Vienna — the capital of Austria

Vienna (German: Wien) is the capital of Austria, its most populous city and one of the country’s nine federal states. Vienna has a population of just over two million, and together with its suburbs, this figure rises to almost 2.9 million, accounting for nearly a third of Austria’s population. The city is the cultural, economic and political centre of the country and the fifth largest in the European Union. It is the largest city on the Danube. Vienna lies on the eastern edge of the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald), at the foot of the north-eastern Alps, on the border with the Pannonian Plain. Vienna is surrounded by Lower Austria, approximately 50 kilometres from Slovakia and Bratislava, 50 km from Hungary and 60 km from Moravia (Czech Republic). History The Romans founded the castrum of Vindobona in Vienna in the 1st century. In 212, the town was granted the status of a municipium with the rights of a Roman city. The region subsequently came under the influence of the Lombards and Avars, and the Slavs became the majority of the population. From the 8th century onwards, the Bavarians settled here. In 1155, Vienna became the seat of the Babenberg dynasty, who ruled Austria until 1246. The city was granted municipal rights in 1221. In the 16th century, the Habsburgs made Vienna the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. This status was maintained until the empire’s dissolution in 1806, with a brief interruption. With the formation of the Austrian Empire in 1804, Vienna became its capital, and subsequently the capital of all its successors. Throughout the modern era, Vienna has been one of the largest cities in the German-speaking world. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was the largest, with a population of up to two million, until it was overtaken by Berlin in the early 20th century. Vienna is home to numerous international organisations, including the UN, OPEC and the OSCE. In 2001, the city’s historic centre was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, but in 2017 it came under threat. The city is renowned for its musical heritage. Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Haydn, Mahler, Mozart, Schoenberg, Schubert, Strauss I and Strauss II were all born here. Vienna was Europe’s leading musical centre from the Classical era until the early 20th century. The city was also home to Sigmund Freud, the world’s first psychoanalyst. Best attractions: TOP 34 Hofburg The Hofburg is the former main imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Built in the 13th century by Ottokar, it was expanded on numerous occasions and served as the emperors’ winter residence, whilst Schönbrunn remained their summer residence. Since 1946, the Hofburg has been the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. The Sissi Museum and the Imperial Treasury are located on its grounds. Schloß Schönbrunn Schönbrunn was the summer residence of the Austrian Habsburgs and is one of the largest palace and park complexes in Europe. In December 1996, Schönbrunn was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. This list includes the palace, the park with its fountains and statues, and Schönbrunn Zoo, which is considered the oldest in the world. Stephansdom St. Stephen’s Cathedral is a Catholic church that has become a national symbol of Austria and a landmark of the city. It serves as the cathedral of the Archbishop of Vienna, who is also the country’s primate. The cathedral is situated in the very heart of the old town, on St. Stephen’s Square, known as Stephansplatz. The first building on this site was erected between 1137 and 1147, but the cathedral acquired its present appearance in the 14th–16th centuries, taking its final form by 1511. Wiener Staatsoper The Vienna State Opera is Austria’s largest opera house and one of the world’s leading opera centres. Until 1918, it was known as the Vienna Court Opera. Austrian National Library The Baroque Hall of the Austrian National Library in Vienna’s Hofburg, which once served as the Imperial Library, is regarded as one of the most beautiful historic library spaces in the world. Belvedere The Belvedere is an early 18th-century palace complex. It served as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, an outstanding military commander of his time. The Upper and Lower Belvedere palaces are located in the city’s third district, on Landstraße. The complex was conceived as a miniature Versailles in the classical and baroque styles. The buildings, park, statues and fountains blend harmoniously, creating an atmosphere of freedom and lightness. The architecture of the Belvedere impresses with its spatial design and is reminiscent of the famous French palace. Kunsthistorisches Museum The Vienna Museum of Art History, often referred to simply as the Museum of Fine Arts, is one of Austria’s largest art museums. Emperor Franz Joseph I opened the museum in 1891, at the same time as the Vienna Museum of Natural History. Both buildings, constructed in the Neo-Renaissance style, are rectangular in shape and feature symmetrical sandstone façades. On the grand staircase, you can see paintings by such renowned artists as Gustav Klimt, Ernst Klimt, Franz Mach, Hans Makart and Mihály Munkácsy. Naturhistorisches Museum Wien The Vienna Museum of Natural History is one of the largest natural history museums in the world. It employs over 60 scientists and visiting researchers who specialise in the humanities, geology and biology. The museum’s collection comprises 30 million exhibits. The museum has 39 exhibition halls with a total area of 8,460 m². Over 100,000 exhibits are on display here. VIC The Vienna International Centre, known as ‘UNO-City’ (VIC), is a complex of buildings housing numerous UN organisations. It is one of the UN’s regional offices, alongside the headquarters in New York, Geneva and Nairobi. Vienna Technical Museum The Vienna Museum of Science and Technology (Technisches Museum Wien) is located in Penzing. It showcases the history and evolution of technology, industry and science, with a focus on Austria’s contribution. The museum houses a wealth of historical models, including railway, shipbuilding, aviation and industrial exhibits. It also holds one of Austria’s largest collections of antique musical instruments. Wiener Rathaus Vienna City Hall, situated on Rathausplatz in the 1st district (Inner City), was built between 1872 and 1883 to a design by the architect Friedrich von Schmidt, with the collaboration of Franz von Neumann. The building houses the offices of the mayor and the municipal administration. Wiener Pestsäule The Holy Trinity Column (Plague Column) is a religious monument. It was erected in 1679 by order of Emperor Leopold I. The monument stands on the main street, Graben, whose name translates as ‘ditch’ or ‘dustbin’. The column stands in the town square and is built in the Baroque style. It is almost obscured by the abundance of marble details, figures of saints, angels and cherubs that cover it on all sides. Albertina The Albertina is a museum housing one of the largest and most significant print rooms in the world. It holds around 65,000 drawings and 1 million prints by old masters, as well as contemporary graphic works, photographs and architectural drawings. In addition to its collection of prints, the museum has two significant collections of Impressionist and early 20th-century art, part of which is on permanent display. The museum ranked 74th among the world’s most visited art museums. Peterskirche The Parish Church of St Peter (German: Die Rektoratskirche St. Peter) is a Baroque-style Roman Catholic church located in the historic centre of Vienna. In 1970, Cardinal Josef König, Archbishop of Vienna, entrusted the pastoral care of St Peter’s Church to the priests of the personal prelature of the Catholic Church, Opus Dei. The church building is situated on Petersplatz, next to Graben Street, slightly north-east of the Plague Column. The church belongs to the Archdiocese of Vienna and is considered an architectural monument. Parlamentsgebäude The Austrian Parliament Building serves as the meeting place for the two chambers of the Austrian Parliament. It is situated on Ringstraße in the first district – Innere Stadt. The Hofburg Palace and the Palace of Justice are located nearby. The building was constructed to house the two chambers of the Imperial Council (Reichsrat) – the legislative body of the Cisleithanian (Austrian) part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Since then, it has served as the seat of these chambers, as well as their successors: the National Council (Nationalrat) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). The building was constructed in 1883 under the direction of architect Theophil Hansen. He incorporated the Greek Revival style into the design. Judenplatz Judenplatz (‘Jewish Square’) is a historic square in the centre of Vienna that once served as the heart of the city’s Jewish life and community. Beneath the square, in the Misrachi-Haus museum, visitors can view archaeological finds from a medieval synagogue. The square is also home to the building of the Austrian Supreme Administrative Court. Gartenpalais Liechtenstein The Liechtenstein Garden Palace is a Baroque palace on Fürstengasse in Vienna’s 9th district, Alsergrund. It belongs to the Princely House of Liechtenstein. It is situated in the southern part of Liechtenstein Park. Until 2011, it housed the Liechtenstein Museum. The building was then renamed the ‘Liechtenstein Garden Palace’ to distinguish it from the City Palace in the Innere Stadt. Karlskirche St. Charles’s Church is a Catholic church situated on the south side of Karlsplatz. It is a striking example of Austrian Baroque architecture. Particularly impressive are the enormous dome and the two massive columns that frame the Roman-style portico. The cathedral stands 72 metres tall. Burgtheater The Burgtheater, which translates as ‘Court Theatre’, is Austria’s national theatre. It is regarded as the most important German-language theatre and one of the most significant in the world. The theatre opened in 1741 and quickly became known to the Viennese as ‘die Burg’. Ruprechtskirche Ruprechtskirche is the oldest church in Vienna. It is dedicated to Saint Rupert of Salzburg, the patron saint of salt merchants. The church is situated in the northern part of the Old Town, not far from Neuer Markt. It was built between 796 and 829 in the Romanesque style. Wiener Musikverein The Vienna Philharmonic is located on Karlsplatz. It is one of the world’s finest concert halls, alongside the Boston and Amsterdam Philharmonic halls. It is the home of the famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Wiener Philharmoniker), which also performs there. Monument to the Heroes of the Soviet Army The monument to Soviet soldiers who fell during the liberation of Austria from fascism is located on Schwarzenbergplatz. It was unveiled on 19 August 1945. The initiative came from and was organised by Major General Dmitry Trofimovich Shepilov of the Red Army. The sculptor was Second Lieutenant M. A. Intezaryan, a student at the V. Surikov Art Institute. In February 1945, the troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts received an order from the Supreme Command Headquarters to prepare an offensive on Vienna. This was necessary both for military-strategic purposes and for post-war negotiations with the Allies. The Vienna offensive began on 16 March 1945. After fierce street fighting, the city was captured on 14 April. Burggarten Burggarten is a public park in the Innere Stadt district, Vienna’s first district. The park was built for the royal family following the destruction of the city’s fortifications by Napoleon. Hundertwasserhaus The Hundertwasser House is a unique residential complex in Vienna, located at Kegelgasse 36–38, on the corner of Löwengasse 41–43. The building contains 52 flats, 4 offices and 19 terraces — 16 private and 3 communal. More than 250 trees and shrubs have been planted here, making it one of the greenest residential buildings in the world. Votivkirche The Votive Church is a Roman Catholic church. Built in the Neo-Gothic style, the Votivkirche became a symbol of gratitude for the survival of the young Emperor Franz Joseph following the assassination attempt on 18 February 1853. At 99 metres tall, it is the second-tallest church in Vienna. Danube tower The Donauturm is a tower in Vienna’s Danube Park. Built in 1964, it became the country’s tallest building, reaching a height of 252 metres. Today, the Donauturm ranks 61st among the world’s tallest structures. MusiesQuartier Wien Vienna’s Museum Quarter opened in 2001 on the site of the former imperial stables. The quarter combines historic Baroque buildings with contemporary architecture. The Museum Quarter covers an area of 114,310 square metres. There are 61 cultural institutions and it attracts around five million visitors annually. It is one of Europe’s largest cultural complexes. It is home to major museums such as the Leopold Museum and the Museum of Modern Art Vienna (MUMOK). There are exhibition spaces, including the Vienna Art Gallery, as well as institutions dedicated to dance, architecture and children’s programmes. In addition, the quarter is home to artists’ studios, cultural initiatives, restaurants and cafés. The public courtyards are used for events and festivals. Universität Wien The University of Vienna is one of Europe’s oldest public research universities, founded in 1365. As of 2026, it had over 94,000 students, 28,000 of whom were international students. This makes it the largest university in the German-speaking world in terms of student numbers. The university offers a choice of over 130 degree programmes. The University of Vienna boasts 17 Nobel laureates and has a rich history associated with outstanding scholars. Konzerthaus The Konzerthaus is a renowned centre for classical music, opened in 1913. It is one of the leading concert venues, hosting performances by the finest musicians. Each season, the Konzerthaus hosts around 750 events, attracting some 600,000 audience members. In addition to Romantic and Baroque music, jazz and rock are also performed here. Museum of Applied Arts The MAK Museum of Applied Arts is renowned for its collection of decorative arts and design. The museum’s collection comprises over 300,000 items, all of which are available online. It is the largest online collection among Austria’s federal museums. An audio guide to the museum is available as a web app. Wiener Stadtpark The Vienna City Park is a green space for relaxation and walks in the heart of Vienna. It covers an area of 65,000 square metres. One of the main attractions of the city park is the Kursalon Hübner. Among the park’s other attractions are a large number of monuments dedicated to famous cultural figures. One of the most famous and most visited of these is the monument to the composer Johann Strauss II, created by the sculptor Edmund von Helmer, which consists of a gilded statue of Johann Strauss set in a marble frame. Ankeruhr The ‘Anchor Clock’ is a famous Art Nouveau mechanical clock that adorns Hoher Markt, one of the city’s oldest squares. Built by the insurance company ‘Der Anker’ (now known as ‘Helvetia’) between 1911 and 1914, this clock serves as a link between the company’s two office buildings. Albertina Modern The Albertina Modern Museum is one of the largest centres for contemporary art in Central Europe. Opened in 2020 as a branch of the renowned Albertina Museum, it houses a collection of over 65,000 works created after 1945. Pathological anatomy collection The Pathological Anatomy Collection of the University of Vienna, founded in 1796 by Johann Peter Frank, Director of the Vienna General Hospital, on the instructions of Emperor Franz II, became the museum of the Faculty of Medicine. Today, the collection comprises almost 50,000 exhibits, including pathological specimens, models and medical instruments, and is considered the largest in the world. Since 1971, it has been housed in Vienna’s Narrenturm (Tower of Fools), and in 2012 it became part of the Vienna Museum of Natural History. Transport Vienna is renowned for its well-developed public transport system, which includes the Wiener Linien network and the S-Bahn lines operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). The city plays a key role in the Austrian rail network, connecting Vienna with other regions of the country and beyond. Vienna’s main station, Wien Hauptbahnhof, connects the capital with European cities such as Bratislava, Budapest, Ljubljana, Munich, Prague, Venice, Wrocław, Warsaw, Zagreb and Zurich. Vienna is served by an international airport located 18 km south-east of the city centre. The airport is undergoing a major refurbishment, which includes a new terminal that opened in 2012. Main information Region (federal state): Vienna / Lower Austria Area: 414.78 km² Coordinates: 48°12’30.3‘N 16°22’20.1’E Language: German Population: 2,028,499 Currency: Euro (EUR) Visa: Schengen Time zone: UTC+2 (Central European Summer Time, CEST) See also France travel guide Spain travel guide Catalonia travel guide Pyrenees travel guideThe post Vienna — the capital of Austria first appeared on All PYRENEES.