October 12 - Vienna

Last night we journeyed from Durnstein to Vienna. Someone in the Austrian government has a sense of humour. You see souvenirs with “No Kangaroos in Austria” emblazoned on them. Apparently, the government found that people travelling to Austria confuse it with Australia. So, they came up with this slogan. I guess you’ll never be poor underestimating people’s intelligence!

The weather is starting to improve. The high for today is going to be in the high teens with plenty of sunshine.

Where the Scenic Ruby is moored, there must be another 10 river boats here in Vienna. Viking has a huge presence and there are many European boat lines, that I’ve never heard of, here. I guess river cruising is more popular than I thought.

Vienna, the capital of Austria, boasts a rich and vibrant history that stretches back to Roman times when it was known as Vindobona. Over the centuries, Vienna grew as a centre of the Habsburg Empire and became a hub for art, music, and intellectual life, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries. Renowned for its classical music heritage, the city was home to legendary composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss.

City Hall

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was formed in 1867 and at its height it ruled Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and parts of Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, and Italy. After it’s defeat in WW1, the empire and the monarchy were dissolved and republic of Austria proclaimed.

On March 12, 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria in a move known as the Anschluss. Austrians served in the German Wehrmacht, SS, and other Nazi institutions. Vienna became a strategic hub for military logistics and administration and Austrian industries were repurposed for the Nazi war effort.

Around 65,000 Austrian Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. Jewish communities in Vienna and elsewhere were systematically destroyed, and many Jews were deported to the death camps.

Vienna and other cities suffered heavy bombing by Allied forces, especially in 1944–45. The Battle of Vienna in April 1945 saw Soviet troops capture the city, marking the end of Nazi control. After the war, Austria was divided into four occupation zones: Soviet, American, British, and French with Vienna under joint control. This ended 10 years later when Austria declared neutrality.

You can tell that Vienna was planned to be the capital of a great kingdom. There are multiple royal palaces with extensive parks surrounding them. The lesser nobility and merchant class had huge multi story single family homes that are now exclusive apartment buildings.

When the royal family was dethroned in 1918 many of these palaces came under government ownership and were converted into museums. Some of these are;

• Schönbrunn Palace is Vienna’s most iconic imperial residence and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It offers a vivid glimpse into the grandeur of the Habsburg monarchy and remains one of Austria’s top cultural attractions.
• Belvedere Palace, original used as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy is now the Belvedere Museum, featuring Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present.
• The Hofburg Imperial Palace was original used as the main winter residence of the Habsburg dynasty and is now a complex of museums and institutions, including the Austrian president residence and the office of their Prime Minister. It is also the training ground for the famous Spanish Riding School and their white Lipizzaner stallions.
• Albertina Palace was originally the residence of Duke Albert of Saxen-Teschen. It is now the Albertina Museum, housing one of the world’s largest graphic art collections.

Hofburg Imperial Palac

We visited St. Stephen's Cathedral while they held a mass. As with most major cathedrals the interior was stunning, but what will stay with me for a long time was the music. The acoustics were as close to perfections that my ears could hear, but it was the choir that sent chills down my spine. Their singing was so beautiful that it can't be adequately described with mere words 

 Liechtenstein City Palace is still a privately owner residence of the princely Liechtenstein family. Tonight, we were treated to a classical music concert, the contained music by Mozart, waltzes by Johann Strauss, some opera and ballet. It was an amazing performance by the Vienna Imperial Orchestra.  Listening to the music made me realize that my first music teacher was Bugs Bunny on the Saturday morning Looney Tunes.

Vienna Imperial Orchestra