My Visual Travel Experience: Vienna

I lived in Vienna for 4 years, from 1985 to 1989. My father served there as the Indian Ambassador, and I went to the Vienna International School, which was a truly international school and had kids from over 70 countries (thanks largely to the fact that Vienna is a truly international city, with the headquarters of organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency).

In 2001, when I started my international travels in a big way, Vienna was one of the first places I visited. I went back to our old house, met my old school friends, and absorbed the pretty sights of this magical city. I traveled there several times after that, most recently for the 20th anniversary of my class's graduation in 2011. During my last trip, my wife accompanied me, and I got to show her the beautiful city I grew up in!

Statue of Johann Strauss at Stadtpark

Vienna is a very historical city and was the capital of the Austro Hungarian Empire, ruled by the Habsburg Dynasty. Two prominent rulers from the Habsburg Empire were Empress Maria Theresia (who ruled in the middle of the 18th century) and Emperor Franz Josef (who ruled near the end of the 19th century, and who was responsible for a lot of the city's magnificent architecture).

Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral) lies in the heart of the city. The Gothic cathedral dates back to the 15th century AD and is characterized by its tall steeple and its beautiful roof, which is covered by colourful glazed tiles that also depict the double eagle Imperial emblem of the Habsburgs. Its tower is 136 meters in height. The cathedral was badly damaged in World War II, but it was restored to its former glory within a few years.

Stephansdom

Screen at Stephansdom

Relief, Stephansdom

Stephansdom is at the northern end of Karntner Strasse, a fashionable pedestrian street full of shops, cafes and restaurants. Sacher Hotel, famous for it Sacher Torte (the delicious Austrian chocolate cake), is at the southern end of Karntner Strasse, close to the popular Opernhaus (the Opera House). The Sacher Torte has been around since 1832, and though it is public knowledge that it is a chocolate cake coated with apricot jam, the exact recipe is a well kept secret of the hotel!

Sacher Torte at Hotel Sacher

Karntner Strasse

The Graben is a short pedestrian street close to Stephansdom, and it has the Pestsaule, the victory column built to commemorate the end of the feared 16th century plague that killed scores of people.

Plague Column at Graben

Close by, there's Peterskirche (St Peter's Church), with its large green dome and rich baroque interior. The church dates back to the early 18th century AD. The extent of detailed paintings on the ceiling and along the walls is truly remarkable.

Exterior of Peterskirche

Peterskirche, with its 
baroque interior

Dome of Peterskirche

The Ringstrasse is a road that encircles the city centre. It has some of Vienna's best known landmarks along it. There's the famous Fine Arts Museum, one of the world's best known art museums, with masterpieces by artists like Titian, Brueghel, Vermeer, Raphael and Canova.

Arcimboldo's Summer 
at Fine Arts Museum

Brueghel's Peasant Wedding 
at Fine Arts Museum

Brueghel's Peasant Dance, Fine Arts Museum

Vermeer's Artist's Studio 
at Fine Arts Museum

Raphael's Madonna of the Meadow 
at Fine Arts Museum

Titian's Violeta 
at Fine Arts Museum

Other landmarks along the Ringstrasse include the Opernhaus, the Parliament (with its classical Greek architecture, and large sculpture of Athena, the Greek goddess of Wisdom), the Natural History Museum, the Hofburg Palace (which boasts of the Royal Apartments where Emperor Franz Josef lived with his wife Elisabeth, the Treasury, and the Spanish Riding School that has performances by the world famous Lipizzaner horses) and the Rathaus (the town hall, with its Gothic tower). Two famous sculptures that lie along the Ringstrasse are those of classical musicians who brought international fame to the country - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss.

Parliament

Rathaus

Hofburg Palace

Bust of Christ, Schatzkammer, Hofburg Palace

Chinese Plates, Silberkammer, Hofburg Palace

Sculpture of Hercules at Michelsplatz,
Hofburg Palace

Augustinerkirche is a church that lies near Hofburg Palace. The church was originally built in the 14th century, but the gothic interior was added in the 18th century. The Loreto Chapel holds the silver urns with the hearts of the Habsburg rulers. Their bodies are kept in the Imperial Crypt. The church also has the Monument to Maria Christina, made by the famous sculptor Antonio Canova in 1805.

Augustiner Kirche

Canova's Monument to Maria Christina,
Augustiner Kirche

Just outside of the Ringstrasse lies the beautiful Karlskirche (St Charles Church), with its large green dome, Roman columns, and richly painted interior. The church was built by Emperor Karl IV to commemorate the end of the plague. The inside of the dome is intricately painted with Christian religious themes like the Holy Trinity.

Karlskirche

High Altar at Karlskirche

Painting on the Dome of Karlskirche

Close by, there's also the Belvedere Palace, which is in the midst of spacious, beautiful lawns. Inside, there's a fine collection of paintings, including those by Austrian painter Gustav Klimt (most notably his best known painting, "The Kiss"). The complex consists of the Lower Belvedere and the Upper Belvedere, and dates back to the 17th century AD. It was used as the summer palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy.

Belvedere Palace

Sphinx in the Garden, Belvedere Palace

Prater is a well known amusement park, that has a giant ferris wheel, known locally as the Riesenrad. In recent years, a Madame Tussauds Wax Museum was opened at the Prater. In addition to wax sculptures of international celebrities, there are also well known Austrian personalities featured, like Emperor Franz Josef, Empress Elisabeth, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sigmund Freud and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Prater with the Riesenrad

Wax figure of Empress Elisabeth, wife of
Emperor Franz Josef, at Madame Tussauds

Wax figure of Emperor Franz Josef
at Madame Tussauds

Wax figure of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
at Madame Tussauds

One of Vienna's best known attractions is the grand Schonbrunn Palace, a little far from the city centre, but very well connected to it through the city's extensive underground metro network. It was the summer palace of the Habsburg Empire. The origins of the palace date back to the 16th century AD, but it attained its present grandeur during the reign of Empress Maria Theresia in the middle of the 18th century. Emperor Franz Josef spent many years there and died there in 1916. The palace is among Europe's finest. Visitors can visit the palace's various regal rooms, as well as attractions at the complex like the Gloriette archway, the Neptune Fountain, the Imperial Carriages Museum, the Privy Garden and the Vienna Zoo.

Schonbrunn Palace

Gloriette Triumphal Arch at Schonbrunn Palace

Privy Garden at Schonbrunn Palace

Imperial Carriage Museum at Schonbrunn Palace

Palm House at Schonbrunn Palaca

Lion at Schonbrunn Zoo

Visitors interested in local food can't leave without having the famous Sacher Torte, coffee at one of the numerous local cafes, the renowned Wiener Schnitzel, and wine in the city's Heurigen district. For music lovers, try and catch a classical music performance at the Opernhaus or the Musikverein. For nature lovers, go on a cruise along the beautiful River Danube, or go for a walk in the Vienna Woods!

Mozart statue at Burggarten

This city of about 1.7 million residents ranks among the world's best cities to live in, in survey after survey. For a visitor too, it offers more than most cities I have been to. Clearly a must for anyone interested in travel, whether it is for the city's architectural grandeur, its art, its music, its culture, or its food!