Vienna is the capital of the small European nation of Austria. Located in the northeastern part of Austria near to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Vienna has a population of about 1.7 million people, or 2.3 million when the larger metropolitan area is included. One of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, Vienna was ranked in 2005 by The Economist (along with Vancouver, Canada, and Melbourne, Australia) as one of the best cities in the world to live.

 

 

 

History

Vienna is a very old city, originally founded in 500 BC by the Celts. In 15 BC, Vienna became part of the Roman Empire, on the very outskirts of Rome’s far reach. The Romans used Vienna as an outpost to guard against the aggressive German tribes. Much later, during the Middle Ages, Vienna became the capital city of many dynasties – the Babenberg Dynasty in the 10th century AD, the Habsburg Dynasty during the 15th century AD, and eventually the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, the Central European empire that did not dissolve until the early 19th century during the Napoleonic Wars. In the 20th and 21st centuries, Vienna has maintained its place amongst Europe’s most important cities: Vienna hosts the United Nations (UN), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

 

Art & Museums

Having been such an important cultural center in Europe for so long has led to Vienna having a key role to play amongst Europe’s art centers. More famous for its musical arts than for its visual arts, Vienna is home to the famous Vienna Boys’ Choir, a long-standing choir originally founded in 1498, which worked with Mozart, Gluck, and other famous composers.
Some of Vienna’s most famous sites are not inside its museums and opera halls but outside, in Vienna’s gorgeous parks and gardens. The Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna is one of the most famous of these. Covering 8 hectares, the gardens were originally built in 1754 by the Empress Maria Theresa. The gardens contain over 9,000 different species of plants, including unique tropical plants.

 

Nightlife

The bars and clubs of Vienna are located along the Innere Stadt, including some of the more stylish bars such as Volksgarten and Passage. For those more interested in discotheques, the Flex Club is one of the city’s most popular hangouts.

But there is more to do in the evening in Vienna than visit its nightclubs. Many of Vienna’s museums are open relatively late, as well, such as the Albertina, which stays open until 9pm. The House of Music, also, is open until 10pm, and the Museum of Fine Arts stays open until 9pm every Thursday.

 

How to get there

It is easy to get to Vienna by rail from anywhere in Europe. Buses to and from Vienna are also an option, but traveling by train gives travelers more flexibility in terms of where and when they want to arrive in Vienna. Because of Vienna’s excellent location for railways, it is oftentimes cheaper to fly to Graz or Salzburg, and then catch the train to Vienna.