Austria - interesting facts. Austria - interesting facts Interesting facts about Austria in German

Austria offers tourists a large selection of attractions of different types - culture, ancient castles, architecture and museums. Many of the museums are included in the lists of the best not only in Europe, but also in the world. Their exhibitions will surprise even the most experienced art critic. Classical music lovers visit the Vienna Opera, as well as the birthplace of Mozart -.

Austria has preserved many castles and palaces from the Middle Ages. Their architecture impresses with its variety of styles, luxury and grandeur. Most of the country is occupied by the Alps. The indescribable beauty of the mountains in summer and winter can be observed from countless observation platforms, castle and church towers. And for better exploration of the picturesque landscapes, railways and roads have been laid in the mountains.

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What to see and where to go in Austria?

The most interesting and beautiful places, photographs and brief descriptions.

1. Vienna's historic center

Tourist and business area in the center. Also called "inner city". Included in the list of UNESCO protected sites. It preserves castles, streets and parks from the 19th century. On the site of the demolished fortress wall, the Ringstrasse street was laid, which separates the historical center from the rest of the city. It is home to the Museum Quarter. The center of the inner city is St. Stephen's Square with the cathedral of the same name.

2. Salzburg Old Town

The narrow streets of the city amaze with their beauty. It’s no wonder that this popular tourist spot is included in the UNESCO heritage list. There are many styles of architecture represented here - Baroque, Renaissance, Romanticism. Some of the main objects to see are the Salzburg Cathedral, the house where Mozart was born and lived, and the Hohensalzburg Fortress, located in the rocks of the mountains. Authentic cafes with bright and colorful signs are also praised.

3. Hallstatt

Located on the shore of a mountain lake in the Alps in western Austria. Tourists come here for the picturesque views. The small cozy houses of this small town are beautifully reflected in the clear mountain water of the lake. You can climb to the top of the mountains and to the caves of Dachstein by cable car. But the best photos, according to tourists, are taken from the observation deck at the Protestant Church of Christ, built in the 18th century.

4. Hofburg (Vienna)

Residence of the Habsburg dynasty, built in 1278. A luxurious castle, the architecture of which represents several styles. The Swiss courtyard was built in the Renaissance style, and the chapel was built in the Gothic style. The Imperial Treasury attracts special attention from tourists. It contains an incredible collection of artifacts, relics of power and jewelry. In total, there are more than twenty different museums on the territory of the palace.

5. Belvedere Palace Complex

Built at the beginning of the 18th century. The interior chambers amaze with their luxury - the Marble Gallery, the Golden Cabinet, the walls decorated with bas-reliefs. Currently, the Art Gallery is located in the palaces of the complex. Her collection is represented by paintings from different years - from the Middle Ages to the present. The complex's three-level garden is laid out in French style. It is decorated with a fountain with two cascades and antique sculptures.

6. Schönbrunn Palace

Residence of the emperors in the Austrian Baroque style. Its construction ended in 1713 and lasted 17 years. Later, at the request of Empress Maria Theresa, a theater was added to the palace, and at the will of her husband, a zoo was added. The palace has more than 1000 rooms, only 40 are available for tourists to explore. There is a large park complex around the palace. It houses a green labyrinth and a greenhouse with exotic plants.

7. Schönbrunn Zoo

Built in 1752, it holds the title of the oldest zoo in the world. One of the few zoos where giant pandas are kept. The zoo has a terrarium, and in the aquarium you can walk along the bottom of the Amazon. Excursions are offered, including ones especially for children and at night. In 2002, in honor of the zoo's anniversary, a 5 euro coin was issued with an image of the central pavilion of the zoo and animals in its background.

8. Prater Park (Vienna)

Located on the banks of the Danube. Founded in 1766 by Emperor Joseph II. The park is divided into two zones – the “green” zone and the amusement zone. The most popular attractions are the children's railway and the 60-meter-high Ferris wheel. The park is also home to a chain carousel, the tallest in the world. When rotating, part of it rises to 117 meters. The “green” zone contains a hippodrome, a stadium, sports grounds and a velodrome.

9. Hohensalzburg Fortress

Built on the top of Mount Festung in 1077. From Salzburg you can reach it by cable car. The fortress museum presents the history of the fortress itself and the military history of Austria. The Hohensalzburg Fortress often hosts various events - concerts and festivals. The most luxurious and beautiful places in the fortress are the Golden Chamber and the princely chambers, decorated with precious stones and rich ornaments.

10. Hellbrunn Palace (Salzburg)

Built at the beginning of the 17th century. This is the residence of the Archbishop of Salzburg, which has been preserved almost in its original form. The palace park is decorated with joker fountains, ponds and many sculptures. An open-air Stone Theater was built in a cleft in the mountain. A special feature of the park is the mechanical theater. It represents a small city with figures of residents moving to the sounds of an organ. The mechanisms of the organ and figures are moved by a stream of water.

11. Mirabell Palace and Gardens (Salzburg)

The Baroque palace was built for his beloved woman by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Reitenau in 1606. To emphasize the splendor of the palace, he ordered a magnificent garden to be laid out around it. The park complex and palace are included in the UNESCO heritage list. The best creations of the castle are the Marble Hall and the Marble Staircase. The park is notable for its rose garden and greenhouse, as well as two fountains - the Great Fountain and Pegasus.

12. Schlossberg Castle (Graz)

Built in 1125 as a defensive fortress. Located on a mountain 450 meters high. Cultural events are now taking place in the courtyard where the casemates used to be. Thanks to good acoustics, even classical music concerts are held here. A good view opens from the observation deck at the Clock Tower. An unusual attraction is the Schlossberg Steps, built during the First World War.

13. Eggenberg Castle (Graz)

The princely residence, decorated in the spirit of Prince Eggenberg's hobby - astronomy. The number of rooms in the castle corresponds to the number of weeks in a year, windows - days in a year. 24 office premises means 24 hours a day. At the same time, the architect built the castle itself in the Renaissance style. Currently, the palace houses a collection of paintings - more than 600 paintings, as well as an archaeological exhibition and an art museum.

14. Ambras Castle (Innsbruck)

A popular place among event tourists. They come to attend events held in this castle - the Innsbruck Early Music Festival and the annual Renaissance celebration. They take place in one of the most beautiful halls of the Renaissance - the Spanish Hall of the castle. The wall paintings in it depict the rulers of the Tyrolean lands. The castle also has an interesting collection of weapons, jewelry, and art objects.

15. St. Stephen's Cathedral (Vienna)

This Catholic cathedral is the symbol of the capital of Austria. Built in the 12th century in the Gothic style. The height of the tallest tower is 136 meters. The cathedral has many attractions - a Gothic altar from 1447, the tombstone of Emperor Frederick III made of red marble, the Poch miraculous icon. The decorations of the cathedral are bright patterns on the roof made of multi-colored tiles, pylons with rich carvings, and skillful stained glass windows.

16. St. Peter's Church (Vienna)

Church with majestic Baroque architecture. It hosts daily organ concerts, and admission to daytime concerts is free. The inside of the church is decorated with marble. The stucco molding is decorated with gold and silver. The monastery depicts the Holy Trinity, to which the construction of the church is dedicated, as well as the Face of the Queen of Heaven. Relics with particles of the relics of saints were delivered from to the Church of St. Peter.

17. Monastery in Melk

The monastery is located in the Wachau Valley on the rocky bank of the Danube. Built in 1702-1746 and included in the UNESCO heritage list. This is a gigantic building in the Baroque style. The interior is also impressive - the pilasters decorating the marble hall are decorated with red marble, and there is a golden altar. The ceiling is decorated with frescoes. On two floors of the monastery there is the largest library of ancient books in Austria - more than 80,000 volumes.

18. Salzburg Cathedral

Included in the list of the most beautiful temples in the world. This is a magnificent example of Renaissance architecture. The height of the majestic dome is 79 meters. The facade is made of marble and is decorated with two towers 81 meters high. The capacity of the cathedral is 10,000 people. The interior of the cathedral is made in the Baroque style and decorated with frescoes and paintings. The great composer Wolfgang Mozart was baptized in a bronze font.

19. Vienna City Hall

It was built according to the design of the famous architect Schmidt in the neo-Gothic style in 1872-1883. The tallest tower of the town hall rises 105 meters above the ground. There is a 3.5 meter high statue of Rathausman on it. The main hall of the town hall, 20 meters wide and 71 meters long, is decorated with sculptures of famous citizens of Vienna. It, as well as in the adjacent premises, hosts up to 800 events annually - exhibitions, balls, concerts.

20. Vienna State Opera

The Vienna Opera is called the musical capital of the world. It was headed at various times by such musicians as Gustav Mahler, Lorin Maazel, Clemens Kraus, Karl Böhm. The elegant and sophisticated building is especially beautiful in the evening. Under the lights of the ramps, the marble sculptures of muses on the facade of the building seem shiny. Every year the State Opera hosts the Vienna Opera Ball, in which even the President of Austria takes part.

21. MuseumsQuartier (Vienna)

Located on the site of the emperor's court stables. Reconstruction of the building into the Exhibition Pavilion began in 1921. The construction of all buildings in the quarter was completed only in 2001. The MuseumsQuartier is home to more than 20 museums of various subjects. The most famous of them are the Leopold Museum, the Kunsthalle and the Museum of Modern Art. As part of the Vienna Festival, arts events take place in the MuseumsQuarter.

22. Kunsthistorisches Museum and Natural History Museum

The museums are located opposite each other and opened at the same time - in 1889. They are located in the Historic Center of Vienna and are identical in appearance. The Natural History Museum has many exhibits that are not found anywhere else. For example, a stuffed animal of the extinct Steller's cow and the skeleton of a diplodocus. The collection of works and exhibits at the Kunsthistorisches Museum is among the top five in the world.

23. Albertina (Vienna)

Museum in the center of Vienna. The collection was collected by Duke Albert to instill morality in future generations. The collection is based on the world's largest collection of graphics - more than a million exhibits. These are engravings, drawings, architectural drawings and photographs, including works by Rubens, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael. In addition, the gallery displays paintings by Monet and Picasso, as well as other famous artists.

24. Kunsthaus (Graz)

Gallery of modern art. It is located in a building of an unusual shape, which is why it received a second unusual name - “friendly alien”. The convex gallery building was built in the style of modern “blob” architecture. It looks like reinforced concrete, but is made of blue plastic panels. There are many luminous elements on the façade of the building. The backlight is controlled by a computer.

25. Hangar-7 Red Bull (Salzburg)

This unusual museum will be of interest not only to those who are interested in extreme and technical sports. The Hangar-7 building itself is extremely interesting - a structure made of metal supports supports a giant glass dome. It was built on the territory of the airport. The main theme of the museum is aeronautics. Among the exhibits there are both pleasure and sports aircraft. The museum also has a collection of Formula 1 racing cars.

26. Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Wattens)

Created in 1995 for the anniversary of Swarovski. This museum features installations made from Swarovski crystals. Built in the form of a labyrinth of 13 halls, it also has a store, a restaurant, and separate rooms for VIP collectors and special exhibitions. The entrance to the museum is made in the form of a giant's head, from whose mouth a waterfall erupts. The museum itself is located underground. Two of the museum's crystals are included in the Guinness Book of Records.

27. Hohe Tauern

This 181,500-hectare national park is located on the highest ridge in Austria. Its mountain peaks reach heights of more than 3000 meters. The slopes are covered with meadows and dense forests. Mountaineering athletes often come here. For lovers of hiking, excursion routes have been laid out. The most popular of them lead to the Golling and Krimml waterfalls, as well as to the Lichtensteinklamm mountain gorge.

28. Nordkettenbahn cable car

Located in the city of Innsbruck. The funicular takes everyone to the Hafelekar mountain peak, 2256 meters high. The cable car ride from the city center takes 20 minutes. The route passes through several stations, some of them shaped like glaciers. From the top of the mountain there is a view of the snow-capped mountain landscapes, the Inn River valley and the city of Innsbruck itself. The cable car operates all year round.

29. Untersberg

Mountain near Salzburg - in the Untersberg nature park. You can climb the mountain by cable car. Its top station is at an altitude of 1853 meters. There is snow there, clouds float by. The view of the city from the top of the mountain is comparable to the view from an airplane window. From the station there are several walking paths along the mountain range. Many tourists are interested in the Schellenberg Ice Cave on the mountainside.

30. Eisriesenwelt Cave

The largest ice cave in the world. Ice remains in it all year round. The depth of the cave is 407 meters, length – 42 km. The cave is popular with tourists, with about 150,000 people visiting it every year. However, entry to it is only open from May to October. The rest of the time there is a danger of avalanches. You can get to the cave by cable car. Carbide lamps are provided for the duration of your visit.

31. Pasterze Glacier

The largest glacier in Austria. Located in the Alps, at the foot of the Großglockner mountain on the Hohe Tauern ridge. Its length is 9 km. The maximum height is 2100 meters above sea level. The glacier has continuously melted and descended since 1856. However, since 2003, due to climate change, the rate of melting has increased. A visit to this ice massif is one of the most popular tourist routes in Austria.

32. Grossglockner high mountain road

The serpentine of this mountain road consists of 36 turns. Its length is 48 km. The road is tolled, but nevertheless more than one million people travel along it every year. They are attracted by the opportunity to see the picturesque views of the Hohe Tauern Park and the Central Alps. The highest point of the road is at the Khokhtor pass at an altitude of 2504 meters above sea level. The road passes by the Pasterze Glacier and the Grossglockner Mountain.

33. Semmering Railway

The world's first railway built in the mountains. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The oldest section of the road, 42 km long, was built in 1848-1854. Due to the complexity of the terrain, the builders had to build more than 100 stone bridges, 16 viaducts, and cut 14 tunnels. There is a picturesque mountainous area around the road. There are balneological and ski resorts near the railway route.

34. Cultural landscape of Wachau

A section of the valley located between the cities of Melk and Krems. It is included in the list of UNESCO protected sites due to its many historical, archaeological and cultural monuments. The valley has preserved unique traditions of winemaking and fruit growing. The cultural landscape of the valley with its landscapes shows the history of civilization from Paleolithic times to the present. The picturesque views of the valley attract writers and artists.

35. Alps

These mountains, famous all over the world, occupy half the territory of Austria. Millions of ski lovers come to Austria for the opportunity to visit the snow resorts of this country. The landscape of the Eastern Alps of Austria is characterized by picturesque valleys, with many routes to natural monuments. You can climb many mountain peaks by cable car and enjoy mountain scenery and clean air.

Austria is a country of magnificent landscapes, delicious food and small fairy-tale houses with tiled roofs. This is one of the calmest and richest countries in Europe. It is landlocked and borders 8 countries. We present interesting facts about Austria.

Geography

  1. Austria is home to the world's tallest cascading waterfall. The length of the water stream reaches 380 meters. This miracle of nature is called Krimmler.
  2. The largest ice cave in the world, Eisriesenwelt, is located on the territory of the state. Its length reaches 42 kilometers, and its depth is 407 meters. About 200 thousand travelers visit the cave every year. You can explore the natural wonder from May 1 to October 26; the rest of the time, access to the attraction is closed.
  3. 62% of the country's territory is covered by mountains.
  4. Austria is home to Europe's highest alpine track, the Grossglockner, which runs at an altitude of almost 3.8 kilometers.
  5. The small Austrian settlement of Hochgurl bears the title of the highest located settlement in the country. The village is located at an altitude of 2150 meters.

Story

  1. The territory of the modern state was conquered by the Romans from the Celts in 15 BC.
  2. In the 16th century, Austria annexed the lands of modern Czech Republic and Croatia to its territory, and at the end of the 18th century - part of the territory of Poland.
  3. In 1867, Austria became a constitutional country.
  4. In the twentieth century, the monarchy was abolished in the state.
  5. In 1919, Austria returned their lands to the Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland, and a number of other countries.
  6. In 1938, Austria was incorporated into Nazi Germany.
  7. In 1964, the country hosted the first Olympic Games, which used an electronic timing system.
  8. In the winter of 1995, Austria joined the European Union.
  9. The name of the state originates from the ancient German word “Ostarrichi”, which translated into Russian sounds like “eastern country”. This toponym was first used in 996 BC.
  10. The oldest city in Austria was founded back in 15 BC.
  11. The Austrian flag is the oldest state symbol. It was first raised over Vienna in 1191.
  12. The arrangement for the Austrian anthem was borrowed from one of Mozart's works. In 2011, some changes were made to the anthem. Thus, the line, which previously sounded like: “You are the homeland of great sons,” now received the addition: “and daughters,” which confirmed the progressiveness of the country and the equal status of its citizens.
  13. The world's first railway was constructed in Austria, the tracks of which ran through the mountains. It still works today.

Attractions

  1. Austria is famous for its ski resorts. It ranks 3rd in the world in terms of the number of ski lifts on the territory of recreation centers.
  2. The country's most popular attraction is Lake Neusiedler. This is the largest lake in Austria.
  3. On the territory of the state there is the largest cemetery in the world, founded at the end of the 19th century in Vienna.
  4. The country is home to the world's first zoo, Tiergarten Schönbrunn, which opened its doors to visitors back in 1752.
  5. Austria is home to the world's oldest Ferris wheel.
  6. A must-see attraction in Austria is Schönburn Castle, which formerly served as the residence of the Habsburgs.
  7. The world's largest emerald is located in the Hofburg Palace in Austria.
  8. The city of Innsbruck is the main producer of Swarovski crystals. There is also a world-famous crystal museum, consisting of 13 exhibition halls and a restaurant.

Interesting information

  1. Austria is the only country that is a member of the EU but not a member of NATO.
  2. The majority of Austrian citizens use German in everyday communication. In some regions, Hungarian, Croatian and Slovenian are also spoken.
  3. 90% of the country's population are Catholics.
  4. The population of the state is quite small (almost 9 million). A quarter of citizens live in the capital.
  5. It will take about 12 hours to travel the entire country from one border to the other.
  6. Austrian climber Harry Egger set a skiing record: he slid down a mountain slope at a speed of 248 km/h.
  7. Road signs and signs in public places often read: “No Kangaroos Here.” It appeared due to the fact that tourists often confuse Austria with Australia.
  8. Austria is the birthplace of many famous composers: Schubert, Bruckner, Mozart, Strauss and Mahler. In their honor, various music festivals are often held in the country.
  9. In Austria there lived a man who was both a giant and a dwarf: at the age of 21 his height was 118 centimeters, and at 51 – 234 centimeters.
  10. Austria gave the world colorful greeting cards.
  11. In 1818, an Austrian designed the world's first sewing machine.
  12. In Austria, children are required to attend kindergarten for at least two years.
  13. In educational institutions there is a five-point system, but children are scolded not for 1, but for 5 (the lowest score).
  14. In Austria, academic degrees are so valued that they are even listed on passports and driver's licenses.
  15. Austria has the lowest obesity rate in the world - only 9% of citizens are overweight.
  16. Austria was the first country to switch to energy-saving equipment.
  17. Austrians are very concerned about the environment: they try to sort garbage and use special eco-friendly bags when going to the store.
  18. Austria is the birthplace of the famous Viennese waltz.
  19. Residents of the state treat Christmas and everything connected with it with great trepidation: during the holiday, even shops and pharmacies stop working for three days.
  20. All parking in Austria is paid.

1. Austria consistently ranks at the top of the list of countries with the highest standards of living in the world, and Vienna often tops the list of the World's Most Livable Cities.

2. Austria is a member of the EU, but not a member of NATO.

3. Vienna is home to the world's oldest zoo, the Tiergarten Schönbrunn. It was founded as a menagerie at the court of Emperor Franz Stefan in 1752.

4. Among the great Austrians are the artist Gustav Klimt, whose most famous work, The Kiss, is exhibited at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna; founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud; composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Schubert; the monk Georg Mendel, whose experiments with peas formed the basis of modern genetics; physicist Christian Doppler, who invented the “Doppler Effect”; car designer Ferdinand Porsche. Born in Germany, Ludwig van Beethoven lived most of his adult life in Vienna.

The most famous living Austrian is Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Monument to Strauss in Vienna

5. Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele) is the most important and largest opera and theater festival in Europe. The purpose of this festival is to perpetuate the memory of Mozart, therefore only works by this great Austrian composer are performed at the festival.

Night Salzburg

6. The most famous Austrian dish is Wiener schnitzel. These are thinly pounded veal cutlets that are dipped in egg, sprinkled with bread crumbs, and then fried. In Austria, schnitzel is never served with sauce.

7. The Austrian tradition of baking cakes goes back centuries, when cities fiercely competed among themselves for the best cake. Even in small villages, bakeries try to outdo each other. Almost every Austrian city has its own signature cake. The most famous Austrian cake is the Viennese Sachertorte. This chocolate cake was invented by chef Franz Sacher for Chancellor Metternich in 1832.

8. More than 60% of adults in Austria are overweight. This is the highest figure in the EU.

9. Before they start eating, Austrians say Guten Appetit! And, before drinking, they clink glasses, looking into each other's eyes. Not looking your counterpart in the eye is considered very impolite behavior, which will bring the rude man seven years of bad sex.

10. The Vienna Academy of Arts (Vienna’s Akademie der Bildenden Künste) once refused to accept a young artist named Adolf Hitler for study. In 1907, out of 128 applicants, 100, among whom were Hitler, did not apply. Hitler submitted the works "Expulsion from Paradise", "Builders" and "Death" to the competition. .

11. Alpine, or downhill, skiing has been the most popular sport in Austria for over 100 years. Matthias Zdarsky wrote the first ski manual in 1897, he also invented the first ski bindings and organized the first slalom in 1905.

12. Zentralfriedhof is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe. Beethoven, Brahms, Johann Strauss the elder and the younger, Franz Schubert, and pop icon Falco are buried here. The cemetery also contains a monument to Mozart, although he was buried in an unmarked grave in another cemetery (St. Mark's Cemetery). More than 2.5 million people are buried here, while the population of Vienna is approximately 1.8 million. In Vienna they say about the dead: “He boarded at 71” (the Zentralfriedhof cemetery is the last stop of the 71 tram).

13. Austria's Eisriesenwelt Caves, dubbed the "world of the ice giants", is the world's largest accessible ice cave system.

14. Once the center of the powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire, after defeat in World War I, Austria was reduced to a small republic.

15. Waltz was born in the suburbs of Vienna and in the Alpine region of Austria. Already in the 17th century, waltzes were played at Habsburg balls. It became very popular in Vienna at the beginning of the 19th century and then spread to the rest of Europe.

Vienna hosts more than 300 balls each year, usually between January and March. The most famous are Opernball (held at the Vienna State Opera since 1877), Philharmonic Ball (with a performance by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra), Blumenball (known for its flower arrangements), Zuckerbäckerball (held at the best confectionery in Vienna with an excellent selection of sweets).

Austria- a country in the center of Europe. The name of this state comes from the ancient German “Ostarrichi” - which means “eastern country”. The name "Austria" was first mentioned on November 1, 996 AD.

So, the most interesting facts about Austria:

  • The oldest state flag in the world is the flag of Austria. Its appearance dates back to 1191.

  • The most famous Austrians are the creator of the Porsche car, Ferdinand Porsche, the world-famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, and the equally famous and beloved actor, who to this day is the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

  • Austria is the country of Bigfoot. In 1991, a frozen mummy was found here. Based on the results of the study, it was determined that the body was a man about 160 cm tall and approximately 35 years old. Chemical analysis and X-ray examination showed that the man lived more than 5 thousand years ago. This find was called Yetti, or “Bigfoot.”

ski resort Obergurgl - Hochgurgl

  • The settlement at the highest altitude above sea level in Europe is located in Austria. This village of Hochgurl is located at an altitude of 2150 meters above sea level.

  • Austria ranks third in the world after the USA and France in terms of the number of ski lifts. There are 3527 of them in Austria.

  • The Winter Olympics were held in Austria in 1964 and 1976 in the city of Innsbruck. By the way, Olympic games 1964 years were first Games, which were fully equipped with electronic counting and time recording systems.
  • Austria is also unique in that it is the only country in the European Union in which citizens receive the right to vote only at 19 years of age. In other countries, this is the classic age of majority - 18 years.

  • Austrians are real workaholics. Austria ranks among the first in Europe in terms of the length of the working week. Here residents work 45 hours a week, more than in most European countries.
  • Austria is often confused with, which is why the expression “There are no kangaroos in Austria” has been assigned to Austria. It is often used on road signs, souvenirs and shops. Even at the highest level, confusion often occurs - at UN meetings, or, for example, the case of US President Bush, who sent the prime minister to Australia to support the Austrian contingent in Iraq.

one of the squares of the Vienna Central Cemetery

  • The largest cemetery in Europe is located in Austria - the Vienna Central Cemetery. More than 3 million people are buried here. It was founded in 1874. On top of that, it is also a huge and very beautiful park. Many people often come there just to take a walk, to have a family outing. In the meantime, you can improve your educational level by studying both history and culture - among the 500 “honorary graves” there are graves B Ethoven, Brahms, Schubert, both Strauss, and many many other famous people.

Vienna Ferris Wheel

  • The oldest Ferris wheel in the world is located in Vienna's Prater Park. It was built back in the 19th century. At the same time, it is not great comparison with modern giants - only 65 meters in height.

  • Austria is the birthplace of the Viennese Waltz.

They talk about the coolest and most incredible places in Austria: from a medieval castle on top of a cliff to a suspension bridge over an abyss.

1. Vienna Old Town

The center of Vienna and the center of all of Austria is an inner city that has preserved the architecture and layout of past centuries. Narrow cobbled streets, small coffee shops, cozy squares and cathedrals. If you find yourself in Vienna, head here first.

Österreich Werbung / G. Popp / Austria.info

The main attractions of Vienna are concentrated in a small area. For example, St. Stephen's Cathedral, which is more than 800 years old. It is so huge that it is one of the ten tallest cathedrals in the world. The building amazes not only with its scale, but also with its beauty. Entrance there is free, but you can additionally climb the cathedral tower or go down to the catacombs where the remains of the Habsburg emperors are kept.



In the old town there are the Hofburg Palace (the residence of the Habsburgs), the city hall, and the art and historical museum. Particular attention should be paid to the Vienna State Opera, known throughout the world. The beautiful monumental building, which is now admired, was mercilessly criticized in the 19th century. So much so that one of its architects hanged himself and another died of a heart attack.

Österreich Werbung / Viennaslide" data-img-id="734969">

Bernhard Luck / Austria.info" data-img-id="734971">

Now all this splendor has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It’s definitely worth taking a walk here, and if you have time, go inside and be inspired by the interiors. Just look at the library in the Hofburg, which looks more like the set for Harry Potter.

2. Schönbrunn


Wien Tourismus / Peter Rigaud / Austria.info

Schönbrunn is the summer residence of the Austrian emperors, built by analogy with the French Versailles. Schönbrunn is considered one of the most beautiful palace and park complexes in Europe and surprises even advanced travelers. The monarchs of Austria-Hungary lived here, Napoleon visited twice, and in 1961 Khrushchev and Kennedy met. The interiors of the palace are appropriate.



The palace is surrounded by a park with many plant labyrinths, an incredible number of flowers, fountains and sculptures in antique style.

Also in Schönbrunn is the oldest zoo in the world, where giraffes, emperor penguins, pandas and koalas, giant turtles and many other animals live. Its main principle is: “Schönbrunn should be a zoo of happy animals.” This is true, so you will get incredible pleasure from communicating with its inhabitants.

Every hour in Schönbrunn there is a “strudel show” where they show how to prepare the famous Viennese dessert. At the end, you taste your creation and leave as happy as an elephant from the Schönbrunn Zoo.

How to get there: from the center of Vienna by metro. Go to Schonbrunn or Hietzing station.

3. The historical center of Salzburg and the Hohensalzburg fortress

Still haven't decided where to go on vacation? We have the answer - Austria. On the website of the Austrian Tourism Office you will find the necessary information about the best resorts and routes around the country.