Each settlement has its own history and sights that its inhabitants are proud of. However, there are cities on the planet that are generally recognized tourist centers, where people from all over the world strive to get.
The city of Vienna is one of them. Here you involuntarily experience emotional excitement from the realization that you are where Strauss and Mozart, Brahms and Verdi, Beethoven and Schubert worked. Here, each stone "breathes" with history, which you can literally touch with your hand. Once here, you involuntarily plunge into the atmosphere of solemnity and at the same time of lightness and carelessness, which seem to be in the air. Where is the city of Vienna located? How to get here? What can be seen here? What is this city famous for? In our article you will find answers to all these questions.
Where is the city of Vienna
Its location is very convenient both in climatic and economic terms. Vienna is the capital of Austria and at the same time one of its federal states. According to the administrative division, itlocated on the territory of another state, called Lower Austria. This is the northeast of the country. The main city of this land is Sankt Pölten. It is 60 kilometers from Vienna. Approximately the same from Vienna to the border with Hungary, and to Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia). In Europe, this is the shortest distance between capitals, not counting the Vatican and Rome.
Vienna is located in the eastern part of Lower Austria. It is located at the foot of the majestic Alps, on both banks of the Danube. This water artery divides Vienna into two parts. In the northeast are the two largest urban areas Floridsdorf and Donaustadt. In the south-west are the rest of the city, 21 of them. Including the central one, called the Inner City. It is here that you will find ancient narrow streets paved with paving stones, buildings that are over 1000 years old, cozy little cafes, the interior of which creates the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. This is the famous Old Town. It is surrounded by verdant boulevards and alleys that enter the Ringstraße, the circular street that circles this open-air museum.
Besides the Danube, the rivers Vienna and the Danube Canal flow through the city. Despite the name, this is a natural, not man-made water artery, which is a tributary of the Danube.
How to get there
Having found out where the city of Vienna is located, let's see how it is more convenient to get here. If you are traveling around Europe and ended up in Bratislava, the Czech Republic or Budapest, it is convenient to get to Vienna by intercity bus. Tickets are purchased at the bus station. Their cost depends ondistances. For example, you can get from Bratislava by paying only 5 euros (382 rubles).
If you are traveling to the capital of Austria - the city of Vienna - from Russia, there may be several options:
- By plane.
- Car.
- By train.
- By bus.
Let's consider the traffic pattern from Moscow.
Airplanes fly to the Austrian capital from Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo. The price depends on the airline and date of departure. About a month before the event, you can purchase an economy class ticket for 8,300 rubles. Of course, the plane is the most convenient mode of transport, since you will spend only 2 hours and 45 minutes in the sky. You arrive at Schwechat Airport, 18 km from Vienna. You can get to the city center by bus for 4.4 euros / 336 rubles, by train for 7 euros / 534 rubles, by high-speed train for 12 euros (916 rubles) or by taxi. You will have to pay for comfort from 40 euros (3 thousand rubles).
From Moscow to the city of Vienna, you can go by rail. To do this, you need to buy a ticket to the trailer car of train No. 21/22. The ticket price depends on the class of the carriage. For a seat in a 2nd class carriage, you will have to pay 159 euros, or 12,100 rubles at the current exchange rate.
It is beneficial to travel by car for those who are going to visit not only Vienna, who want to be mobile, who do not like to depend on public transport. From Moscow you will have to go through Belarus and Poland. To the city of Vienna, you need to overcome 1950 km, spending 20 and a half hours on it (excluding forced stops).
The most budget option is to travel by bus. A ticket in 2017 cost 5950 rubles. ATYou will be on the road for about a day. The time may vary, depending on how long you will be held at the Polish border.
Vienna Transport
To have time to see as many sights of the capital of Austria as possible, you will need to use public transport. Even if you arrived here by purchasing a sightseeing tour, you still need to have an idea about the transport of Vienna, as you will definitely be given free time from excursions.
Vienna has trams, municipal and private buses, metros and high-speed trains.
Viennese tram is over 150 years old, so it is also a kind of attraction. There are 30 routes in the city, there is a tram network in every district. There are also 12 routes that cross the Ringstraße, making it very convenient for trips to the Old Town.
Vienna even has intercity trams. They are owned by a private company, so tickets are purchased separately.
In addition, there is one route that makes a full circle around the Ringstrasse. The tram goes non-stop. The duration of this tour is half an hour. Tickets for adults cost 8 euros (610 rubles), and for children 4 euros (305 rubles).
Buses in Vienna are very popular. Firstly, there are 98 routes here, so you can get to any part of the capital using this type of transport. Secondly, buses are allowed to enter the Old City.
The Vienna metro is small, it includes only 5 lines, so it is not difficult to figure out its scheme. They are numbered from U1 to U4,plus, U6. Line U5 is still being designed.
In addition to the metro, electric trains and high-speed trains run in the city.
A ticket for any type of transport costs 2.1 euros/160 rubles. for adults. For children from 6 to 15 years old, the fare is half the price. You can buy travel documents from vending machines or tobacco shops.
In addition, there are tourist buses around the city of Vienna. Tickets for them are purchased directly from drivers or at the offices of travel agencies.
Adult costs 25 euros (1900 rubles), children - 12 euros (916 rubles). They are valid all day long. Sightseeing buses are single and double-decker. They offer passengers audio guides in many languages, including Russian. Buses, following the route, make many stops. You can go to any of them to inspect the object you are interested in, take a photo.
Vienna Symbol
We got to Vienna, found out what kind of transport exists in the city. It's time to go sightseeing. There are so many of them here that it will not be possible to visit them all even in a month. We will introduce you to the most interesting.
Let's start with the symbol of the city of Vienna. It is the Cathedral of St. Stephen. The locals call him "Steffy". This cathedral is also a symbol of the whole of Austria. All the tourists who have arrived in Vienna come to admire its slender forms and spiers directed to the sky. The cathedral is located on the territory of the Old Town, on its central square, called Stephansplatz. In the middle of the 12th century, the first temple was erected on this site. Building repeatedlycompleted. It acquired its modern look by 1511.
In the architecture of the cathedral there are two towers - north and south. The height of the first is 68.3 meters, and the second is 136.44 meters. The building is extremely beautiful both outside and inside. It has three organs, a gold watch, three iron measures (medieval standards), 23 bells, 6 chapels, one of which is St. Valentine's Chapel. The relic of Steffi is the Poch Icon. She is considered miraculous. Since 1945, its place has been near the main portal. The cathedral is also famous for the fact that 72 people from the Habsburg dynasty are buried here, as well as Eugene of Savoy, Frederick III, Rudolf IV (he built this building).
Other churches and cathedrals
If we are talking about the sights of the city of Vienna, associated with religion and royal dynasties, it is worth mentioning the Church of Our Lady of the Angels, located five hundred meters from the Hofburg Palace. The church was built at the very beginning of the 17th century. It is quite small in size, and its architectural style is not as monumental and solemn as St. Stephen's Cathedral has. This church attracts tourists because it houses the royal tomb of the Habsburgs.
The Hofburg Palace is their winter residence. It has an incredible number of apartments - 2600! Some of them are still used by the Austrian president as his residences. Around the palace there are many magically beautiful alleys, squares, and all its buildings are architectural monuments. The Habsburg treasury deserves special attention, the splendor of its exhibits makes many dizzy.
In the city of Vienna, it is worth taking a look at the oldest Ruprechtskirche church, built in the late VIII - early IX centuries. It is dedicated to the patron saint of s alt merchants. The church is located a couple of hundred meters from Hoher Markt. On it you can admire the wedding fountain, created in 1729 in honor of the wedding of the imperial couple Mary and Joseph. Another attraction of the square is the anchor clock. At noon, they show tourists not only the time, but also the figures of 12 rulers of the country, who played an important role in its history, moving to the organ music.
We also recommend that you take a look at the magnificent Karlskirche church, located near the Ringstrasse. Its architectural style is Viennese Baroque.
Worthy of attention is the Votive Church, located near the university. It looks especially beautiful in the evening when the backlight is turned on.
Palaces
Telling about interesting places in Vienna, one cannot ignore the buildings that housed the residences of the kings. We talked about the winter residence of the Habsburgs - the Hofburg palace complex above.
Besides him, you should definitely visit their summer residence - Schönbrunn Palace, located 5 km from the Old Town. It was built in the Austrian Baroque style and is considered one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles in Europe. The palace has 1441 rooms. Among them, the Hall of Mirrors, the Great Hall of the Rose, and the Ceremonial Hall are of particular interest. You can also admire the wonderful park, which has not only fountains, gazebos andstatues, but even pseudo-Roman ruins and the world's oldest zoo at Schönbrunn.
It is impossible not to say a few words about the Belvedere Palace. It is located in the Landstrasse district adjacent to the Old Town. The palace complex includes the Upper Belvedere and the Lower Belvedere, and a huge garden is laid out around them. It has many statues and architectural forms, and trees and shrubs are planted along the alleys, which are regularly worked on by topiary masters. In total, more than 4,000 plant species can be seen here.
The Lower Belvedere was built in 1716. His most magnificent apartments are the Marble and Grotesque halls, the main bedroom, the Marble Gallery.
The Upper Belvedere was built in 1722. Today, this wonderful palace complex houses art galleries, where you can see the works of masters from different eras.
There is another magnificent building in Vienna - the country palace of the Liechtensteins. It is located in the Alsergrund district, also adjacent to the Old Town. This residence was built in 1700. Now one of the museums in Vienna, the Liechtenstein Art Gallery, works here. In addition, you can see a magnificent collection of sculptures in the palace.
Museums
Some people for some reason do not like to visit such places, although here you can see truly unique exhibits. It is difficult to tell about all the museums in Vienna in one article, since there are more than three dozen of them in the city. Add to them 10 houses-museums that opened in the premises where Sigmund Freud, Strauss, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner lived and worked. Maybe,someone will be interested in the House of Erotica, Museums of clocks, theater, horses. To get around them all, as well as visit all the art galleries, you need to come to Vienna several times.
We invite you to visit the Museum Quarter. It is located near the city center. In Vienna, this is the only such complex. It occupies an area of 60 thousand square meters. Its central building was built in 1725. It was to become the stables for the imperial horses. Now three museums are open here, an art gallery is open.
Vienna Theaters
Talking about the City of W altzes, as many people call Vienna, one cannot ignore its concert halls and theaters. This city was glorified throughout the world not only by the Ginsburgs and Liechtensteins, but also by Strauss (father and son), Wagner, Beethoven, Mozart, Schoenberg, Brahms. Their tombstones are in the central cemetery. They are also attractions.
The most outrageous theater in the city is the Vienna State Opera, considered the center of European musical culture. The building was erected in 1869. The first work that sounded here was Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. The acoustics in the theater are excellent, the interiors are exquisite, the performances are amazing. Tickets must be booked in advance to attend the show. The building is located in the center of Vienna, on Opernring street, 2.
The Hofburg Palace has its own wonderful temple of art. It's called the Burgtheater. It was approved in 1741 by Empress Maria Theresa. Ballet and opera performances were staged at the Burgtheater.
Deserves attention and the Vienna Theater or An derVin. The style of its building is Empire style. Construction was completed in 1801. There are theater performances here.
Concerthaus, opened in 1913, is of interest to classical music lovers. There are 4 rooms here. The smallest (Schubert Hall) has 336 seats, the largest (it is called the Great Hall) - 1840 seats.
Parks and gardens
In the list of attractions of the city of Vienna, guides must include natural areas. Many monuments can be admired in the city park, located near the Ringstraße.
Between the Danube and its tributary, the Danube Canal, is the Prater Park. This is where the locals like to spend their time. Tourists may be interested in the Vienna International Fair and Hippodrome in the Prater. There is also a velodrome and an amusement park.
Adjacent to the Belvedere, the Botanical Garden of the University is spread out. It covers an area of 8 hectares, where more than 11 thousand different plant species have found their place.
In the south-west of the city there is a large natural reserve Lainzer Tiergarten, covering an area of 24.5 km2. Entrance here is free. In this park you can see many animals living without cages and enclosures. Of course, these are not wolves or bears, but representatives of artiodactyls - moose, roe deer, deer, and other non-dangerous animals.
The city is bordered by the famous Vienna Woods.
Just buildings
Many tourists, when asked what to see in Vienna, will name several unique buildings:
Town Hall. It is located indowntown. The building was erected in an eclectic style. This means that it combines architectural styles from different times. Impressive is its central tower, which is 105 meters high. The town hall has seven courtyards that give it the appearance of a palace.
Hundertwasser House. This is a residential building, which also houses several offices. It is famous for its unusual design, including a colorful facade, windows of different sizes, and the absence of straight lines. But the main "highlight" of the house is that trees grow right inside its living quarters. The roof is also decorated with a layer of soil in which trees and shrubs are planted.
Karl-Marx-Hof. This building is famous not because its name contains the name of the founder of Marxism, but because its length is 1 km and 100 meters.
That's the end of our brief overview of the sights of Vienna. You can get acquainted with some of them on foot walks with a Russian-speaking guide. They are held daily. They are organized by many tour agencies located in hotels and tourist offices. Such walks last, on average, two hours. The cost of participation for one tourist is 25 euros (1900 rubles).
Reviews
Everyone who has been to Vienna enthusiastically describes its unique architectural monuments, magnificent parks, palaces and museums. Those who happened to get to a concert at the Vienna Opera or another theater remember the wonderful performance of their parts by the artists, the good organization and well-coordinated work of all employees. Tourists also note the abundance of transport in Vienna. itmakes it possible to quickly get to anywhere in the city.
However, there are some complaints about excursions in Vienna. Thus, many tourists are dissatisfied with the fact that famous monuments of history and architecture are often “dressed” in forests, that is, they are constantly being repaired or restored, which prevents them from enjoying their beauty.
One more complaint concerns the opening hours of many museums and places where I wanted to visit. So, the elevator to the observation deck in St. Stephen's Cathedral operates only until 16:30, and the galleries in the Hofburg Palace are open only until 17:30. Only in summer, their opening hours are extended until 18:00.
Also, some people don't like the fact that the Ringstraße tram runs non-stop.
