When I think about Vienna I think about good living- elegant parks, romantic Danube River, imperial art collections and great music.
Vienna was the capital of the formerly grand Habsburg Empire- which once stretched across much of Europe .Its superpower days are now long gone. And today, the city enjoys the cultural and physical remnants of its Imperial age as both an inspiration and a playground for living well.
Vienna sits along the Danube River. St. Stephen’s Cathedral marks the center of town. The old town with most of the top sights is bound tightly by the Ringstrasse, marking was used the city wall.
One of the most striking buildings on the Ringstrasse is Vienna’s City Hall, known as Rathaus.
The palaces of the imperial Habsburg family still create a buzz. The Royal family wintered downtown in their Hofburg Palace and they summered at the Schönbrunn Palace .
Among Europe’s grandiose palaces, only Schönbrunn Palace rivals Versailles. It is big with more than one hundred rooms, but only forty of them are shown to the public. The exterior is Baroque, much of the interior was finished under Maria Therese in rococo.
A walk through the imperial garden, now overrun with commoners, celebrates the evolution of the society from autocracy to democracy.
Charles Church offers perhaps the best Baroque in Vienna with the unique combination of columns, a classic pediment and an elliptical dome.
Nearby , Imperial Austria’s greatest leader Maria Therese, looks upon the country’s greatest collection of art, the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
Nearby in Vienna Woods, in the foothills of the Alps, locals enjoy their natural backyard. And amidst the famous vineyards, they gather for the ritual of tasting the new wine.
Vienna has fine art and architecture from just about every age and particularly interesting is the art from the last decades of Habsburg rule- art nouveau.
The Belvedere Palace, with its elegant Baroque gardens, was the lavish home of Prince Eugene.It houses the Austrian gallery of 19th century art.
Even if you don’t have money or time for a performance, a visit to the opera is a must in Vienna. The Vienna State Opera house is the pride of the city.
Vienna, the capital of Austria and one of the most elegant cities in Europe, is a must-visit any time of the year. For the whole of 2015, the city is gearing itself up to celebrate several anniversaries and events. Enjoy.
