Transfer from Vienna to Hallstatt

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Vienna (German Wien) is the capital of Austria, also a statutory city and, since January 1, 1922, one of its federal states, completely surrounded by the territory of the federal state of Lower Austria. It lies on the Danube River and, with its approximately 1.91 million inhabitants, is Austria's largest city and, at the same time, the most important political, economic and cultural center of the country. The historic center of Vienna was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001. In the 2011 global list of cities according to the quality of life compiled by Mercer, Vienna ranked first. At a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Krakow in July 2017, it was decided to include the historic center.

Stephansplatz

The Stephansplatz is a square at the geographical centre of Vienna. It is named after its most prominent building, the Stephansdom, Vienna's cathedral and one of the tallest churches in the world. Before the 20th century, a row of houses separated Stephansplatz from Stock-im-Eisen-Platz, but since their destruction, the name Stephansplatz started to be used for the wider area covering both. To the west and south, respectively, run the exclusive shopping streets Graben (literally "ditch") and Kärntner Straße ("Kärnten" is the German for Carinthia). Opposite the Stephansdom is the Haas-Haus, a piece of striking modern architecture by Hans Hollein. Although public opinion was originally skeptical about the combination of the mediaeval cathedral and the glass and steel building, it is now considered an example of how old and new architecture can mix harmoniously.

Vienna City Hall 

Built between 1872 and 1883 according to the plans of the architect Friedrich von Schmidt, the Vienna City Hall is one of the many historicizing buildings that were built along the Ringstraße at this time. The facade of the town hall is an example of a Neo-Gothic secular building. The exterior, especially the 98-meter-high tower, is inspired by the tradition of Flemish Gothic town halls. The mayor of Vienna, the governor of the state of Vienna and the city council reside here. It stands on the Rathausplatz square in Vienna's 1st Inner City district (Innere Stadt).

Hundertwasserhaus

The Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna is one of the most famous works of the architect, painter and sculptor Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Together with him, the architect Josef Krawina participated in the designs. The original function of the house consisted in housing socially weaker people, in the end it is more of a tourist attraction. Vienna can be proud of it since 1985, when it was completed. The appearance of Hundertwasser's house is a reflection of his lifelong claims and thoughts. So it does not contain straight or even in any way regular lines. The facade contains many colorful colors and the house is covered with greenery both outside and inside.

Hofburg

The Viennese castle complex is neither built on an impregnable rock nor surrounded by a moat, as we would expect in the case of a castle, but is located right in the center of the city. The construction of the Hofburg as a royal residence was started in 1279 and until 1918 the kings and emperors of the Habsburg family really lived here. Today, the Austrian president lives permanently in a part of the castle, specifically in the Leopold Wing. The Hofburg underwent three main construction phases, which are still visible on its exteriors today. The castle underwent the most extensive changes at the beginning of the 20th century, when an entire new wing was completed. The expansion was supposed to continue, but the work was stopped due to the First World War. The courtyard of Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square) went down in history on March 15, 1938, when Adolf Hitler announced the so-called Anschluss here and was greeted enthusiastically by the crowd. Visitors to the Hofburg have plenty of opportunities to get to know the castle interiors. The most popular are, of course, the Imperial Chambers, which now includes the iconic Sissi Museum. You must not miss the so-called Schatzkammer, the treasury with the Habsburg crown jewels. If you have more time in Vienna, we recommend visiting the show of the Spanish Riding School with the famous Lipizzaner.

Ringstrasse

On the map of the center of Vienna, it is clearly visible where the defensive fortifications of the old city led. The ramparts were demolished in 1858 by the decision of Francis Joseph I, and in their place was created a large building area with a length of more than 5 km, which was used to build a road bypass of the city on the one hand and, on the other hand, representative examples of the Habsburg Empire. Between 1860 and 1890, a total of 12 magnificent buildings were built here, from the opera to museums to the town hall. The first completed building on the Ringstrasse was the state opera. The building was realized by the Czech architect Josef Hlávka. The first performance in it was Mozart's opera Don Giovanni, which had its world premiere in Prague's Nostic Theatre. The construction of the parliament began after the Austro-Hungarian settlement took place. However, the parliament of this newly formed empire did not sit here for long. After 35 years since its completion, the establishment of the Republic of Austria was announced from the steps of the parliament. The town hall is usually the main point of interest for tourists who come to Vienna for the Advent markets. In the run-up to Christmas, markets with lots of Christmas items are set up in the square in front of the town hall, and Advent concerts are held in the premises of the town hall.

Museum district

The Museumsquartier is located on the Ringstrasse and consists of two mirror-built buildings in a grand historicist style, to the right is the Naturhistorisches Museum, i.e. the Natural History Museum, which is worth a visit thanks to its huge vivarium (a facility for breeding alien species that is intended to mimic their natural environment as closely as possible ). The building on the left houses the Kunsthistorisches Museum, i.e. the Art History Museum, which boasts the fourth largest art collection in the world. In addition to the world's largest collection of Bruegel, you will find paintings by other important artists such as Raphael, Cranach, van Dyck, Rubens and others. The entire museum district is closed by the modern art building, which was opened in 2001. It houses the largest collection of Egon Schiele in the world, as well as works by Gustav Klimt and Oskar Kokoschka.

Belvedere

Probably the most beautiful palace complex in all of Vienna is the work of the architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. The palace was built for the prominent Austrian general Eugene of Savoy, who was instrumental in expelling the Turks from the gates of Vienna. The entire Belvedere is made up of two parts - the Upper and Lower Castle. The upper castle was built for representative purposes, political and social gatherings, balls and celebrations with fireworks, which the prince is said to have loved. On the contrary, Dolní was conceived as a garden palace intended primarily for the prince's private purposes. Belvedere Castle was used by Francis Ferdinand d'Este as his Viennese family residence until his death in 1914. Today, an exhibition of artists from the beginning of the 20th century is installed in the Upper Castle.

Schönbrunn

Compared to the Hofburg, Schönbrunn is considered a model imperial palace. With its yellow symmetrical facade full of decorative details, it is a prime example of the late Baroque and the crowning work of the Habsburg court architect Johann Fischer of Erlach. There are 1,440 rooms in the palace and in its heyday it served more than 1,000 people. Schöne Brunnen means "beautiful spring" and this truly beautiful resting place became the permanent summer residence of the Habsburgs from the time of Maria Theresa. Emperor Francis Joseph I was born and died in the castle, and the last Austro-Hungarian emperor Charles I resigned here in 1918. The Schönbrunn castle complex has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996. If you are in the grounds of the castle, be sure not to miss a tour of the sumptuously decorated state halls. It will transport you to the time when Mozart played here as a six-year-old child prodigy, when Napoleon sat here or when Francis Joseph spent his free time here.

Prater

The Prater Park was originally built as a resting place for noblemen and noblewomen who came here for horse and carriage rides. It was first opened to the public by Joseph II. in 1766 and the Ferris wheel, which was built on the site 100 years later, became an unmistakable symbol of the Prater. Today, you can find a huge amusement park, sports stadiums and a football museum in Prater.

Hallstatt is a small town in the district of Gmunden, in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Located between the southwestern shores of Hallstätter See and the steep slopes of the Dachstein massif, the town lies in the Salzkammergut region, at an altitude of 508 meters above sea level. The individual houses of the village are crowded together on a narrow strip of coast between high mountains, some of them are partially built on stilts sunk into the lake. The village basically consists of a single street and a small marketplace.

Hallstatt is known for its production of salt, dating back to prehistoric times, and gave its name to the Hallstatt culture, the archaeological culture linked to Proto-Celtic and early Celtic people of the Early Iron Age in Europe, c. 800–450 BC.

The inhabitants of Hallstatt profess mainly Catholic or Evangelical Christianity. There are two churches in the village, with the much younger evangelical church reaching the tip of its tower roughly to the height of the parish Catholic church, which was built on higher ground due to floods.

Hallstatt is at the core of the Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape declared as one of the World Heritage Sites in Austria by UNESCO in 1997. It is an area of overtourism.

More info about Hallstatt: hallstatt.net