e spent a long weekend in Vienna at the beginning of April 2002. We travelled from Munich to Vienna by train, and stayed at the Hotel Regina situated right next to the Votive Church in the City Centre. We did the customary sightseeing around the centre, as well as two excursions by bus, to Schloss Schönbrunn, the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald), Mayering, and the Seegrotte. We also took full advantage of the wonderous and varied nightlife, and especially enjoyed the Skybar on Kartnerstrasse, which has a continuous sweeping glass window running the length of the bar, Sky offers one of the finest views in Vienna, check it out at The Worlds Best Bars.

A view of Wien - Vienna from the Wiener Riesenrad (Giant Ferris Wheel), at the Vienna Prater

All of the photograph's on this page, were taken with a new digital camera (Sony Cybershot P5), that I had just bought in Vienna before this photo was taken. So I apologise for a few teething problems with some of the photo's, but I did not have much chance to read the 1,000 page manual, and so just played my way through it!

Schloss Schönbrunn

Schönbrunn, the former summer residence of the imperial family, is considered one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Europe. The Habsburgs resided here the better part of the year in numerous rooms for the large imperial family in addition to representational rooms. Emperor Franz Joseph, who later married the enchanting Sisi and reigned from 1848 to 1916, was born here in 1830. The monarch spent his last years entirely in the palace, which became the property of the new Republic of Austria only two years after his death. Today, the palace is part of UNESCO’s cultural heritage due to its historic importance, its unique grounds and its splendid furnishings

The Gloriette & the Neptune Fountain

Today, Café Gloriette is housed in this splendid building. Delicious pastries and a magnificent view of Vienna await you here.And every Sunday morning, there is a brunch with live music ranging from the classics to jazz. The Gloriette was built in 1775. Today, the inscription of the middle part of the building still bears witness: "JOSEPHO II. AUGUSTO ET MARIA THERESIA IMPERANTIB. MDCCLXXV" (Erected 1775 under the reign of Emperor Joseph and Empress Maria Theresia). Even then, one appreciated beautiful views - and for that reason a 20-meter-high observation terrace was created

Robert & Korina at Schloss Schönbrunn

An Historical City Tour to Schönbrunn Palace & Belvedere

We went on a tour around the historical city to give us an overall impression of the most significant sights of Vienna. Along the Ringstrasse we saw numerous magnificent buildings, such as the MAK, the State Opera House, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum, the cultural district the Museums Quarter, the former Habsburg winter residence, the Hofburg, the Parliament, the City Hall and the Burgtheater. The highlight of the tour was the visit to the showrooms of Schönbrunn Palace. In this former summer residence of the Habsburg family lived Maria Theresia. On the way back to the opera we passed by the Belvedere Palace, the former summer residence of Prince Eugen

Karlskirche - St. Charles Church

St. Charles Borromeo is a magnificent religious building with a large cupola: St. Charles' Church, the last work of the eminent baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. The church, finished in 1739 by his son Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, was built as the result of a vow taken by Emperor Charles VI during a plague epidemic. The church is consecrated to the patron saint of the Habsburg emperor, Saint Charles Borromeo: The exhibits in the small Museo Borromini include the traveling clothes of the Bishop of Milan
 

Robert & Korina at one of the many fountains in the City Centre

The Austrian Gallery, Upper Belvedere Palace

Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663 - 1736), the most brilliant military mind of his age, commissioned Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt to design and build the garden palace Belvedere as a summer residence outside the walls of the city. The palace, one of the most exquisite Baroque structures in the world, consists of two palaces (Upper and Lower Belvedere). A majority of the rooms were adapted to house the Austrian Gallery
 

The Monument to Johann Strauss & the Kursalon Concert Hall

Built in 1867 by Johann Gaden as a venue for concerts and entertainment venueforthe fine Viennese society, the “Kursalon” attained celebrity as the homestead of the Viennese “King of Waltz” Johann Strauss Son, who played his worldwide waltzes here to an inspired audience

The Strauss Kursalon Concerts are somewhat touristy but nontheless enjoyable. They feature a 15 piece orchestra in costume and a troupe of dancers doing ballet and waltzes. The building is a lovely hall where Strauss did concerts a century ago. The price of tickets is quite reasonable, and includes a glass of champagne. There is also a restaurant in the building which is supposed to be quite good and reasonably priced; where you can dine on the patio overlooking the park

St Stephen's Dom and the picturesque town centre

Korina outside a Cafe in the Graben (Ditch) District of Vienna

It is said that what St. Marco square is for Venice, that is Graben for Vienna. Well, I'm not sure if such comparison can be done. It is the most central pedestrian zone of Vienna, a square that connects Kaertner strasse, Stepansplatz, Kohlmarkt and even Am Hof via narrow Naglergasse
 

The Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts was built from 1872 to 1891 after designs by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer. Like the second great museum at Ring Boulevard, the Museum of Natural History, it was built as a repository for the vast collections then owned by the imperial family. The Museum of Fine Arts ranks among the richest and most important art collections in the world. At the core of the museum's unique Picture Gallery are paintings by Bruegel, Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Dürer, Raffael, Titian and Velazquez, as well as the most comprehensive collection of Bruegel's paintings in the world
 

Parlament (Parliament) and the Burgtheater (Court Theatre)

The Vienna's National Theatre (Burgtheater) was built from 1874 to 1888, according to designs by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer

Ever since 1776, when Emperor Joseph II founded the Court and National Theatre, the institution preceding the present-day Burgtheater, this theatre, with its distinguished company, has held a leading position in the dramatic arts of the German-speaking countries

A Horse Drawn Carriage around Wien...

Well, it's more of a tourist novelty than a mode of transport.... a fiacre (Fiaker) is a traditional-style open carriage drawn by a pair of horses

They can be found lined up at Stephansplatz, Albertinaplatz & Heldenplatz at the Hofburg. Expect to pay around € 36 for a 15 to 20 minute trot or €65 for 40 mins.... these horses must be among Vienna richest inhabitants!!

Drivers generally speak English & will point out the places of interest en route

Dr Karl Lueger Ring - Home to the Neue Universitat

The Votivkirche - Votive Church

It was built between 1856-79 by Heinrich Ferstel on the model of the French Gothic Cathedrals. It has three naives and two towers 99m high

The Votive Church, and it's neighbour, the Hotel Regina at Rooseveltplatz

Vienna Woods - Mayerling

We went on a half-day excursion which shows you the most beautiful sights of the southern part of Vienna Woods. Passing the Roman City of Baden which is famous for its thermal springs, we drove through the romantic valley Helenental to the former Mayerling hunting lodge, today a commemorative chapel, where Crown Prince Rudolph together with Baronesse Vetsera died tragically in 1889. In the Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz (1133) we visited the medieval cloister which houses the remains of the last Babenberger. We then pass the Höldrichsmühle and arrive at the Seegrotte. After a boatride on the largest subterranean lake in Europe we left the Vienna Woods and returned back to Vienna, finishing at the Opera House

Cistercian Abbey at Helligenkreuz

Seegrotte (Subterranean Lake) - Hinterbrühl

A catastrophy in a gypsum mine created Europes biggest subterranean lake. In a routine blast in 1912 twenty million litres of water flooded the mine, so it had to be shut down

When G. Plankenbichler had a well drilled in 1848, he found gypsum close to the surface. He decided to mine the mineral and throughout the following decades, miners dug the ground. Gypsum was subsequently used as a fertiliser

The mine was closed in 1912. In 1932 cave explorers discovered a fantastic natural monument which had developed in the abandoned mine. Soon workers started to build safe paths to the subterranean lake and install electric light. Finally, boat excursions into the former mine became a tourist attraction

By the end of World War II, water was pumped out of the grotto and the cave was used as an underground factory by the Nazis. 2,000 people, many of them forced labourers, had to build parts for the Heinkel HE 162 aircraft, the first jet fighter of the world. The Red Army destroyed the factory at the end of the war. After the war it took some years to restore the mine and reopen it to the public

On the tour you see rooms that once served the miners as a chapel, common room and wine cellar, where they used to celebrate. There are even stables for working horses which had to spend all their life in the dark. The lake - which gave the mine its name Seegrotte - is situated at a depth of 60 metres below ground. A romantic boat ride takes you into a quiet and magic world. This place is very popular, 250,000 people are visiting the Seegrotte every year

The Seegrotte

Schloss Liechtenstein - Liechtenstein Castle

The Princely House of Liechtenstein is one of the oldest noble families. A bearer of this name, Hugo of Liechtenstein, is first mentioned in 1136.  He named himself after Liechtenstein Castle, situated to the south of Vienna. The early Liechtenstein family owned estates in the vicinity of their family castle and on the northeastern border of Lower Austria. The uninterrupted Liechtenstein line of descent began with Heinrich I of Liechtenstein (died 1265/66), who obtained the Lordship of Nikolsburg in South Moravia as free property.  The acquisition was of great political significance, since the family thereby obtained a substantial possession within the territory of the Wenceslas Crown

The bus back from the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods) to Wien (Vienna)

The Mozart Monument in the Burggarten

Vienna is the world’s music capital! More famous composers have lived here than in any other city

In no other city in the world have so many world-renowned musicians and composers made their home. Accordingly, there are numerous occasions to walk in the footsteps of the masters, to see how they lived and to admire memorabilia.
In Vienna’s musician’s memorials - apartments of famous composers which have been turned into museums – you can see the furniture and objects that were owned by the artists themselves, as well as autographs, facsimiles of scores, paintings and photos. The most important works by the composers are usually played in historic or prominently cast performances and can be listened to with earphones

The house in which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed “Le Nozze di Figaro” can be found in the historic center of the city behind St. Stephen’s Cathedral. An especially large amount of memorabilia is exhibited in the house where the Waltz King Johann Strauss wrote his famous “The Blue Danube” Waltz, which was to become his greatest success

Visit the house where Ludwig van Beethoven wrote, among other compositions, his Fourth Symphony and his famous “Heiligenstadt Testament," in which he expressed desperation over his deafness. The last apartment where Joseph Haydn lived has also been preserved. In it, he created the great oratorios “The Creation” and “The Seasons” – today’s museum also contains a memorial room for Johannes Brahms with some memorabilia

One should also visit the house where the “king of lieder,” Franz Schubert, was born. At the time, 16 families lived in that picturesque building – each family in an apartment consisting only of a room and a kitchen. More than only a memorial is the Arnold Schönberg Center: it houses not only the estate of the founder of twelve-tone music and the founder of the “New Vienna School” – manuscripts, oil paintings, drawings, diaries and musical instruments – but it also shows special exhibitions and functions as a lively research centre

The Lower Belvedere

The Spanishe Reitschule - Spanish Riding School

The Spanish Riding School is the oldest and last Riding School in the world where classic dressage is still practised in its purest form. This Institute was founded in 1572. It's name was derived from the fact that the horses were of Spanish origin. The Lipizzaner is regarded to be the oldest classic horse race in Europe. The horses have been bread in Lipizza in Slovenia. Tody, there is a stud in Piber, close to Graz. Young Lipizzaner are black and only turn white when reaching maturity. They need to undergoe elaborate training before they are able to perform their prancing Renaissance ballet to the sound of classical music.  The Riders of the Spanish Riding School train the horses and perform in the Winter Riding School in the Vienna Hofburg (Imperial Palace) in a splendid Baroque hall built by Josef Emanuel Fischer von Erlach between 1729 and 1735. The magnificient rooms are adorned with chandeliers and set off the performance to best effects. The presentations of classical dressage have been open to the public since 1920

Imperial Palace - Hofburg

This is entrance to Hofburg from Kohlmarkt. Although it is entrance to the oldest part of Hofburg (built as early as 13th century), it is dominated by St. Michaels Dome that was built in late 19th century. In front of this entrance there is Michaelerplatz which centre consists of excavations of old Vienna infrastructure. Near entrance to the Hofburg there are interesting statues, there, and while passing under dome, look upwards!
 

The Imperial Palace was the residence of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. Originally a medieval castle, of which only the chapel has survived to this day, the residence of the court was expanded and made ever more lavish as the power of the Habsburgs grew and the territory of their dominions increased

One thing you notice in Vienna is that it is extremely difficult to just take a photo of only one specific building of interest, as there are so many of them right next to each other. To take a photo of one, you invarably end up with two, or more in it! To then label up your photo's afterward, is a nightmare, every photo is panoramic!

Rathaus - City Hall

Friedrich von Schmidt, who had been the architect of the Cathedral of Cologne, designed and built Vienna's City Hall, the most important secular building in the neo-Gothic style in the city, between 1872 and 1883. The tower measures 321 feet, not including the "Iron Knight of City Hall" (Eiserner Rathausmann) who measures almost 20 feet to the top of his pennant. This knight on top of the tower has become one of the symbols of Vienna

This is the sight that we saw most of all in Vienna, the Votive Church, the reason for this is that our hotel was right next door to it on Rooseveltplatz, so we walked past it four times a day, everyday

The Twin Spires of the Votive

The view from Rooseveltplatz

Inside Out the Votiv

The beautiful Votivkirche located in Schottenrign and Alsergrund is not as well known or photographed as Stephansdom. But in my opinion it is more beautiful by design even if not as historically important. The Votivkirche was built across the street from where a failed assassination attempt was made on Emperor Franz Joseph in 1853. The church was design by Heinrich von Ferstel was begun in 1856 but was not dedicated until 1879. The spires and towers are almost lace like in their appearance. I thought this to be the most beautiful church in Vienna. It also has a tiled roof similiar to the roof on Stephansdom

Korina at our Hotel, the Regina

The main building of the 4 Star Kremslehner Hotels has been established in 1877 as a city palais of the Viennese Historism. The Hotel Regina has celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1996. The Hotel Regina is located centrally in the university quarter, next to the Votiv Church. Vienna's famous sights and shopping streets are within a short walking distance and to reach very easily

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In the lift...

The view from our room...

The hotel at night...

The Votive Church at Night

Vienna Night Panorama

Enjoy the panorama of Vienna after the sun has set and experience the magnificently illuminated sights of Vienna. At your feet – Vienna at night – see the splendid baroque cupolas of the Imperial Palace, neo-Gothic City Hall, the round Giant Ferris Wheel, the slim spires of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Votive Church and many attractive apartment houses that were built during the past few years

Vantage points for views over Vienna at night are not only the Giant Ferris Wheel, but also the Danube Tower with its revolving restaurants, or Kahlenberg in the north of the city. There are also restaurants and bars such as Cantino at the House of Music, the Sky Bar at Steffl Department Store or "Windows of Vienna"

The Rathaus at night

The City Hall is the seat of the mayor and governor of Vienna ( with Vienna being both a city and a state since 1922, these functions are combined in one person ), of the City Council and of the Assembly. It also houses the Municipal and State Libraries and Archives which hold many key documents of Vienna's history and a large collection of local memorabilia

The Rahthauspark at Night

The Park of City Hall (Rathauspark) is a very attractively laid-out garden with two fountains and several interesting monuments, among them the memorial to the painter F. G. Waldmüller and the statues of two great composers of waltzes, Johann Strauss Father and Joseph Lanner. Facing the Burgtheater across the Ring are monuments to President Theodor Körner (1873-1957) and Mayor Karl Seitz (1869-1950).

The Schottenkirche & Schottenkloster

The Monastry of the Scots situated at Freyung Square has it's name dvised from the Irish monks, summoned to Vienna in 1155 by Henry II, and erroneously called "Scottish". Afterwards in 1418, the Benedictines established themselves here, and gave the church the name of "Our Lady of the Scots"

Kirche Am Hof

The church is otherwise know as the Church of Nine Angelic Choirs, it is located at Am Hof Square, and takes it's name from the Palatinate of the Bebenbergers, who originated from here; the Church was built between 1386-1403

Giant Ferris Wheel, Vienna Prater, Bohemian Prater

In 1896-97, the English engineering firm of Walter Basset built the Giant Ferris Wheel, which has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Vienna (other ferris wheels they had built in Chicago, London, Blackpool and Paris have long since been scrapped).

The wheel, with its 15 gondolas, turns at a rate of two and a half feet per second and offers a magnificent panoramic view of the city

The Vienna Prater is considered the oldest amusement park in the world. Dozens of attractions are offered – from the nostalgic Ghost Train to Merry-Go-Rounds, Go-Cart lanes, gaming halls and stands with exercises in skill to ultramodern installations designed to raise you and your level of adrenaline into dizzy heights. In addition, there are numerous restaurants, cafés, snack bars and beer gardens. The first restaurant was opened here as long ago as 1603. Later, bowling alleys, swings and marionette theaters were added. The “Wurstelprater“ was named for the marionette figure of “Hanswurst,” a close relative of Punch in the Punch and Judy shows. The amusement park Bohemian Prater is no less entertaining: What was once a destination for families on a Sunday afternoon and today has become a leisure center in the Vienna Favoriten district can look back at 150 years of history. Today, you will find not only restaurants and the event hall "Tivoli Center" but also attractions such as a merry-go-round, a jumping tower, a children’s auto-drome, mini-golf and a giant ferris wheel

The Ernst Happel Stadion

The stadium is home to local Austrian club side Austria Vienna, as well as the Austrian National Football Team. The stadium has a capacity of 50,000, and was built in 1931, it was previously called the Prater Stadion up until 1986, when it's name was changed; it is one of the stadiums to be used for the Euro 2008 Championship Finals, and possibly even the actual final, the tournament is to be jointly held by Austria & Switzerland

The Rossauer Kaserne & Deutsch Meister Platz

An anecdote: The architect of the barracks committed suicide because he had forgotten to build toilets

The Rossauer Barracks (Kaserne)

The construction of the barracks in the former fortress of the middle ages was already planed before Hitler took over Austria. Together with the “Arsenal” area and the Franz Josef barracks they were meant to create a triangle of forts as a shelter against attacks

The actual construction, however, was not launched until 1864 and was finalised seven years later. In 1945 the infantry-officers-tract, which leads to the Danube channel, was completely destroyed, but was rebuilt in the original way to a large extent. After the Second World War was over the Rossauer barracks became the federal police headquarters

Korina at the Rossauer Kaserne at Schlickplatz

Korina & Robert

St. Stephen's Cathedral

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Austria's most eminent Gothic edifice, houses a wealth of art treasures, some of which can only be seen during a guided tour: The red-marble sepulcher of Emperor Frederick III, sculpted from 1467 to 1513 by Niclas Gerhaert van Leyden; the pulpit, a work from 1514-15 by Anton Pilgram (who put his own relief portrait underneath it as his signature); the Altarpiece of Wiener Neustadt (Wiener Neustädter Altar), a Gothic winged altar from 1447 - and the tomb of Prince Eugene of Savoy, dating from 1754
 

You can climb the 343 steps to the tower-keeper's room of St. Stephen's and enjoy a breathtaking view over Vienna
 

The Gemaldegalerie with it's interesting facade of statues

The Gate into Hofburg Palace from Ringstraße

The Hofburg Palace

The Hofburg Palace is located in the center of the city.It consist in several impresive buildings,and this complex was never completely finished as originally planned,as a part of the imperial quarter.The diferent areas of the palace feature examples from the entire history of architectural styles from the Ghotic to Neo-Classic

Right now here you can see a few very interesting museums,and also is next to the palace the National Library.If you want to know a little bit more about the Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife "Sissi" don't mis a visit to the Imperial Appartments or (Kaiser Apartaments).Another nice place to see here is The Spanish Riding School (Spanische Reitschule),here you can see during mornigs some beautiful horse demostrations

Horse & Carriage through Heldenplatz in front of the Hofburg

Around the Palace Grounds

The Monument to Archduke Charles, which faces the Statue of Prince Eugéne across Heldenplatz (Heroes Square)

Heldenplatz & the Hofburg

The Volksgarten with the Temple of Theseus, and The Burgtheater

Robert in the Votivkirchen Park

A highlights of the train journey from Munich to Vienna is the Melk, the "Cradle of Austria" , it is a magnificent Benedictine Abbey, a pearl of the Austrian Baroque, and is situated on a hill above the Danube between the historic Austrian City's of Salzburg and Vienna

All photographs were taken in Vienna - Austria from the 3rd to 7th April 2002.