Vienna City Guide

The historic Innenstadt (city centre or First District) is encircled by the grand Ringstraße and is resplendent with Baroque buildings, palaces, museums, churches and historical buildings and the vast majority of all sightseeing attractions.

The 5.3 km Ringstraße is the grand boulevard that circles the first District, is home to many of Vienna’s most important architectural buildings including the Opera, the Kunsthistoriche Museum, The Hofburg, the Parliament, the Rathaus, the University and The Votive Kirche.

Stephansdom (St Stephen’s Cathedral) is one of Vienna’s most important monuments and located in the centre of Vienna-both spiritually and geographically. The Gothic cathedral dates to the 12th century. Climb up the 343 steps of the South tower for a view of Vienna and visit the Catacombs.

Thanks to the Habsburgs extensive art collections and the home of the Fin de Siècle Vienna Succession Art movement of the late 19^th century, Vienna is a paradise for art and museum lovers with over 100 museums. The top three art museums are the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History), the Albertina, and the Belvedere, featuring Gustav Klimt paintings.

The Prater is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. Vienna’s Riesenrad, or Giant Wheel, was opened in 1897 to celebrate Franz Joseph’s Jubilee.  Enjoy views of Vienna and the Danube from the Riesenrad, the site of the famous scenes in the Third Man.

The city of Vienna has many beautiful gardens and green spaces including: Volksgarten-a beautiful, landscaped park with rose bushes,  the Empress Elizabeth Monument and the Temple of Theseus. Burggarten-whose most famous residence is the Mozart Monument, is also home to  the Palmenhaus (Palm House) and Schmetterlinghaus (Butterfly House),  Stadtpark (City Park) is Vienna’s largest park with its windy paths, ponds and greenery.

The Hofburg Palace was the seat of the Habsburg Court from 1273 to 1918. The oldest section is the 13^th-century Schweizerhof (Swiss Court). Visit the Imperial Apartments, the Imperial Treasury, the baroque riding arena of the Spanish Riding School, home of the Lipizzaner stallions and the Austrian National Library.

The palace was designed by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt and built as the summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy.  The Unteres Belvedere (Lower) built in 1712-16 has state apartments, ceremonial rooms and the lavish red marble Mamorsaal.  The Oberes Belvedere (Upper) built in 1717-23 rises above the manicured gardens and is now a museum housing Medieval art, impressionists and its most famous exhibits of Klimt masterpieces.       

The famous yellow 18th century Schönbrunn Palace was the Habsburg’s summer residence.  Tour the palace’s scrumptious baroque interiors where four-year-old Mozart’s first public appearance was for Empress Maria Therese. Outside, visit the gardens, the Gloriette, the Schönbrunn Zoo (the oldest working zoo in the world) and the Children’s Museum.