According to Top-mba-universities, Austria.Austria is divided into 9 lands, each of which is entangled in a network of excursion routes. The capital of Austria – Vienna – is located in the eastern part of the country in the middle reaches of the Danube River. The visiting card of the Austrian capital is the famous Viennese cafes, of which there are about a hundred. In the central part of the Old Town, on the square of the same name, stands St. Stephen’s Cathedral with the “Ducal Crypt”, where representatives of the Habsburg dynasty are buried. Not far from here are the Hofburg Imperial Palace, the construction of which began even before the accession to the throne of the Habsburgs with the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Kunsthistorisches Museum) and the Museum of Natural History, and the 17th century Capuchin Church, where representatives of the imperial family were buried from the moment it was founded.
Main street of Vienna – the famous boulevard Ringstrasse. It is laid out in a semicircle on the site of the former city walls that surrounded Vienna ‘s Old Town. On this “Boulevard Ring” are the most expensive and respectable establishments in Vienna.
In the southeastern part of the city, the Belvedere palace complex of the early 18th century, which houses the Gallery of Austrian Art, is of interest, and in the western part of Vienna, the Schönbrunn Palace with a vast park. Be sure to visit Vienna’s Museum Quarter, which covers an area of 60 thousand square meters. m and includes the Leopold Museum (with a collection of works by Schiele), the Museum of Modern Art, the Center for Architecture and the Exhibition Hall.
Near the southwestern outskirts of Vienna, a region of dense forests begins “Viennese Forest”, extending over 1250 sq. km. This forest area is several thousand years old. Majestic oaks and beeches grow here. On the territory of the Vienna Woods there is a thermal spa Baden , whose sulfuric springs help in the treatment of many diseases. In the vicinity of Baden, the Cistercian monastery of the 12th century in the village of Heiligenkreuz and the castle of the German knights in Gumpoldskirchen are of interest.
East of Vienna, along the banks of the Danube River, up to the capital of Slovakia – Bratislava – the Donau-Auen National Park extends, where floodplain meadows and wetlands are protected, some of the last untouched by human activity in Central Europe.
65 km west of Vienna is the center of the land of Lower Austria – the city of St. Pölten . It is considered one of the oldest cities in the country, because it received the status of a city in 1159. One of the most beautiful Renaissance palaces, Schallaburg, is located in St. Pölten. From St. Pölten, you can go further northwest to the picturesque Wachau valley, occupied by vineyards. Here you can visit wine cellars and taste real Austrian wine. The ancient city of Dürnstein is also located in the valley. with the Künringerburg castle of the 12th century, where the English king Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned.
To the north of the Wachau valley on the border with the Czech Republic, part of which runs along the Taya River, is the Tayatal National Park with canyons more than 100 m deep.
In the east of Austria is the land of Burgenland, which means “Land of Castles”. In addition to medieval castles, Burgenland is famous for its wine production; the local wines are considered the best in the country. The state capital is the city of Eisenstadt . In the 17-18 centuries, it served as the residence of the influential Hungarian princely family of Esterházy and was one of the cultural centers of Austria-Hungary. From those times, Esterházy Castle has been preserved, which was rebuilt in 1622 from a defensive fortress of the 14th century. In the second half of the 18th century, the great Austrian composer Joseph Haydn was the court composer and chief bandmaster of Esterhazy, so Eisenstadt is often associated with his name. The composer’s museum is located here, and in September the international Haydn Music Festival is held in Eisenstadt. Neusiedlersee, the country’s largest lake, is located 15 km east of Eisenstadt.315 sq. km. The water in the lake is salty, and its surface is covered with reed thickets, among which about 300 species of birds live, including a wide variety of herons. The tourist season lasts on the lake from May to early October, at which time restaurants and bars open and tourists are transported across the lake in special boats. Beaches are equipped along the shores of the lake, the beaches of the eastern shore are especially good. In the summer, steady northwest winds blow here, which make it possible to practice windsurfing. In addition, fishing is allowed on the lake, for which a license is required.
Do not forget that Burgenland is the “Land of Castles”, in the eastern part of the land on the border with Hungary there is a whole series of castles: the oldest castle in Burgenland in Güssinge, built in 1157, the 13th century Bernstein Castle, the 15th century Forchtenstein Castle, the ruins of Burgenland’s largest castle at Landsee, and the 18th century castle at Halbturn. In the southwest, Burgenland borders on the land of Styria. The southern part of Styria is occupied by vineyards, in the east there are numerous castles and springs, and in the north and west mountains stretch. In the administrative center of the state – the city of Graz – it is worth visiting the Schlossberg mountain (473 m), which from the 11th century until 1805 housed the fortress that gave the city its name, and the Schloss-Egenberg castle from 1625, which houses the Alte-Gallery Gallery with a collection of paintings and sculptures dating back to the Romanesque period and ending with the late baroque.
From Graz you can go to the south of Styria, where the famous “Wine Road” passes, along which vineyards, orchards, fields and chestnut forests stretch.
No less interesting are trips to the eastern part of Styria, where castles and thermal springs are located. Riegersburg, the largest Austrian Baroque fortress (13th century), stands on a high cliff 50 km east of Graz. Not far from here in the town of Bad Blumau there is a thermal spa Rogner Bad Blumau, which operates on the basis of three local healing hot springs.
In the north of Styria, be sure to visit the city of Mariazell with its pilgrimage church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (12th century), where the national shrine is kept – a wooden figurine of the Virgin, and the Gesuse National Park, where among the mountain landscapes and dense forests stands the 11th century Benidictine monastery Admond with one of the most largest monastic book depositories in the world.
In the western part of Styria, the picturesque Dachstein-Tauern mountains stretch, which in summer turn into a “mecca” for hiking, and in winter they become a favorite vacation spot for skiers. North of the Dachstein Tauern begins the edge of the lakes Salzkammergut, extending further into the lands of Upper Austria and Salzburg. Here, among the mountains, there are about 80 lakes, the largest of which are Wolfgangsee, Mondsee, Fuschlsee, Traunsee, Grundlsee, Ausssee, Attersee, Irrsee, Kamersee and Hallstattersee. All lakes with surrounding mountains form a picturesque alpine landscape and are a great place for summer holidays. In addition, in the Salzkammergut, on the territory of Upper Austria, there is a balneological resort Bad Ischl , which is known as the “Royal Spa”, because here, since the 19th century, representatives of the imperial family of the Habsburgs have been treated.
The administrative center of the state Upper Austria is the city of Linz located on the Danube River. In 799, the Martinskirche church was built here – now the oldest functioning church in Austria. In the Old Town of Linz, it is worth seeing the castle of Linz (13th century), which has been the residence of Emperor Frederick III since the 15th century. In 2009 Linz was chosen as the European Capital of Culture. This choice cannot be called accidental, because since ancient times Linz has been considered the center of culture and education in Austria, numerous museums, theaters, concert and exhibition halls are located here.
In Upper Austria there are many ancient monasteries. The most famous is located 15 km southeast of Linz monastery St. Florian. The construction of the monastery monastery began in the 4th century AD, but the monastery acquired its modern appearance in 1751. Also in the vicinity of Linz, it is worth visiting the city of Lambach, where a Benedictine abbey was founded in 1056; the city of Krumsmünster with the Benedictine abbey of 777, which is famous for its Imperial Hall and observatory; the abbey of the Cistercian order (1146) in Wilhering; an Augustinian abbey (1084) at Reichersberg and a Trappist monastery (1293) at Engelszell. In the western part of the Upper Austria in the Salzkammergut region mentioned above on the shores of Lake Mondsee is the oldest monastery in Upper Austria Mondsee. The Benidictine monastery was founded in 748. It was here that the first Austrian manuscript psalter was created in 788. The church of St. Michael (15th century) has been preserved from the buildings of the monastery to this day.
In addition to the monasteries in Upper Austria, you can go to the ruins of the largest castle in this land – Schaunberg Castle, whose area before the destruction was 17,500 square meters. m. The first mention of the castle is found in historical sources under 1161.
In the southeastern part of Upper Austria, on the slopes of the Alps, is located Kalkalpen National Park. Most of the park is covered with forests, and there are about 30 different types of forests. In addition to forests in the park, you can see alpine meadows and pastures, mountain rivers and streams, as well as karst caves formed as a result of erosion of limestone rocks by water flows.
From the west, Upper Austria borders on the state of Salzburg . Salzburg in translation means “salt castle”, as the region has long been known as the center of the salt industry. The central city of the land is Salzburg . It is located just 5 km from the border with Germany at the foot of the Alps on the banks of the Salzach River. Of the ancient buildings, the male Benedictine abbey of St. Peter, founded in the 8th century (until the 12th century – the center of the Christian church in the Alps), has survived to this day; the Hohensalzburg fortress from the 16th century with the Nonnberg convent from the 8th century; Old and New residences of the archbishop of the 17th century; Cathedral of the 17th century; Franciscan church of the 13th century; the early 18th century Kollegienkirche and the 1661 Residenzbrunnen fountain.
In Salzburg, on the Getreidegasse, stands the house where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born. Salzburg remembers and honors its great “son”: the city has a Mozart house-museum, Mozart Square with a monument to the great composer and the Mozarteum University of Music.the Salzburg Music Festival is held, the program of which necessarily includes works by Mozart.
6 km south of Salzburg is Hellbrunn Palace, which was built in 1615 in the early baroque style and served as the summer residence of the archbishop. The palace is surrounded by a park with numerous fountains and statues.
The southern part of Salzburg is occupied by the Eastern Alps. Here are one of the most beautiful canyons of the Eastern Alps – Liechtensteinklamm (the width of the canyon is only 4 m, but the maximum height of its walls reaches 305 m) and the largest ice cave in the world – the Eisriesenwelt cave (length – 42 km), as well as the most popular ski European zones: European ski region, uniting the small towns of Zell am See and Kaprun ; and Ski Amade, which brings together 28 ski resorts, among them Flachau , Bad Gastein and the Styrian Schladming . The southern border of the Ski Amadé ski region runs along the northern slopes of Austria ‘s highest ridge – the Hohe Tauern – on the outskirts of the national park of the same name. There are several mountain peaks here, more than 3000 m high, including Mount Grossglockner (3798 meters) – the highest peak in Austria. A high-altitude highway is laid through the ridge, which leads from Salzburg to the south of Carinthia. On the southern slopes of the Hohe Tauern, but already in Carinthia, there are 2 ski resorts: Flattach and Heiligenblut. They differ from other ski resorts in Austria with fewer tourists and steeper slopes.
In general, the land of Carinthia is a land of picturesque mountains and more than 1000 lakes. The administrative center of the state is the city of Klagenfurt . It stands on the eastern shore of Lake Wörthersee and one of its main attractions is the city beach. You can have a great rest in the western resort towns of Pertschach and Velden, where tourists are offered numerous hotels and long beaches, and on the nearby lakes Ossiachsee, Faakersee and Millstättersee.
In addition to its picturesque nature, Carinthia is famous for its historical monuments: medieval cities, castles and monasteries. To the north of Klagenfurt is the most ancient city of Carinthia – Friesach, where in 860 the Petersberg fortress was built. The tower, sections of the fortress walls and defensive ditches have survived to this day from the fortress. On the western shore of Lake Wörthersee is another ancient city – Filach, who received city rights in 1240. Philach is located in the picturesque valley of the Drava river. In the city, it is worth seeing the ruins of Landskron Castle, the Gothic Church of the Holy Cross and the neo-Gothic Church of St. Nicholas. In the northwestern part of Carinthia, on the slopes of the Hohe Tauern mountain range, is the city of Gmund, the symbol of which is the castle of the same name from the 13th century. In addition, the Porsche car factory is located in Gmünde, where a private museum with more than 30 models of cars of this brand has been opened. Also interesting in Carinthia are the ancient castles that stand on the tops of high cliffs: Hochosterwitz (9th century) and Griffen (12th century); the chic Porcia Palace (16th century) in the Renaissance style; Romanesque churches in Gürk and Maria Saal and the 11th century Benedictine abbeys at St. Paul, Ossiach and Millstatt.
In the southern part of Carinthia, on the border with Italy, there is the sunniest ski resort in Austria, Nassfeld-Hermagor, and in the northern part of Carinthia, the ski resort Bad Kleinkirchheim , which has also established itself as an excellent balneo-climatic resort.
The western part of Austria is occupied by two lands: Vorarlberg and Tyrol. The state capital of Vorarlberg is Bregenz – stands on the southern shore of Lake Constance. The city is known for its annual festival which starts in July and ends in August. For the Bregenz Festival, the Lake Stage was built, accommodating 6300 spectators. During the festival, theatrical performances and operas are shown on it, and concerts are held. The best place for walking in Bregenz is the embankment of Lake Constance. Boats depart from here, offering unforgettable trips on Lake Constance. Traveling from Bregenz _along the Bregenz forest, which extends south of the capital; go to the Alpine mountain region, where the Wolsertal Biosphere Reserve is located, where, following ancient traditions, delicious chocolates and cheeses are produced, and where ski resorts are located. Skiing can be practiced in the Arlberg Valley. It is located on the border of Vorarlberg and Tyrol. The Arlberg has the popular ski resort Lech on the Vorarlberg side, and San Anton on the Tyrol side.
In addition to San Anton in Tyrol, located in the heart of the Alps, there are many ski regions that are considered among the best in the country. This is the metropolitan Innsbruck ski region, which includes 9 ski areas, the ski area Silvretta Arena, which includes the Austrian resort of Ischgl, the Otztal valley with the resort of Sölden , the Zillertal valley with the resort of Zell am Ziller , the resort of Kitzbühel and the resort of Seefeld .
The capital of Tyrol – Innsbruck – offers tourists a lot of hotels, hotels, restaurants, shops, a very interesting excursion program and unlimited opportunities for skiing, snowboarding and hiking. Among the sights of the historical center of the city, one can single out the Golden Roof building, on the facade of which there is a three-story balcony with a gilded roof, which was erected in the 15th century by order of Maximilian I; the court church Hofkirche with the Bronze gravestone of Maximilian I; the Hofburg palace complex (14th-18th centuries); the castle-museum of Ambrass, where collections of art objects are kept, which Archduke Ferdinand II began to collect; and the Ferdinandeum Local History Museum of Tyrol, which exhibits works of art from the Baroque and Gothic eras.
East of Innsbruck, in the city of Wattens, the Crystal Museum is located in an underground cave. Austrian company “Svarovski” – “Crystal worlds of Swarovski”. The museum consists of 7 halls where you can see the largest and smallest crystals in the world, unusual crystal products and even walls and paths made of crystals. Not far from here is the city of Hal with an 11th century castle and a 15th century mint. To the northeast in the Karwendel mountains is the largest lake in the land of Tyrol – Ahnsee. The water in the lake is very clean, almost drinkable. In summer, the water here warms up to +20 degrees. This is a great place for summer holidays. There are several resort villages on the shores of the lake. In the vicinity of the lake , the Trazberg castle of the 13th century with the armory and the Freundsberg castle of the 11th century are of interest.
