Austria offers tourists a wide range of attractions in different directions - culture, ancient castles, architecture and museums. Many of the museums are included in the lists of the best not only in Europe, but also in the world. Their expositions will surprise even a sophisticated art critic. Classical music lovers visit the Vienna Opera, as well as the birthplace of Mozart - Salzburg.
Many castles and palaces of the Middle Ages have survived in Austria. Their architecture impresses with a variety of styles, luxury and grandeur. Most of the country is occupied by the Alps. The indescribable beauty of the mountains in summer and winter can be observed from countless viewing platforms, castle and church towers. And for a better study of the picturesque landscapes, railways and highways have been laid in the mountains.
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What to see and where to go in Austria?
The most interesting and beautiful places, photos and a short description.
Historic center of Vienna
Tourist and business district in the center of Vienna. Also called the "inner city". Included in the list of sites protected by UNESCO. It has preserved castles, streets and parks of the 19th century. On the site of the demolished fortress wall, Ringstrasse street was laid, which separates the historic center from the rest of the city. It houses the Museum Quarter. The center of the inner city is St. Stephen's Square with the cathedral of the same name.
Salzburg Old Town
The narrow streets of the city are striking in their beauty. It is not for nothing that this popular place among tourists is included in the UNESCO heritage list. Many styles of architecture are represented here - Baroque, Renaissance, Romanticism. Some of the main objects to see are the Salzburg Cathedral, the house where Mozart was born and lived, and the Hohensalzburg fortress, located in the cliffs of the mountains. Authentic cafes with bright and colorful signs are also praised.
Hallstatt
Located on the shores of a mountain lake in the Alps in western Austria. Tourists come here for scenic views. Small cozy houses of this small town are beautifully reflected in the clear mountain water of the lake. The top of the mountains and the Dachstein caves can be reached by cable car. But the best photos, according to tourists, are obtained from the observation deck at the Protestant Church of Christ, built in the 18th century.
Hofburg (Vienna)
Residence of the Habsburg dynasty, built in 1278. A luxurious castle with several styles of architecture. The Swiss courtyard was built in the Renaissance style, the a cappella in the Gothic style. The Imperial Treasury attracts special attention of tourists. It contains an incredible collection of artifacts, relics of power and jewelry. In total, there are more than twenty different museums on the territory of the palace.
Palace complex Belvedere
Built at the beginning of the 18th century. The inner chambers are striking in their luxury - the Marble Gallery, the Golden Cabinet, walls decorated with bas-reliefs. Currently, the art gallery is located in the palaces of the complex. Her collection is represented by canvases of different years - from the Middle Ages to the present. The complex has a three-level garden set in a French style. It is decorated with a fountain with two cascades and antique sculptures.
Schonbrunn Palace
Residence of the emperors in the Austrian Baroque style. Its construction was completed in 1713 and lasted 17 years. Later, at the request of Empress Maria Theresa, a theater was added to the palace, and at the behest of her husband, a zoo. There are more than 1000 rooms in the palace, only 40 are available for tourists. There is a large park complex around the palace. It houses a green labyrinth and a greenhouse with exotic plants.
Schönbrunn Zoo
Built in 1752, it bears the title of the oldest zoo in the world. One of the few zoos where giant pandas are kept. The zoo has a terrarium, and in the aquarium you can walk along the bottom of the Amazon. There are excursions, including especially for children, at night. In 2002, in honor of the anniversary of the zoo, a 5 euro coin was issued with the image of the central pavilion of the zoo and animals in its background.
Prater Park (Vienna)
Located on the banks of the Danube. Founded in 1766 by Emperor Joseph II. The park is divided into two zones - a "green" zone and an amusement zone. The most popular attractions are the children's railway and the 60 meter high Ferris wheel. The park also houses a chain carousel - the tallest in the world. When rotating, part of it rises to 117 meters. In the "green" zone there are a hippodrome, a stadium, sports grounds and a velodrome.
Hohensalzburg Fortress
Built on top of Mount Festung in 1077. From Salzburg, it can be reached by funicular. The fortress museum presents the history of the fortress itself and the military history of Austria. The Hohensalzburg Fortress often hosts various events - concerts and festivals. The most luxurious and beautiful places of the fortress are the Golden Chamber and the princely chambers, decorated with precious stones and rich ornaments.
Helbrunn Palace (Salzburg)
Built at the beginning of the 17th century. This is the residence of the Archbishop of Salzburg, which has been preserved almost in its original form. The park of the palace is decorated with fire fountains, ponds and many sculptures. In the crevice of the mountain there is an open-air Stone Theater. A special feature of the park is the mechanical theater. It is a small town with figures of residents moving to the sounds of an organ. The mechanisms of the organ and figures are moved by a stream of water.
Mirabell Palace and Gardens (Salzburg)
The Baroque palace was built for his beloved woman by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raithenau in 1606. To emphasize the splendor of the palace, he ordered a magnificent garden to be laid around. The park complex and the palace are included in the UNESCO heritage list. The best creations of the castle are the Marble Hall and the Marble Staircase. The park is notable for a rose garden and a greenhouse, as well as two fountains - the Big Fountain and Pegasus.
Schlossberg Castle (Graz)
Built in 1125 as a defensive fortress. Located on a mountain 450 meters high. Cultural events are now taking place in the courtyard on the site of the casemates. Thanks to good acoustics, even classical music concerts are held here. A good view opens from the observation deck at the Clock Tower. An unusual attraction is the Schlossberg Steps, built during the First World War.
Eggenberg Castle (Graz)
The princely residence, decorated in the spirit of Prince Eggenberg's hobby - astronomy. The number of rooms in the castle corresponds to the number of weeks in a year, windows - to days in a year. 24 office premises are 24 hours a day. At the same time, the architect himself built the castle in the Renaissance style. Currently, the palace houses a collection of paintings - over 600 paintings, as well as an archaeological exhibition and an art museum.
Ambras Castle (Innsbruck)
A popular destination among event tourists. They come to the events taking place in this castle - the Innsbruck Early Music Festival and the annual Renaissance festival. They take place in one of the most beautiful halls of the Renaissance - the Spanish Hall of the castle. The wall paintings in it depict the rulers of the Tyrolean lands. Also in the castle there is an interesting collection of weapons, jewelry, art objects.
St. Stephen's Cathedral (Vienna)
This Catholic cathedral is the symbol of the Austrian capital. Built in the XII century in the Gothic style. The tallest tower is 136 meters high. The cathedral has many attractions - the Gothic altar of 1447, the tombstone of Emperor Frederick III of red marble, the Pochskaya miraculous icon.The cathedral is decorated with bright patterns on the roof made of multi-colored tiles, pylons with rich carvings, and skillful stained-glass windows.
St. Peter's Church (Vienna)
A church with stately Baroque architecture. It hosts daily organ music concerts, with free admission to the daytime concerts. The inside of the church is decorated with marble. The stucco molding is decorated with gold and silver. The monastery depicts the Holy Trinity, to which the construction of the church is dedicated, as well as the Face of the Queen of Heaven. Relics with particles of the relics of the saints were delivered from Rome to the Church of St. Peter.
Melk monastery
The monastery is located in the Wachau valley on the rocky bank of the Danube. Built in 1702-1746 and included in the UNESCO heritage list. It is a gigantic baroque structure. The interior is also impressive - pilasters adorning the marble hall, decorated with red marble, a golden altar. The ceiling is decorated with frescoes. On two floors of the monastery there is the largest library of old books in Austria - more than 80,000 volumes.
Salzburg Cathedral
Included in the list of the most beautiful temples in the world. It is a magnificent example of Renaissance architecture. The height of the majestic dome is 79 meters. The facade is made of marble, it is decorated with two towers 81 meters high. The cathedral's capacity is 10,000 people. The interior of the cathedral is made in the Baroque style and decorated with frescoes and paintings. The great composer Wolfgang Mozart was baptized in a bronze font.
Vienna City Hall
Built by the famous architect Schmidt in the neo-Gothic style in 1872-1883. The tallest tower of the town hall rises 105 meters above the ground. There is a statue of "Rathausmann" on it with a height of 3.5 meters. The main hall of the town hall, 20 meters wide and 71 meters long, is decorated with sculptures of famous citizens of Vienna. It, as well as in the adjacent premises, annually hosts up to 800 events - exhibitions, balls, concerts.
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna Opera is called the musical capital of the world. It was headed at different times by such musicians as Gustav Mahler, Lorin Maazel, Clemens Kraus, Karl Böhm. The elegant and sophisticated building is especially beautiful in the evening. Under the lights of the ramps, the marble sculptures of the muses on the facade of the building seem to be shiny. The Vienna Opera Ball is held annually at the State Opera, in which even the President of Austria takes part.
Museum Quarter (Vienna)
Located on the site of the emperor's court stables. The reconstruction of the building for the Exhibition Pavilion began in 1921. The construction of all buildings in the quarter was completed only in 2001. The Museum Quarter houses over 20 museums of various subjects. The most famous of them are the Leopold Museum, the Kunsthalle and the Museum of Modern Art. As part of the Vienna Festival, art events take place in the MuseumsQuartier.
Museum of Art History and Museum of Natural History
The museums are located opposite each other and are open at the same time - in 1889. They are located in the Historic Center of Vienna and are identical in appearance. The Natural History Museum has many exhibits that are not found in any other place. For example, a stuffed animal of an extinct Steller cow and a skeleton of a diplodocus. The collection of works and artifacts at the Museum of Art History is among the top five in the world.
Albertina (Vienna)
Museum in the center of Vienna. The collection was assembled by Duke Albert for the education of morality in future generations. The collection is based on the world's largest collection of graphics - more than a million exhibits. These are prints, drawings, architectural drawings and photographs, including works by Rubens, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael. In addition, the gallery features paintings by Monet and Picasso, as well as other famous artists.
Kunsthaus (Graz)
Gallery of Contemporary Art. It is located in a building of an unusual shape, which is why it received a second unusual name - "friendly alien". The convex building of the gallery was built in the style of modern architecture "blob". It looks like reinforced concrete, but it is made of blue plastic panels. There are many luminous elements on the facade of the building. The backlight is controlled by a computer.
Hangar-7 Red Bull (Salzburg)
This unusual museum will be interesting not only for those who are fond of extreme and technical sports. The building of Angara-7 itself is extremely interesting - the structure of metal supports holds a giant glass dome. It was built on the territory of the airport. The main theme of the museum is aeronautics. Among the exhibits there are both pleasure and sports aircraft. The museum also has a collection of Formula 1 racing cars.
Swarovski crystal worlds (Wattens)
Created in 1995 for the anniversary of Swarovski. This museum features installations made from Swarovski crystals. Built in the form of a labyrinth of 13 rooms, it also has a shop, restaurant, separate rooms for VIP collectors and special exhibitions. The entrance to the museum is made in the form of a giant's head, from whose mouth a waterfall erupts. The museum itself is underground. Two crystals of the museum are included in the Guinness Book of Records.
Hohe Tauern
This 181,500 hectare national park is located on the highest ridge in Austria. Mountain peaks in it reach heights of over 3000 meters. The slopes are covered with meadows and dense forests. Athletes-climbers often come here. There are excursion routes for hikers. The most popular of them lead to the Golling and Krimml waterfalls, as well as to the Lichtensteinklamm mountain gorge.
Nordkettenbahn cable car
Located in the city of Innsbruck. The funicular takes everyone to the Hafelekar mountain peak with a height of 2256 meters. The cable car ride from the city center takes 20 minutes. The route passes through several stations, some of them are made in the form of glaciers. The top of the mountain offers views of the snow-capped mountain landscapes, the Inn valley and the city of Innsbruck itself. The cable car is open all year round.
Untersberg
A mountain near Salzburg - in the Untersberg Nature Park. You can climb the mountain by cable car. Its upper station is located at an altitude of 1853 meters. There is snow, clouds are floating by. The view of the city from the top of the mountain is comparable to the view from the window of an airplane. Several walking paths have been laid from the station along the mountain range. Many tourists find the Schellenberg ice cave on the side of a mountain interesting.
Eisriesenwelt cave
The largest ice cave in the world. Ice stays in it all year round. The cave is 407 meters deep and 42 km long. The cave is popular with tourists; about 150,000 people visit it a year. However, the entrance to it is open only from May to October. The rest of the time there is a danger of avalanches. You can get to the cave by cable car. Carbide lamps are provided for the duration of the visit.
Pasterets glacier
The largest glacier in Austria. Located in the Alps, at the foot of the Großglockner mountain on the Hohe Tauern ridge. Its length is 9 km. The maximum height is 2100 meters above sea level. The glacier has been melting and descending continuously since 1856. However, since 2003, due to climate change, the rate of melting has increased. Visiting this ice massif is one of the most popular tourist routes in Austria.
Großglockner High Alpine Road
The serpentine road of this mountain road consists of 36 turns. Its length is 48 km. The road is toll, but, nevertheless, more than one million people pass on it annually. They are attracted by the opportunity to see the picturesque views of the Hohe Tauern park and the Central Alps. The highest point of the road is on the Khokhtor pass at an altitude of 2504 meters above sea level. The road passes by the Pastere glacier and the Großglockner mountain.
Semmering Railway
The world's first railroad built in the mountains. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The oldest section of the road, 42 km long, was built in 1848-1854. Due to the complexity of the relief, the builders had to build more than 100 stone bridges, 16 viaducts, and also cut 14 tunnels.There is a picturesque mountainous area around the road. There are balneological and ski resorts next to the railway route.
Wachau cultural landscape
A section of the valley located between the towns of Melk and Krems. Included in the list of sites protected by UNESCO, thanks to the many monuments of history, archeology and culture. The valley has preserved the unique traditions of winemaking and fruit growing. The cultural landscape of the valley with its landscapes shows the history of civilization from the Paleolithic era to the present. The picturesque views of the valley attract writers and artists.
Alps
These mountains, known all over the world, occupy half of the territory of Austria. Millions of ski enthusiasts come to Austria for the opportunity to visit the snowy resorts of this country. The landscape of the Eastern Alps of Austria is characterized by picturesque valleys, in which there are many routes to natural monuments. Many mountain peaks can be reached by funicular and enjoy the mountain scenery and clean air.
