The sights of Vienna tell the tale of its magnificence. Numerous cultural and historical monuments, grand imperial palaces, its opera, art collections and musical genres from its cultural heritage make Vienna’s cultural heritage unique. The elegant city and all its glory are on the list of the most-visited tourist destinations of the world. Vienna reveals its charm through its historical buildings, all built in a most charming old-time style, which is only enhanced by the carriages that move around the city at all times.
Visiting Vienna and not going to the Schonbrunn Palace would be just like visiting Paris, but not seeing the Eiffel Tower. One of the greatest attractions of Vienna is this building established by Austrian emperors. The Schonbrunn was the residence of the Habsburg dynasty from XVIII century up until 1918. The Schonbrunn was created when Emperor Maximilian II built a summer house on this place in XVI century, in whose surroundings there was a hunting area. Many ducks, pheasants, deer and boars could be seen there. In XVII century, this area was named Schonbrunn, which means- a place from which the water for the palace was brought.
St Stephen’s Cathedral is located in the city centre and is one of the most frequently visited tourist attractions in Vienna. This is also one of the most important Gothic buildings in Vienna. St Stephen’s Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral which is the seat of the Archdiocese of Vienna, therefore it is the most important building for Catholics in Vienna. The Cathedral is dedicated to St Stephen. It is located in the main pedestrian zone, in the historical part of the city, at St Stephen’s Square.
The Belvedere Palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions of this magical city, Vienna. In Italian, Belvedere means “a beautiful view” and it really is beautiful- both the view from the palace and the view of the palace. The Belvedere complex consists of two smaller palaces, the upper and lower Belvedere, which together create an impressive complex. The Belvedere is a Baroque castle, along with most buildings in Vienna. A famous Baroque architect is Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt, and the Belvedere is his most famous work.
Ringstrasse or just Ring Road is the most important street in Vienna. This is a wonderful Viennese boulevard which encompasses the historical part of the city. Ring is the main promenade where many Viennese sights can be seen. Emperor Franz Joseph I had the intention of expanding the city , so on December 20th the construction of the boulevard began, very meticulously planned.
The National Theatre of Austria - another very important symbol of Vienna is the National Theatre of Austria that is located on Ringstrasse and we can say that this is one of the most elite theatres in the world. This is a stage that hosted many famous names of the art scene. In 1741, the first Burgtheater (The National Theatre) at Saint Michael Square was opened. Because of her personal wish for the theatre to be near her residence, Maria Theresa took the initiative for opening the theatre. The ballroom was converted into a palace theatre. It was mostly used by her and her family. Plays were conducted in Italian and French, and very seldom in German.
