I was lucky enough to be able to stop in Vienna (Wien in German) the beautiful capital of Austria for roughly five days while I made my way through Europe. Vienna is often known for its many coffeehouses that grace the sidewalks throughout the city. With a population of nearly 2 million people, Vienna is by no means a small city but the center is easily covered on foot and you can reach many of Vienna’s major attractions on your own self-guided walking tour. Here are my picks for the top 10 must-see sights in Vienna.
1. Rathaus
The Rathaus is the town hall and serves as the seat both of the mayor and city council of the city of Vienna. The town hall also serves, in personal union, as Governor and Assembly of the State of Vienna. Built between 1872 and 1883, the Rathaus was designed by Friedrich von Schmidt in the Neo-Gothic style. On the top of the tower is the Rathausmann, one of the symbols of Vienna. Facing the Rathaus is a large park called the Rathauspark.
2. Austrian Parliament
The Austrian Parliament Building is where the two houses of the Austrian Parliament conduct their sessions. The building is located on the Ringstraße boulevard in the first district Innere Stadt, near Hofburg Palace and the Palace of Justice. It was built to house the two chambers of the Imperial Council (Reichsrat), the bicameral legislature of the Cisleithanian (Austrian) part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Up to today, the Parliament Building is the seat of the two houses—the National Council (Nationalrat) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat)—of the Austrian legislature.
3. Hofburg Palace
Hofburg Palace is the former imperial palace. Part of the palace forms the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. Built in the 13th century, the palace has housed some of the most powerful people in European and Austrian history, including monarchs of the Habsburg dynasty, the rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was the principal imperial winter residence whereas Schönbrunn Palace was their summer residence.
4. Museum of Natural History
The Museum of Natural History, also known as the NHMW, houses collections of artifacts dating back to over 250 years ago. Their main fields of research cover a wide range of topics from the origins of our Solar system and the evolution of animals and plants to human evolution, as well as prehistoric traditions and customs. Collections comprising some 25 million specimens and artifacts are the essential basis for the work of over 60 staff scientists.
5. Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera has a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera (Wiener Hofoper). In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Republic of Austria, it was renamed the Vienna State Opera. The members of the Vienna Philharmonic are recruited from its orchestra. Today, the Vienna State Opera is considered one of the most important opera houses in the world; in particular, it is the house with the largest repertoire.
6. MuseumsQuartier
The MuseumsQuartier (MQ) is a 60,000 m² large area in the 7th district of Vienna and it is the eighth largest cultural area in the world. The MuseumsQuartier contains Baroque buildings as well as Modern architecture. The MQ is home to a range of installations from large art museums like the Leopold Museum to contemporary exhibition spaces and festivals predominantly held during the summer months.
7. Stephansdom
Not only is Stephansdom or “St. Stephan’s Cathedral” one of the tallest churches in the world, it is also the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and one of the most famous landmarks in Vienna. Located in Stephansplatz, St. Stephan’s Cathedral, or as it is more commonly known in German “Stephansdom,” is stunning and combines both Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
Fun Fact
Beethoven discovered he was completely deaf when he saw birds fly out of the bell tower of Stephansdom after the bells were ringing, which he realized he could not hear.
8. Schönbrunn Palace
One of Austria’s most visited attractions Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the imperial family and one of Europe’s most impressive Baroque palace complexes. You can read all about visiting Schönbrunn Palace palace here.
9. Volksgarten
Volksgarten was the first public park in the imperial city that opened to the public in 1823. With fountains and rose gardens, it is a beautiful place to stroll around on a sunny afternoon. Located directly beside the Heldenplatz and the Hofburg buildings, it’s a perfect place to stroll through the park or relax on one of the benches.
Insider’s Tip
In the 19th century, the two kings of waltz Johann Strauß and Josef Lanner played already there in a coffee house and today you can rest in the Cafè Meierei. The cafe is located in a building which was originally built as a water reservoir and later adapted to a milk drinking hall.
10. The Graben
The pedestrian-only street is lively with shoppers and coffeehouse-goers bustling along the avenue. It begins at Stock-im-Eisen-Platz next to the Palais Equitable and ends at the junction of Kohlmarkt and Tuchlauben. The Graben traces its origin back to the old Roman encampment of Vindobona. The south-western wall of the settlement extended along the length of the present-day Graben and Naglergasse; before the wall lay a trench (Graben). This trench still stood in front of the medieval city walls. At the end of the 12th century, the city was enlarged by the Babenberg Dukes, using the ransom money for Richard the Lionheart. At this time the trench was filled in and levelled. The Graben thereby became one of the first residential streets in the new section of the city. In this area of the city large unbuilt areas were still available, which probably contributed to the maintenance of the name “Graben” up until the present day.
Fun Facts
- Vienna is Austria’s capital and largest city with a population of nearly 2 million.
- Until the beginning of the 20th century it was the largest German-speaking city in the world.
- In 2001, the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- In a study of 127 world cities conducted in 2005, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Vienna as the number one (in a tie with Vancouver, Canada) for the world’s most livable cities. The 2012 survey of 140 cities, ranked Vienna as number two behind Melbourne.
I live in Trieste, Italy, very near to the Slovenian border and one hour away by car from Austria and never been to Wien! Shameful, I have to visit this amazing city as soon as possible, then I’m going to use all of your advices 🙂
Yay! Glad my tips could be helpful! I would love to visit Trieste and I’m so bummed that I skipped it while I was last in Europe. So jealous you live in Italy. That is a dream of mine 🙂