2014-6 Vienna, Austria
Hello All,
We cruised through the night arriving in Vienna, Austria, at 6 the next morning and remained there until 1 am the following morning. This gave us just enough time for a snapshot of what this great city has to offer. For sure, it is a destination that would be worthy of staying for a week or two.
Like most European countries, Austria has an eventful history. Yet there are some elements of the Austrian character that haven’t changed much over the centuries—the penchant for indulgence, beauty, and culture has always been a driving force in the country’s past and present.
Vienna is the capital of Austria and was once the seat of the Hapsburg Monarchy and the center of the Holy Roman Empire. Today, the city is a grand and glorious mix of great and small, the imperiously magnificent, and the delightfully unpretentious. It is also one of the world’s greatest centers of art, music and architecture. It boasts enough museums to keep you enthralled for weeks. Klimt, Schiele, Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Mahler and Strauss all practiced their art here, and you can see and hear their work in many different venues throughout the city.
After breakfast we began a 3½-hour guided tour of the city. Once the tour was finished we had the remainder of the day and evening to explore on our own. Here is a brief overview of our findings and observations. It was a Sunday morning so the city was slow to awake. But, by the noon hour it was a bustling metropolis.
We found a large percentage of the buildings to be about five stories in height. It was similar to what we had observed in Paris some fifteen years earlier. In our eyes it was truly lovely compared to cities of mega skyscrapers.
We cruised through the night arriving in Vienna, Austria, at 6 the next morning and remained there until 1 am the following morning. This gave us just enough time for a snapshot of what this great city has to offer. For sure, it is a destination that would be worthy of staying for a week or two.
Like most European countries, Austria has an eventful history. Yet there are some elements of the Austrian character that haven’t changed much over the centuries—the penchant for indulgence, beauty, and culture has always been a driving force in the country’s past and present.
Vienna is the capital of Austria and was once the seat of the Hapsburg Monarchy and the center of the Holy Roman Empire. Today, the city is a grand and glorious mix of great and small, the imperiously magnificent, and the delightfully unpretentious. It is also one of the world’s greatest centers of art, music and architecture. It boasts enough museums to keep you enthralled for weeks. Klimt, Schiele, Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Mahler and Strauss all practiced their art here, and you can see and hear their work in many different venues throughout the city.
After breakfast we began a 3½-hour guided tour of the city. Once the tour was finished we had the remainder of the day and evening to explore on our own. Here is a brief overview of our findings and observations. It was a Sunday morning so the city was slow to awake. But, by the noon hour it was a bustling metropolis.
We found a large percentage of the buildings to be about five stories in height. It was similar to what we had observed in Paris some fifteen years earlier. In our eyes it was truly lovely compared to cities of mega skyscrapers.
No two buildings were exactly alike.
We found the architecture to
be awesome. It is truly a jewel of a city.
Statues were scattered
throughout the city. They were at building entrances, corner stones, center of
streets, and on top of buildings overlooking the streets. It would be hard to
find a place within the city were you wouldn’t be within eyes view of an artistic
creation of some form--like the entrance in the following photo.
Check out this corner stone artistic work. And,
there was no graffiti within the city—how refreshing that was!
It is truly an awesome place
to behold. Isn’t this a spectacular piece?
Building tops were a favorite
place for artistic works as demonstrated below.
The following adorns the top of the main
entrance into the world famous Spanish Riding School of central Vienna. It is a
traditional riding school for Lipizzan or Lipizzaner horses.
Not only is the Spanish Riding
School a center for classical dressage, it is a tourist attraction in Vienna
that offers public performances, as well as permitting public viewing of some
training sessions. Their presentations build on four centuries of experience
and tradition in classical dressage. The leading horses and riders of the
school also periodically tour and perform worldwide.
The riding school was first named during the Habsburg Monarchy in 1572, and is the oldest of its kind in the world. Records show that a wooden riding arena was first commissioned in 1565, but it wasn't until 1729 that Emperor Charles VI commissioned the architect Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach to build the white riding hall used today. You have to admit, this is a pretty classy looking horse barn!
The riding school was first named during the Habsburg Monarchy in 1572, and is the oldest of its kind in the world. Records show that a wooden riding arena was first commissioned in 1565, but it wasn't until 1729 that Emperor Charles VI commissioned the architect Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach to build the white riding hall used today. You have to admit, this is a pretty classy looking horse barn!
While we didn’t get to see any
of the training sessions we were able to see the horses in their stalls. We
also snapped a few photos of some riders having coffee at a sidewalk café.
Many of the works of art were
covered with very fine netting. It didn’t dissuade from the artistic value but
discouraged birds from landing on them—and leaving their droppings. It is
really hard to see and quite ingenious. If you look closely, at the next photo,
you can barely make out the netting that covers it.
The Pestsäule, or Plague Column in English, is a Holy Trinity column located in the inner city of Vienna. It was erected in 1679 after the Great Plague epidemic and is one of the most well-known and prominent pieces of art in the city.
The Pestsäule, or Plague Column in English, is a Holy Trinity column located in the inner city of Vienna. It was erected in 1679 after the Great Plague epidemic and is one of the most well-known and prominent pieces of art in the city.
By the noon hour the city was
alive on this beautiful July day. People were out and about enjoying the warm
weather--that became very warm as the day went on!
Most all large cities have
horse drawn carriages. But, we have never come across a city with as many as
there were in Vienna. And, we never observed a “road apple” on a street. They
were all rigged with “apple catchers.”
In the background of the photo
above is St. Stephen’s Cathedral. It is so immense that from the ground you
can’t find a viewpoint where you can capture it in its entirety. Trust us when
we say we walked all the way around it trying to fine one!
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna. The current Romanesque and Gothic form of the cathedral seen today was largely initiated by Duke Rudolf IV (1339–1365) and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches. The multi-colored tile roof is exquisite.
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna. The current Romanesque and Gothic form of the cathedral seen today was largely initiated by Duke Rudolf IV (1339–1365) and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches. The multi-colored tile roof is exquisite.
Standing at 446 feet tall is St.
Stephen's Cathedral's massive south tower. It is a dominant feature of the
central Vienna skyline. Construction of the massive tower lasted 65 years, from
1368 to 1433.
For folks with an interest in
high-end shopping, Vienna had many proprietors for satisfying your desires.
However, nearly all stores were closed on Sunday.
As the temperature rose gelato shops became a popular
and refreshing choice of folks enjoying the city attractions. This was the first
time we have come across it also being sold from scooters on the streets.
Even the pigeons were seeking
relief from the heat of the day. They were bathing in any bit of water they
could find!
Out of the central core of the city, near where
our ship was docked, there was a new section of the city building up. While it
was new and modern, in our eyes, it didn’t hold the artistic charm and beauty
of this grand old city.
Our next adventure will be cruising
a stretch of the Danube River known as “The Wachau.” It is possibly the
loveliest area along the entire length of this majestic river—dotted with
ruined castles and medieval towns and lined with terraced vineyards. Hope you
will consider cruising along with us.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns