Austria Travel Guide and Photos

Austria's great capital of Vienna spreads along both sides of the Danube River at the foothills of the Alps. Vienna (Wien) is a unique blend of the history and modern life. Vienna’s role as the house of the great Hapsburg Empire for centuries can be seen in the wealth and diversity of architec…

The Prater is one of Europe's most popular fun fair. You can enjoy a magnificent view over Vienna from the giant Ferris wheel or do some sports and relax in an spacious area of parks, forest and fields. The Prater is situated near Vienna city center and is ideal for walking, having fun, cycling, …

The Burgtheater, which is also known as Burg or "Haus am Ring" (House at Ring), is situated in Vienna's first district (Innerstadt). In 1741, Empress Maria Theresia gave an old dance parlour to Sellier, a theatre company. In 1888, Sellier moved into a nearby house designed and built by Got…

The Anchor Clock of Vienna is situated on the oldest square of Vienna, the Hoher Markt, and represents a typical Art Nouveau (jugendstil) design. The Anchor Clock forms a bridge between two parts of the historical Anker Insurance Company's building. The clock itself is covered with mosaic orname…

Vienna Opera House is situated in the first district of Vienna at the southern part of the Kärntnerstrasse. August von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll built the Vienna Opera House in 1869. Vienna Opera House has a worldwide reputation for its opera performances and is also very well…

Two magnificient palaces of the Belvedere region lie in the middle of a magnificent park. Both Palaces were constructed for Prince Eugene of Savoy by Hildebrandt, a famous Baroque architect. At the time they were built, the Belvedere Palaces were located outside Vienna's defensive walls but toda…

St. Stephen's Cathedral - Stephansdom(in German) is one of the most famous sights in Vienna. St. Stephen's Cathedral is actually the city centre and has been the heart of Vienna for centuries. Stephansdom is one of the most famous Viennese sights and was built around 1147 AD. For a very long time it…

Schönbrunn Palace and the huge park nearby is one of the most important cultural monuments of Austria. The Schonbrunn Castle was built to rival the famous French Versailles in Baroque beauty and importance but House Habsburg lacked funds to beat its rivalling nation France. Emperor Franz Jos…

The Hofburg was originally a medieval castle, but today only the chapel of the castle demonstrates its medieval past. The Hofburg Palace was extended to a magnificent residence when the Habsburg Dynasty's power increased. That is the reason why you can find almost any architectural style, from gothi…

The capital of Tyrol Province, Innsbruck (elevation 573 meters) is one of Europe's most beautiful cities. Innsbruck has long been a center of commerce and traffic, as the city lies at the junction of two important trade routes across the Alps. In the eastern Alps, Innsbruck is about 30 minutes drive…

The Imperial Palace was erected by Archduke Siegmund the Rich in late Gothic style around 1460. Hofburg (imperial palace) of Emperor Maximilian was rebuilt in the baroque style between 1754 and 1773 on orders of Maria Theresia. Later it would hold sad memories for Maria Theresia, as her husband died…

The Pfarrgasse, lying to the right of the Goldenes Dachl, leads north to the Domplatz, in which stands the St. Jacob Cathedral (Dom zu St. Jacob; formerly the Church of St James, raised to the status of cathedral in 1964). The huge two-towered front of the Parish Cathedral St. Jacob dominates the Ca…

Wilten is situated at the southern extremity of Innsbruck city centre. The main road over the Brenner Pass (on the way to Bergiesel) goes through Wilten and presents an imposing view for motorists approaching Innsbruck from the south. You can see two churches, situated opposite each other in Leopold…

To the south of Innsbruck rises the hill known as the Bergisel (750 meters, a 15 minute walk from Wilten). On the Bergisel hill there are various winter sports facilities; the Olympia ski-jump (known as the "Bergiselschanze"-Bergisel Ski-Jump, constructed in 1964 for jumps of up to 104 met…

From the Alpenzoo, which lies on the southern slope of the Hungerburg plateau, you'll get a magnificent panoramic view of Innsbruck and the surrounding mountains. The most important feature of the Alpenzoo is that animals that live in the Alps live in their natural surroundings in the Alpenzoo. …

Only 15 minutes drive distance to the Innsbruck city center (taking the Wattens bus from the Busbahnhof, next to the Hauptbahnhof), you come to a fantasy world, a man made hill where you'll see a huge face spouting a crystal waterfall. This bizarre fantasy sets the theatrical stage for what's hidden…

Entry Requirements A valid passport is need for entering to Austria. However, nationals of EU member countries and some other countries only need an official identification card or, in special cases, a passport that has expired within less than five years. Accompanying children either need their ow…

Austria is a Central European country with a total size of 83,858 square kilometers. Population of Austria is about 8,2 million with about 93% speaking German and 73% regarding themselves as Roman Catholic. Austria has a diverse ethnic mix of six officially recognized groups; Croats, Turks, Czechs, …

Austrian Culture dates back to around 1050 BC to the Hallstatt and La Tene cultures. However, today's Austrian Culture began to take shape when the Austria were part of the great Roman Empire, with the Privilegium Minus of 1156, which promoted Austria to the status of a Duchy, a very important step …

Today's Austria is a small country, whose origins could be traced far back into history. Reaching back to prehistoric times, Austria's location in the heart of Europe means that Austria had its share of the Europe's historical developments. Austria evolved from a border region into a powerful empire…