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Vienna |
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Vienna
(German: Wien [viːn], see also other names) is the capital of Austria
and one of its nine states. With a population of approximately 1.7
million (2.3 million within the metropolitan area) Vienna is by far the
largest Austrian city and thus represents its cultural, economic and
political cente. Vienna lies in the far east of Austria and is close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. In 2001 the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
State AT-9 (ISO)
Capitol Vienna
Area 414.90 km²
Population 1,664,146
Coordinates: 48°12′31″N, 16°22′19″E
Population
Population: 1,664,146 (01.02.2007)
Metropolitian Area: 2,268,656 (01.02.2007)
Population density: 4,011/ km²
Metropolitan Area: 492/km²
Geography
Area: 414.90 km²
- percent land: 395.51 km² (95,33%)
- percent water: 19.39 km² (4,67%)
- Metropolitan Area: 4,611.76 km²
Location: 48°13′N, 16°22′E
Dimension: North-South: 22.4 km, East-West: 29.2 km
Highest Point: 543 m, (Hermannskogel)
Lowest Point: 151 m, (Lobau)
Districts: 1 Statutarstadt, 23 Bezirke
Tourist attractions
Vienna's major tourist attractions include the imperial palaces of the Hofburg and Schönbrunn (also home to the world's oldest zoo, Tiergarten Schönbrunn) and the historical Riesenrad (Ferris wheel) in the Prater, a popular amusement park.
schoenbrunn.jpgCultural highlights include the Burgtheater, the Wiener Staatsoper, the Lipizzaner horses at the spanische Hofreitschule and the Vienna Boys' Choir, as well as excursions to Vienna's Heuriger districts, where Austrian folklore gets to be celebrated with a lot of regional wine, singing, some more wine and a great deal of genuine Austrian Gemütlichkeit.
There are also more than 100 art museums, which together attract over eight million visitors per year. The most popular ones are Albertina, Belvedere, Leopold Museum in the Museumsquartier, KunstHausWien, BA-CA Kunstforum, the twin Kunsthistorisches Museum and Naturhistorisches Museum and the Technisches Museum Wien, each of which receives over a quarter of a million visitors per year.
There are many popular sites associated with composers who lived in Vienna including Beethoven's various residences and his grave at Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) which is the largest cemetery in Vienna and the burial site of many famous people. Mozart has a memorial grave at the Habsburg gardens and at St. Marx cemetery.
Vienna's many churches also draw large crowds, the most famous of which are St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Deutschordenskirche, the Jesuitenkirche, the Karlskirche, the Peterskirche, Maria am Gestade, the Minoritenkirche, the Ruprechtskirche, the Schottenkirche and the Votivkirche.
Modern attractions include the Hundertwasserhaus, the United Nations headquarters and the view from the Donauturm, as well as the Vienna International Center (UNO, IAEA, etc.)
History
Founded around 500 BC Vienna was originally a Celtic settlement. In 15 BC Vienna became a Roman frontier city (Vindobona) guarding the Roman Empire against Germanic tribes to the north. During the Middle Ages Vienna was home of the Babenberg Dynasty and in 1440 became residence city of the Habsburg dynasties from where Vienna eventually grew to become the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and a cultural centre for arts and science, music and fine cuisine. The Ottoman conquers of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries were stopped twice just outside Vienna (see Siege of Vienna in 1529 and Battle of Vienna in 1683).
In 1804 Vienna became capital of the Austrian Empire and played a major role in European and World politics, including hosting the 1815 Congress of Vienna. After the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 Vienna remained the capital of what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During the latter half of the 19th century the city developed what had previously been the bastions and glacis into the Ringstraße, a major prestige project.
In 1918, after World War I, Vienna became capital of the First Austrian Republic. During the 1920s and 1930s it was a bastion of socialism in Austria and is therefore still known as "Red Vienna." The city was stage to the Austrian Civil War of 1934, when Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss sent the Army to shell civilian housing occupied by the socialist militia. In 1938, after a triumphant entry into Austria, Adolf Hitler held a famous speech to the Austrian people from the balcony of the Neue Burg, a part of the Hofburg, the historical imperiall residence. Between 1938 and the end of the Second World War Vienna lost its status as the capital to Berlin.
hit.jpgIn 1945 the Red Army of the UdSSR launched its Vienna Offensive against the Nazis holding Vienna. After a two-week-siege the Soviets eventually conquered the city. Thereupon the old and new capital of Austria was divided into four zones by the four allied powers and was governed by the Allied Commission for Austria. During the ten years of foreign occupation Vienna became a hot-bed for international espionage between the Western and Eastern blocs.
In the 1970s Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky inaugurated the creation of the Vienna International Centre, a new area of the city created to host international institutions. Subsequently Vienna has regained a part of its former international relevance by hosting such international organizations as the United Nations (UNIDO, UNOV, CTBTO and UNODC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEO), the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Subdivision
Vienna is composed of 23 districts (Bezirke). Legally these districts do not constitute autonomous administrative bodies with explicit powers (such as the districts in the other Austrian states), but mere subdivisions of the city administration. Elections at the district level give the representatives of the districts some political power in fields such as city planning and traffic.
The 23 districts are numbered in a roughly clockwise fashion starting in the city centre:
1. Innere Stadt,
2. Leopoldstadt
3. Landstraße
4. Wieden
5. Margareten
6. Mariahilf
7. Neubau
8. Josefstadt
9. Alsergrund
10. Favoriten
11. Simmering
12. Meidling
13.Hietzing
14. Penzing
15. Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus
16. Ottakring
17. Hernals
18. Währing
19. Döbling
20. Brigittenau
21. Floridsdorf
22. Donaustadt
23. Liesing
The heart and historical city of Vienna, the Innere Stadt, was once surrounded by walls and open fields in order to deny cover to potential attackers. The walls were razed in 1857, making it possible for the city to expand and eventually merge with the surrounding villages. In their place, a broad boulevard called the Ringstraße was built, along which imposing public and private buildings, monuments and parks. These buildings included the Rathaus (town hall), the Burgtheater, the University, the Parliament, the twin museums of natural history and fine art, and the Staatsoper (state opera house). It is also the location of the Hofburg, the former imperial palace. The mainly Gothic Stephansdom is located at the centre of the city, on Stephansplatz. Beyond the Ringstraße, there was another wall called the Linienwall, which was torn down in the latter half of the 19th century to make room for expanding suburbs. It is now a ring road called Gürtel.
Industrial locations are primarily in southern and eastern districts. The Innere Stadt is situated away from the main flow of the Danube but is bounded by the Donaukanal (danube canal). Vienna's second and twentieth districts are located between the Donaukanal and the Danube River. Across the Danube are the newest districts which include the location of the Vienna International Centre.
Vienna's postal codes can be determined by the district where a given address is located; 1XXA - 1 denotes Vienna, XX the district number (if it is a single digit it has a preliminary zero), A is the number of the post office ( often irrelevant, usually zero).
Example: 1070 for Neubau. Exceptions include 1300 for the Vienna International Airport located in Lower Austria near Schwechat, 1400 for the UN Complex, 1450 for the Austria Center, and 1500 for the Austrian UN forces.
Politics
Until 1918 Viennese politics were shaped by the Christian Social Party, in particular long-term mayor Karl Lueger. Today Vienna is considered the centre of Social Democracy in Austria. During the period of the First Republic (1918-1934) the Vienna Social Democrats induced a number of overdue social reforms, improving the life standard of the working class in the city. At that time Vienna's municipal policy was admired by Socialists throughout Europe, who therefore referred to the city as Red Vienna (Rotes Wien).
rathaus.jpgSince the end of the First World War the city has been governed by the Social Democratic Party with absolute majorities in the city parliament. Only between 1934 and 1945, when the Social Democratic Party was illegal, mayors were appointed by the austro-fascist and later by the Nazi authorities. Current mayor of Vienna is Michael Häupl. The Social Democrats currently hold 55% of the seats with a 49% share of the vote.[6] An example of the city’s many social democratic policies is its low-cost residential estates called Gemeindebauten.
Ever since Vienna obtained federal state (Bundesland) status of its own in 1921, the mayor has also had the role of the state governor (Landeshauptmann). The Rathaus accommodates the offices of the mayor and the state government (Landesregierung). The city is administered by a multitude of departments (Magistratsabteilungen).
Music
Art and culture have a long tradition in Vienna, including theatre, opera, classical music and fine arts. The Burgtheater is considered one of the best theatres in the German-speaking world alongside its branch, the Akademietheater. The Volkstheater Wien and the Theater in der Josefstadt also enjoy good reputations. There is also a multitude of smaller theatres, in many cases devoted to less mainstream forms of performing arts, such as modern, experimental plays or cabaret.
Vienna is also home to a number of opera houses, including the Staatsoper (home of the world famous opera ball) and the Volksoper, the latter being devoted to the typical Viennese operetta. Classical concerts are performed at well known venues such as the Wiener Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Wiener Konzerthaus. Many concert venues offer concerts aimed at tourists, featuring popular highlights of Viennese music (particularly the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss).
In recent years the Theater an der Wien has become widely known for hosting premieres of musicals, although it has recently devoted itself to the opera again. The most successful musical was "Elisabeth", which was later translated into several other languages and performed all over the world. In 2000 a special museum called Haus der Musik (house of music) was established.
Many Roman Catholic churches in central Vienna also feature performances of religious or other music, including masses sung with classical music and organ.
Museums
The Hofburg is the location of the Schatzkammer (treasury) holding the imperial jewels of the Habsburg dynasty. The Sisi Museum (a museum devoted to Empress Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie of Austria, called Sisi) allows visitors to tour the Imperial apartments as well as the silver cabinet.
Directly opposite of the Hofburg are the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Naturhistorisches Museum, which houses many paintings by old masters and ancient and classical artifacts. A number of museums are located in the Museumsquartier (museum quarter), the former Imperial Stalls which were converted into a museum complex in the 1990s. It houses the Museum of Modern Art (Ludwig Foundation), the Leopold Museum (focussing on works of the Viennese Secession, Viennese Modernism and Austrian Expressionism), additional halls with feature exhibitions and the Tanzquartier.
The Liechtenstein Palace contains one of the world's largest private art collections. There is a multitude of other museums in Vienna, including the Military History Museum, the Technical Museum, the Vienna Clock Museum and the Burial Museum. The museums dedicated to Vienna's districts provide a retrospective of the respective districts.
Architecture
A variety of architectural styles can be found in Vienna, such as the romanesque church Ruprechtskirche and the baroque church Karlskirche.
kk.jpgStyles range from classicist buildings to modern architecture. Art Nouveau left many architectural traces in Vienna too. The Secession, Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station and the church in Steinhof by Otto Wagner rank among the best known examples of Art Nouveau in the world, the latter being the only one of its kind on earth.
The colourful Hundertwasserhaus by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, designed to counter the clinical look of modern architecture, is one of Vienna's most popular tourist attractions. Another example of unique architecture is the church Wotrubakirche by sculptor Fritz Wotruba.
hw.jpgIn the 1990s, a number of quarters were adapted and extensive building projects were implemented in the areas around Donaustadt (north of the Danube) and Wienerberg (in southern Vienna). The 202 meters Millennium Tower located at Handelskai is the highest building in Austria. In recent years, Vienna has seen numerous architectural projects which combine modern architectural elements with historical buildings, such as the remodelling and revitalisation of the old Gasometer in 2001.
Most buildings in Vienna are relatively low; the number of high-rise buildings is kept low by building legislation aimed at preserving green areas and districts designated as world cultural heritage. Strong rules apply to the planning, authorisation and construction of high-rise buildings. Consequently, much of the inner city is a high-rise free zone.
Education
Vienna is Austria's main center of education and hosts many universities, professional colleges and academies.
Universities (choice)
· Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
· Diplomatic Academy of Vienna
· Medical University of Vienna
· PEF Private University of Management Vienna
· University of Applied Arts Vienna
· University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
· University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna
· University of Vienna
· University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
· Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration
· Vienna University of Technology
· Webster University Vienna
· Internationales Kulturinstitut
International schools (choice)
· American International School Vienna
· Danube International School
· Vienna Christian School
· Vienna International School
· Lycée Francais de Vienne
Public Transportation
The main provider of public transportation is Wiener Linien owned by the state authorities. It runs the Viennese Metro system as well as the tram-lines, the local railways and most bus lines. Thus Vienna can offer an extensive transportation network.
bim.jpgThe tram network is the third largest in the world. In densly populated areas of Vienna public transport runs so frequently (even during off-peak hours) that any familiarity with departure timetables is virtually unnecessary. The convenience and flexibility of the public transport is in turn reflected by its popularity; 53% of Viennese workers travel to their workplace by public transport.[9] During night hours public transport is continued by the Nightline buses operating on all the main routes, generally every half hour.
Fare prices within the city are in no relation to the length of the journey and covers all modes of public transport. Tickets are also available for various time periods, such as 24 hour, monthly or yearly tickets.
The Viennese public transport services are incorporated into a larger concentric system of transport zones, the VOR (Verkehrsverbund Ostregion = eastern region transport association). VOR includes railway and bus lines operating 50 kilometers into the surrounding areas, and ticket prices are calculated according to the number of zones crossed, Vienna being a single zone. Tickets must be purchased (and usually punched ) prior to boarding or entering a station. Tickets are not routinely checked when entering a station or boarding, but there are random inspections on all routes.
Railways
Vienna has several train stations (Bahnhof) that form the beginning of several train lines:
· Wien Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof, the starting point of the Franz Josef Railway
· Wien Westbahnhof, the starting point of the Western Railway
· Wien Südbahnhof, for the Southern Railway and the Eastern Railway
In order to deal with the increasing amount of traffic and transit the construction of a new central station in going to commence in 2009, the estimated time of completion is 2015.
International Organizations in Vienna
Vienna is the seat of a number of United Nations offices and various international institutions and companies, including the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Additionally, Vienna is the seat of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law's secretariat (UNCITRAL).
In conjunction, the University of Vienna annually hosts the prestigious Willem C. Vis Moot, an international commercial arbitration competition for students of law from around the world. Various special diplomatic meetings have been held in Vienna in the latter half of the 20th Century, resulting in various documents bearing the name Vienna Convention or Vienna Document. Among the more important documents negotiated in Vienna are the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, as well as the 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE).
Alongside the international and intergovernmental organisations, there are dozens of charitable organisations based in Vienna; these organisations provide relief goods and assistance to tens of thousands of disadvantaged children and needy people in developing countries. One such organisation is the network of SOS Children's Villages, founded by Hermann Gmeiner in 1949. Today, SOS Children's Villages are active in 132 countries and territories worldwide. Others include HASCO and the Childrens Bridge of Hope.
External Links
Official webpage of the tourism board
Official webpage of the city / state government
Photos of Vienna
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