Vienna waits for you
With its successful blend of imperial tradition and contemporary creativity, the Austrian capital has established itself as a major player in global tourism. In 2007, 4.2 million visitors spent 9.7 million nights in Vienna, largely attracted by the city’s rich musical life and art treasures.
Vienna owes its universal appeal to the way it excitingly combines its imperial flair with a highly creative cultural scene, responsibly cultivating a precious heritage and charming traditions whilst taking on board the latest trends. Magnificent edifices, predominantly in baroque, historicism (“Ringstrasse”) and art nouveau styles, and the city’s grand scale cause you to forget that this is the capital of the small Republic of Austria with only eight million inabitants. The city boasts 100 museums some of them world-renowned for their exceptional art collections.
- The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) houses the world’s largest
collection of paintings by Bruegel.
- In the Belvedere the world’s largest collection of paintings by Gustav Klimt – including his
famous “Kiss” – can be admired.
- The Albertina offers the world’s largest collection of graphic art, spanning 60,000 drawings,
some million prints, an extensive collection of photographic and architectural material, and
a modern gallery.
- MuseumsQuartier, a cultural attraction of international standing located in the city center,
covers 45,000 square meters and is an architecturally fascinating combination of baroque
(the former Imperial Stables) and future-oriented design. It is one of the ten largest cultural
complexes in the world. Key attractions include:
- Leopold Museum with the world’s largest collection of paintings by Egon Schiele and
works by renowned modern Austrian artists such as Klimt, Kokoschka and Gerstl, - the Museum of Modern Art,
- Kunsthalle Wien,
- two festival halls used for high-profile events such as the Vienna Festival, the
International Dance Weeks and even for pop concerts, and - a number of attractive restaurants, cafés and shops.
In Vienna you find 50 theaters, including three opera houses and two stage musical theaters, as well as renowned drama, music and dance festivals. In addition to the city’s museums and ambitious exhibitions this ensures an extraordinarily rich cultural program throughout the year, making Vienna one of Europe’s leading cultural centers. As a city of music Vienna enjoys a paramount reputation around the world. No other city has been home to so many composers of international renown. Some, such as Schubert, Strauss, Schoenberg and Berg were born there, others, such as Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Brahms and Mahler chose to live there.
- Vienna is home to one of the world’s finest orchestras – the Vienna Philharmonic – as well as the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and several other orchestras and ensembles of note.
- The Vienna State Opera is one of the world’s leading opera houses and is joined by three more in the city.
- The Vienna Boys’ Choir enchants music lovers the world over.
- In addition to classical music, Vienna has also made its mark as a city of musicals, and recent successes in electronic music show that the avant-garde is flourishing.
- A very special way to enjoy music is presented at the House of Music – a unique high-tech voyage of discovery into the phenomenon of music – where sounds become visible, organ pipes may be walked on and visitors can become virtual conductors and composers, all on an area of 2,000 square meters.
- A further attraction is the Mozarthaus Vienna in the composer’s former residence at
Domgasse.
Viennese lifestyle – between imperial nostalgia and contemporary trends
The juxtaposition of what is traditional and what is modern conveys a lifestyle that appeals to the modern tourist. A choice between relaxation and serenity or action and stimulation can be made any minute, depending on your mood.
- The Naschmarkt, Vienna’s multinational fruit and vegetable market which also features a flea market every Saturday – has witnessed the emergence of an extraordinarily diverse gastronomic scene in its vicinity over the past years.
- Mariahilfer Strasse is an attractive shopping thoroughfare and links the historic center with Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna’s most popular sightseeing attraction.
- During summer, Viennese and tourists alike throng not only to Prater amusement park with the famous Giant Ferris Wheel, but also to the
- Copa Cagrana on Danube Island, an ideal place for relaxation, water sports, and partying
- Wine tavern districts on the gentle hillsides of the Vienna Woods extend an invitation to seriously “study” Vienna’s homegrown wines.
- Before Christmas, the “Magic of Advent” turns the park in front of the City Hall into a romantic fairyland, and many Christmas markets spread all over the city giving Vienna a
unique flair sought after by visitors from all continents.
For more information in 14 languages and comprehensive services
go to www.wien.info