P00016
Austria, Vienna
From its imperial grandeur, a legacy of the powerful Habsburg monarchy, to the musical heritage that includes composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Josef Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss (father and son), Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler, among countless others, Vienna offers a lot to every traveller. Discover the State Opera House, from the 1860’s and home for pieces such as La Traviata, La Clemenza di Tito, and Verdi’s Don Carlo, and of many very famous conductors, like Gustav Mahler, Herbert von Karajan and Claudio Abbado. See the Mozart Monument and the beautiful facades of the Natural History Museum, the Art History Museum and the Hofburg, for centuries the opulent home of the Habsburg Empire. Pass the Michaelertor gate and get a look at the Church of St. Michael, or Michaelerkirche, official church of the Emperors for years. Discover ancient Roman ruins in the center of the square, as well as old Medieval walls and the remnants of the old Burg Theatre. See the Graben Street, or “Der Graben”, dating back to the Roman Empire and once used by Richard Lionheart to enter the city. See Peterskirche, or St. Peter’s Church, as well, here since the 4th Century, and reach Stephansplatz, together with its most prominent building, the Stephansdom, Vienna’ s cathedral, one of the tallest churches in the world and a majestic Roman-Gothic masterpiece. These and many more highlights are there to be discovered, while learning the stories of one of the greatest dynasties in the world – the Habsburgs.
