About the Venue
 Austria’s
capital offers a unique blend of imperial traditions and stunning modern
architecture. It is famous for its cultural events, imperial sights,
coffee houses, cozy wine taverns, and the very special Viennese charm.
Vienna’s history dates back to the first post-Christian century when the
Romans established the military camp Vindobona. Today’s cityscape is
characterised by the abundance of baroque buildings created mostly under
the rule of Empress Maria Theresia and Emperor Franz Joseph who was
largely responsible for the monumental architecture round the
Ringstraße.
Schloss Schönbrunn, the former imperial summer residence, is one of the
most popular sights. The sumptuous palace with the beautifully tended
formal gardens, the Gloriette monument, the Palm House, and the zoo
attract hordes of visitors each year. The huge Hofburg (Imperial Palace)
was the base of the Habsburgs for over six centuries, and is an
impressive repository of culture and heritage.
The splendid baroque Belvedere Palace today houses the Österreichische
Galerie (Austrian Gallery) displaying the largest collection of works by
Klimt and Kokoschka as well as famous paintings by Schiele. Vienna’s
prime landmarks are the gothic Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral),
the Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater, Vienna’s old recreational park,
and the Spanish Riding School with their world-famous Lipizzaner horses.
Vienna has more museums and galleries of international reputation than
you can shake a stick at: Kunsthistorischen Museum with the world’s
largest collection of Bruegel paintings, MuseumsQuartier with Leopold
Museum (Schiele!), Museum Moderner Kunst (Museum of Modern Art),
Architekturzentrum (Architectural Center) and Kunsthalle rank among the
city's most important cultural venues. Albertina is home to the world’s
largest collection of graphic arts and prints (60,000 drawings, 1
million prints), and Liechtenstein Museum presents selected masterpieces
from the Princely Collections in Vaduz.
Vienna owes much of its international fame to the many celebrated
composer who lived and worked here including Strauß, Mozart, Beethoven
and Haydn. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world’s best,
the Staatsoper one of the world’s leading opera houses, the Vienna Boys’
Choir one the world’s most famous. In the last years Vienna has also
established itself as a great musical metropolis.
In Vienna, old coffee houses and rustic wine taverns stand alongside
with top restaurants and shops, time-honored events alternate with
internationally-acclaimed extravaganzas (Life Ball) to create a unique
and very special ambiance. Another special feature of Vienna are its
many greenspace and recreational areas such as the Wienerwald, the
Prater and the Donauinsel.
Source:
http://www.austria.info
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