Vienna - History, Art, and Contrasts

March 16, 2026

Vienna, Austria

This is a statue of Athena, goddess of wisdom, which is located directly in front of the Austrian Parliament Building. Some say that the it might have been more helpful to move it into the building... hmmm.... Maybe we need an Athena statue in DC?

Fun Facts

For Austria:

• Cultural Icons: Famous people from Austria include Mozart, Sigmund Freud, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and composer Johann Strauss.

• Austria is credited with inventions like the sewing machine, the snow globe, and the development of the modern clarinet.

• About 80% of Austria's electricity comes from renewable sources, mostly through hydroelectric power.

• When toasting, it is important to maintain eye contact, or it is considered bad luck.

For Vienna:

• The city hides a network of medieval tunnels and cellars, some of which were used for storage and later as air-raid shelters during WWII.

• Sigmund Freud, the founding father of psychoanalysis. He spent much of his life and career in Vienna.

• The world’s largest emerald at the Imperial Treasury. At 2,800 carats, it is basically just a giant block of gemstone and sadly cannot be worn.

Our tour today was a combination bus and walking tour. The weather was in the low 50's with rain sprinkles and wind, so the walking part was very cold. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the city of Vienna and its history, and made some humorous comments related to what has occurred in Vienna over the years to those things currently happening in Vienna and in the US.

A quick history lesson -

The area where Austria is now has been occupied since Roman Times (around 500 BC). Some of those Roman ruins are being excavated and studied in the middle of Vienna (See below).

1. In the 10th Century, the Magyars (from the area which is now Hungary) moved into the area.

2. In the 13th Century, the Mongols forced the Magyars out and took over the area.

This is St. Stephen's Cathedral, which was built during the 1300's and early 1400's. It is an example of gothic and romanesque architecture. The spire is 450 feet tall, which makes it the tallest church in Austria. It was heavily bombed during World War II and its reconstruction was a symbol of the recovery, and of moving forward while still valuing the past.

3. During the 1500's and 1600's, the Ottoman Turks took over the area.

4. Then in the 1700's - 1900's the Habsburgs took over the area, and expanded their influence over a broad area of Central Europe. They built two major Palaces in Vienna, which was the seat of their domain. The Hofburg Palace (which was also known as the Imperial Palace) was their main residence for most of the year; but, in the summers they all moved to Schönbrunn Palace, which was across town.

Hofburg Palace

5. Hitler, who was actually born in Austria, annexed Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938. He gave a speech on March 15th announcing this from the balcony which was part of the newest wing of the Hofburg Palace (see below).

Today in Austria there is mix of old and new architecture which tells the story of their long and varied history, The two buildings below are the famous Opera House and a modern office tower.

Vienna and the Arts:

Vienna is known for the wide variety and forms of art that are a part of the culture of the city. Applied arts, such as jewelry or furniture design can be found around the city. Fine art is displayed in the many art galleries in Vienna. And theater, opera and music, have all been treasured and performed here for 100's of years. The Blue Danube Waltz, by Johann Strauss, is the unofficial anthem of Austria, and Mozart also wrote and performed music here.

Because Vienna appreciates all forms of art, graffiti is considered an art form and recognized as such by the government, and so it is not against the law.

The oldest operational Ferris Wheel in the world is open year-round in Vienna:

Dogs of Vienna: Even dogs wear jackets on the cold days.

Here we are, on our walking tour with St. Stephens in the background:

Tomorrow we head to Salzburg to visit the areas where "The Sound of Music" was filmed. We just had to watch the movie before we left on this trip....and it was the sing-a-long version! YES!!!