Attractions
Sightseeing in Vienna is dominated by beautiful historic
attractions and cultural treasures. With everything from palaces to
'flying horses', this splendid city has hundreds of interesting
sites and attractions to explore. With lovely summers for
sightseeing and snowy winters for skiing, Vienna's seasons are just
as accommodating.
The Imperial Palace is home to the Schatzkammer, which is the
greatest treasury in the world and holds treasure from as far back
as the Holy Roman Empire. The Fine Arts Museum across from the
palace houses many of the art collections gathered by the Habsburgs
and is sumptuously decorated with marble, gold leaf and stucco
ornaments. See the world famous Lipizzaner stallions, which appear
to 'fly' in their superb performances. Another of Vienna's most
recognisable attractions is the Giant Wheel, located in a large
wooded park. And for those with song and dance in their hearts, the
Vienna State Opera performs a vast repertoire of operas, operettas
and ballets.
Most of the city's attractions are encompassed by the
Ringstrasse, which makes them easily accessible, especially on foot
or by bike. The Vienna Card is handy for reduced fares when using
public transport in the city, visit
www.wienkarte.at. With such beautiful
sites, cultural attractions and historic virtues, Vienna is
definitely a city to spend some time in.
Hofburg
The Hofburg Palace, or Imperial Palace, was the home of the
Austrian Hapsburgs for 600 years. The first fortifications were
erected by King Ottakar Premyst in the 13th century and were added
to by every generation until it became the monumental structure it
is...
see full detailsSpanish Riding School
The Spanish Riding School of Vienna is the oldest and last
riding school in the world where classic dressage is still
practised in its purest form. This Institute was founded in 1572
and named for the Lipizzaner horses, which are of Spanish origin.
The...
see full detailsKarlskirche
Karlskirche is the most outstanding Baroque church in the city
and its 236-foot (72m) high dome flanked by two columns forms a
dramatic landmark on the Viennese skyline. The church was
commissioned by Emperor Charles VI after the Black Plague that
swept Vienna in...
see full detailsSchönbrunn Palace
The magnificent Schönbrunn Palace was used as the summer
residence of the Hapsburgs from the 18th century onwards. Set
amongst superb gardens this vast, symmetrical structure is
everything you would imagine an imperial palace to be. A tour of
the palace offers visitors the...
see full detailsGiant Wheel
One of Vienna's most recognisable attractions, the Giant Wheel
is located in a large wooded park and playground known as the
Prater. It was built in 1897 by an English engineering firm and is
the only one of its era still standing (the...
see full detailsBelvedere
The Belvedere consists of two splendid rococo mansions, designed
in the early 18th century, which face each other across formal,
sloping grounds offering excellent views over the city. From the
outside it is Vienna's finest palace complex, built by Prince
Eugène of Savoy (1680-1735),...
see full detailsVienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera performs a repertoire of near-one hundred
operas, operettas and ballets every day from September to June. The
opera house was founded in the early 18th century (it was rebuilt
in 1955 after being all but destroyed in 1945) and...
see full detailsSt Stephen’s Cathedral
The Cathedral is one of the city's most recognisable symbols and
the massive south tower standing at 445 feet (136m) tall is a
dominant feature on the Vienna skyline. The 343 steps can be
climbed for a fantastic view over the city. St...
see full detailsThe Albertina
The former Hofburg residence today houses one of the largest and
greatest graphic art collections in the world with drawings, old
master prints and modern graphic works. The museum explores the
development of graphic arts since the 14th century and there are
over 60,000...
see full detailsImperial Treasury
The Schatzkammer, located in the Hofburg Palace, houses the
greatest treasury in the world spanning 1,000 years of treasures
such as relics and vestments from the Austrian Empire and the Holy
Roman Empire. Included in the collection are the crown jewels,
particularly the priceless...
see full detailsMuseum of Fine Arts (Kunsthistorisches Museum)
The Fine Arts Museum across from the Hofburg Palace houses many
of the art collections gathered by the Habsburgs and is one of the
foremost museums of fine arts and decorative arts in the world. The
magnificent building is crowned with a 197-foot...
see full detailsHaus der Musik
The House of Music is an interactive, high-tech discovery museum
devoted to music and is located in the former Palais of Archduke
Charles. Four floors take visitors past the music and memorabilia
of the great composers who lived in Vienna, such as Mozart,
Beethoven,...
see full detailsAustrian National Library
Situated in the Hofburg Palace, the royal library of the
Habsburgs dates from the 14th century and is among the oldest and
finest libraries in the world. The six million items stored in the
library include papyri, manuscripts, ancient and rare books, maps,
globes,...
see full detailsNatural History Museum
The impressive Natural History Museum is sited within a
neo-Renaissance building that is identical from the outside to the
Fine Arts Museum opposite. It is the third largest natural history
museum in the world and has some of the oldest exhibits, including
early Stone...
see full details
