vindobona, the city had already gained noteable importance by the period of the Roman Empire. From the 13th century to the end of the First World War, the country was under the rule of the Habsburgs family.

Nearly all the city’s sights and major attractions are located within a small area and are easily reached on foot. Vienna is divided into districts (called Bezirke in German). District number 1 (known as Inneren Stadt) is the centre of the city and contains the largest number of monuments, all of which are indicated with a red and white sign. The Ringstrasse is the visitor’s first indication of Imperial Vienna. The Ring, Vienna’s most important street, is a wide, tree- lined road, that runs for 6 kilometres forming a ring around the city centre. The Ring, built on the orders of the Emperor Francesco Giuseppe, encloses the Graben, Vienna’s Salon, a long bustling square, with elegant shops and lined by marvellous wonderful buildings. The Hofburg, the imperial palace and, for seven centuries, the Habsburgs family home, is located along the Kohlmarkt to the south-west of the Graben. The palace is a vast complex of buildings dating back to different periods. The Josefsplatz is located behind the palace’s stable block. This is one of the city’s most elegant squares, lined with 17th century buildings including the National Library, built in 1723 and the Albertina Palace, built on a spur of land, originally the site of ancient ramparts. The palace was built in 1871 for the Archduke Albert and houses the Museum of Cinema and the National Library musical collection. The city centre is the site of the Stephansdom, Austria’s finest example of a Gothic church, with pointed steeple and multi-coloured roof. The area comprising Seitenstettstr, from Rabensteig and Fleischmarkt, forms the Jewish district of the city. This area, known as Bermudadreick, houses taverns, restaurants and English bookshops. The Karntnerstrasse, flanked by historic hotels, elegant shops and art galleries is the nerve point of the city. The square is dominated by the majestic Saint Charles Borromeo Church, the finest expression of Viennese Baroque architecture.

The old suburbs of the city are located between the two ring roads; The Ring and the Gurtel. The Prater, located in the second district, is a green corner of nature, with woods and lawns, which was once the imperial hunting reserve and, which under Joseph II in 1766, was opened to the public. The Prater contains numerous sporting clubs and associations and is also the site of the Wurstelprater, an enormous theme park with rides, attractions and a miniature train which crosses the park. The third district houses the Belvedere Castle, originally the home of Prince Eugene of Savoy. It comprises two buildings, linked by a splendid garden and terrace and houses a collection of Austrian art.

The main road running to the south- west of the city is the Mariahilferstrasse, which connects the ring to the Schonbrunn Castle. This building, the finest example of an imperial Austrian palace, Was the summer residence of the Habsburgs.