Guide: all countries » Austria » Vienna » Architecture

Excursion tour in Vienna. Top architecture - monuments, castles, temples and palaces

«« BEGINNING - PART I

Video of flights over top monuments of Vienna in HD format.
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In this article, dedicated to the architecture of Vienna, we will 'fly' over such iconic historical monuments as Rathaus, Hofburg Palace, Karlskirche, and Votive Church. In addition to the virtual flight video, we offer the most important and interesting facts about every landmark, including high-quality photographs. You can also use this article to make your own excursion tour in Vienna. Simply use the icon to locate the object of interest on the map of Vienna.

Rathaus, Vienna

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Rathaus serves as the seat for both mayor and city council of Vienna.
» The town hall made in the Gothic Revival style was built in the late 19th century.
» The main hall of the Rathaus is of great interest for tourists, as its length reaches 71 m. This room is decorated with sculptures of famous Viennese.
» The hall is often used for exhibitions, concerts and balls. In total, the Rathaus hosts about 800 events per year.
» The central tower of the Town Hall reaches 98 meters; it’s surrounded by four 61-meter towers. The central one offers spectacular view of the city. However, in order to get to the observation deck, you need to overcome the 256 steps.
» Top of the tower is decorated with the famous steel figure in armor-bearer; that’s the keeper of the town hall, which has become a symbol of Vienna.

Hofburg Palace, Vienna

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Hofburg Palace once was the residence of the most influential people in the European and Austrian history, including representatives of Habsburg Dynasty, which were rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
» Currently, Hofburg is the official residence of the President of Austria.
» The palace complex includes emperor’s apartments, the Imperial Chapel, the Imperial Treasury, the Imperial Horse Stables, the Winter Riding Hall and the Austrian National Library.
» The Imperial Treasury houses priceless national and historical relics of the Holy Roman and Austro-Hungarian empires.
» The Spanish Riding School is open to visitors even these days. At all times, the purpose of the school was to preserve the classical art of riding and educating new masters.
» The Winter Riding Hall placed in the walls of the imperial palace is home to fine Lippizaner horses.

Karlskirche, Vienna

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Karlskirche is the Catholic Church made in style of Viennese Baroque.
» This church is considered one of the largest and most prominent buildings in the city.
» The building is notable due to a huge dome and two tall columns at the sides.
» Its facade is very amazing. There are angels at the entrance to the church, and 4 virtues of repentance, mercy, humility and faith on the front side of the building.
» The walls and ceilings of the church are decorated with magnificent frescoes by famous masters.

Votive Church, Vienna

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Votive Church is the neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church located next to the University of Vienna.
» After the assassination attempt on the life of Emperor Franz Joseph in 1853, the brother of the Emperor Maximilian, Archduke Ferdinand, decided to build a church to thank God for saving the life of the emperor.
» The height of the church is 99 meters, and thus it’s the second highest among Viennese churches.
» One of the most interesting relics is the carved wooden altarpiece from Antwerp dating back to the 15th century.
» The church has the Renaissance tombstone of Count Nicholas Salm, who defended Vienna during the Turkish invasion of 1529.

Austrian Parliament, Vienna

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The house of the Austrian Parliament dates back to 1918; National Federal Council of the Austrian Parliament also sits there.
» Various important state ceremonies, such as the ceremony of taking the oath by the President of Austria, and the official speech at the annual National Day on October 26th, take place there.
» The Parliament House covers an area of more than 13,500 square meters and has more than 100 rooms, including meeting rooms, sports rooms, lounges, bars, and library.
» The most famous landmark of the building is the sculpture of Pallas Athena with a fountain located at the main entrance.
» The Austrian Parliament is open for tourists.

Capuchin Church, Vienna

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Kapuzinerkirhe is the church and monastery of the Capuchin Order in Vienna.
» The Capuchin Church is famous for its Imperial Crypt that is the resting place of Habsburg emperors and members of their families.
» Twelve emperors, nineteen empresses and many other members of Habsburgs (137 people) are buried in the crypt.
» Last burial in the tomb was in 2011, when the last crown prince of Habsburg, Otto von Habsburg, lost his life.

Burgtheater, Vienna

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Burgtheater is the National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most prestigious theaters in the German-speaking world.
» Premiers of Mozart’s operas, The Abduction from the Seraglio, The Marriage of Figaro and Cosi took place there.
» The theater scene is almost 700 m2.
» Burgtheater troupe consists of more than 100 actors and is one of the biggest in Europe.
» The majestic facade of the theater made it one of the most popular tourist attractions in Vienna.
Vienna - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Plan your own tour over Vienna on the monuments map

More to see in Vienna
Vienna has prepared to its guests widest choice of attractions and museums. Stadtpark City Park is simply a great place for a family rest. In the beginning of the 19th century several buildings existed on the territory of the park. However, already in 1860 the buildings were completely demolished. Best urban park architects and gardeners worked over the project of the park, which was opened in 1862. Museum of Criminology (Kriminalmuseum), which was opened in 1991, is one of the most unusual cultural institutions. The exposition of the museum is devoted to most notorious crimes that have been committed in Vienna during the last hundred years. Here you can see old photographs, documents concerning the crimes and weapons used in murders. Wiener Karlskirche is a prominent architectural landmark. The church now has lost its religious significance and now is used as a museum. The architecture of the church is a unique combination of Italian, Greek and even Japanese traditions of construction. This is a truly unique building. Art lovers should visit the exhibition of Salvador Dali, the museum of which is located in one of historic buildings near Jozefplatz Square. We also suggest visiting Historical Museum (Historisches Museum der Stadt Wien), which exhibits various ancient artifacts of the Roman Empire, as well as a collection of contemporary art and medieval sculpture. Among the architectural monuments of the city we should definitely mention Hundertwasser House, the building … Read further

Tours through neighbours of Vienna

Bratislava
According to the historical data, the predecessor of the castle in Bratislava corresponds to the time of the appearance of the Egyptian pyramids (the second half of the 3rd century BC). The building constructed on the hilltop consists of the palace with towers (one of them dates back to the 13th century), defensive walls, gates, and a park. There are corner towers in the quadrangular construction. The exterior of the castle has been preserved ... Open »
Budapest
The Hungarian Parliament is the hallmark of Budapest. Here is the residence of the Hungarian Government. Construction of the parliament building was conceived after the unification of Buda (the western part of the Hungarian capital situated on the right bank of the Danube) and Pest (the eastern part of the Hungarian capital separated from Buda by the Danube) in 1873. The Hungarian Parliament Building is the largest in the country. It consists ... Open »
Salzburg
The Hohensalzburg Castle is a medieval fortress located on a high mountain. It was built in 1077. Originally, the castle belonged to archbishop Gebhardt I. The foundation is all that remains of that building. The castle has been rebuilt and strengthened and finally become a mighty fortress. In 1500, the world’s first funicular was constructed. They delivered different goods to the fortress. Over the years of its existence, the ... Open »
Prague
Tyn Church is one of the most famous symbols of the Czech capital. It’s called the Church of Our Lady of Tyn. Tyn Church can boast the oldest organ in Prague made by master Mundt in 1673. The temple is notable, as about 60 remains of great and unknown people lie there. Some gravestones in the church are damaged because many residents believe that they can get rid of toothache by stepping on the gravestone. At the beginning of the 15th ... Open »
Krakow
Wawel is the architectural complex on a hill in Krakow. The complex consists of numerous buildings and structures, but the biggest and most famous of them are the Royal Castle and the Cathedral of St. Stanislaw and Waclaw. Wawel is a very important place for the Polish, which was originally the center of political power and the seat of Polish kings. During the 20th century Wawel has being the residence of Poland governors. After the invasion ... Open »
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