Rossauer Barracks (Schlickplatz 6, Vienna) – built in the 1860s, this was one of three fortresses built in Vienna to protect the country’s elite (including royalty) from the masses in the event of a public uprising. The barracks are similar to some of the castles and palaces of northern Italy with contrasting red brick and […]
Naturhistorisches Museum (Maria-Theresien-Platz, Vienna) – this is one of the country’s larger museums, focusing on various fields of research (from the solar system, to the evolution of animals & plant, human evolution, and prehistoric artifacts), and housing as many as 30 million specimens and artifacts. This site originally opened at the Imperial Natural History Museum […]
Mozart’s Birthplace (Gereidegasse 9, Salzburg) – located about 3 hours (300 km) west of Vienna (via route A1), this historic building is the birthplace of the great Austrian composer (born there on January 27, 1756). Upon entry, visitors feel as if they had been transferred into another era: uneven staircases, low ceilings and original furniture […]
Millennium Tower (Handelskai 94-96, Vienna) – located in the Brigitteau district of Vienna, this 51-floor tower is the tallest building in Austria (standing at 171 meters). It is also part of a complex called Millennium City (which has shopping centers, multiplex theaters, and apartment & office buildings). The “Millennium Tower Run-Up” sporting event is annually […]
Leopold Museum (Museumsplatz 1, Vienna) – located in Vienna’s Museumsquartier district, this museum (which opened in 2001) houses one of the largest collections of modern Austrian art, showcasing artwork from Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka and Richard Gerstl (artists from the first half of the 20th century). Admission: €12 (adult), €9 (seniors), €8 (students […]
Karlskirche (Kreuzherrengasse 1, Vienna) – this church was built in 1716 and dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo, after the country’s emperor’s prayer (that the Black Plague that was sweeping through Vienna leave) was answered by God. The Baroque master Johann Bernard Fischer von Erlach did the original work from 1716 to 1722. After his death […]
Hundertwasserhaus (Kegelgasse 34-38, Vienna) – the Hundertwasser House is one of Vienna’s architectural wonders. Built during the mid-1980s by local architects by Prof. Joseph Krawina and Peter Pelikan, its colorfully decorated exterior façade draws attention to itself almost magically. Anyone who lives in the Hundertwasser House also has the right to decorate the façade around […]
Note (Le Grand Bal): for deeper-pocketed visitors who are in Vienna toward the end of the year, a black-tie festivity called “Le Grand Bal” is held on New Year’s Eve at the Hofburg. Guests can look forward to beautifully decorated state rooms, an incredible artistic programme and an exquisite gala dinner as part of a […]
Hofburg Palace (Michaelerkuppel, Vienna) – this is the one-time winter residence of Hapsburg royalty, located in the heart of Vienna. Its original construction occurred in the 13th century, which each monarch adding to taking away wings since then. These days, less than 2 dozen of the over 2,600 rooms are currently open to the public. […]
Kunsthistorisches Museum (Maria-Theresien-Platz, Vienna) – this museum, which in German means the “Museum of Art History”, was built in 1891 near the Imperial Palace to house the extensive collections of the Austrian imperial family. With its vast array of eminent works and the largest Bruegel collection in the world, it is considered one of the […]