Top 35 Attractions in Austria

Austria offers tourists a wide range of attractions of various kinds - culture, ancient castles, architecture and museums. Many of the museums are included in the lists of the best not only in Europe but also in the world. Their expositions will surprise even the most sophisticated art historian. Classical music lovers visit the Vienna Opera, as well as the birthplace of Mozart - Salzburg.

In Austria, many castles and palaces of the Middle Ages have been preserved. Their architecture impresses with a variety of styles, luxury and grandeur. Most of the country is occupied by the Alps. The indescribable beauty of the mountains in summer and winter can be observed from countless viewing platforms, castle and church towers. And for a better study of the picturesque landscapes in the mountains, railways and roads are laid.

What to see and where to go in Austria?

The most interesting and beautiful places, photos and a brief description.

Historic center of Vienna

Tourist and business district in the center of Vienna. Also called "inner city". Included in the list of objects protected by UNESCO. It has preserved castles, streets and parks of the 19th century. On the site of the demolished fortress wall, the Ringstrasse street was laid, which separates the historical center from the rest of the city. It houses the Museum Quarter. The center of the inner city is St. Stephen's Square with the cathedral of the same name.

Old town of Salzburg

The narrow streets of the city amaze with their beauty. No wonder this popular place among tourists is included in the UNESCO heritage list. There are many styles of architecture - baroque, renaissance, romanticism. One of the main objects for inspection are the Salzburg Cathedral, the house where Mozart was born and lived, and the Hohensalzburg fortress, located in the rocks of the mountains. Authentic cafes with bright and colorful signs are also praised.

Hallstatt

Located on the shore of a mountain lake in the Alps in western Austria. Tourists come here for the scenic views. Small cozy houses of this small town are beautifully reflected in the clear mountain water of the lake. The top of the mountains and the caves of the Dachstein can be reached by cable car. But the best photos, according to tourists, are obtained from the observation deck at the Protestant Church of Christ, built in the 18th century.

Hofburg (Vienna)

The residence of the Habsburg dynasty, built in 1278. Luxurious castle, the architecture of which is represented by several styles. The Swiss courtyard was built in the Renaissance style, and the chapel was built in the Gothic style. The imperial treasury attracts special attention of tourists. It contains an incredible collection of artifacts, relics of power and jewels. In total, there are more than twenty different museums on the territory of the palace.

Palace complex Belvedere

Built at the beginning of the 18th century. The inner chambers amaze with their luxury - the Marble Gallery, the Golden Cabinet, the walls are decorated with bas-reliefs. At present, the Art Gallery is located in the palaces of the complex. Her collection is represented by canvases of different years - from the Middle Ages to the present. The three-level garden of the complex is laid out in the French style. It is decorated with a fountain with two cascades and antique sculptures.

Schönbrunn Palace

Residence of emperors in the style of the Austrian Baroque. Its construction ended in 1713, it lasted 17 years. Later, at the request of Empress Maria Theresa, a theater was attached to the palace, and at the behest of her husband, a zoo. There are more than 1000 rooms in the palace, only 40 are available to tourists for inspection. A large park complex is laid out around the palace. It houses a green labyrinth and a greenhouse with exotic plants.

Schönbrunn Zoo

Built in 1752, it bears the title of the oldest zoo in the world. One of the few zoos that keep giant pandas. The zoo has a terrarium, and in the aquarium you can walk along the bottom of the Amazon. There are guided tours, including those especially for children and at night. In 2002, in honor of the anniversary of the zoo, a 5 euro coin was issued with the image of the central pavilion of the zoo and animals against its background.

Prater Park (Vienna)

Located on the banks of the Danube. Founded in 1766 by Emperor Joseph II. The park is divided into two zones - the "green" zone and the zone of attractions. The most popular attractions are the children's railway and the 60 meters high Ferris wheel. The park also has a chain carousel - the highest in the world. When rotating, its part rises to 117 meters. In the "green" zone there is a hippodrome, a stadium, sports grounds and a velodrome.

Fortress Hohensalzburg

Built on top of Mount Festung in 1077. From Salzburg, it can be reached by funicular. The fortress museum presents the history of the fortress itself and the military history of Austria. The Hohensalzburg fortress often hosts various events - concerts and festivals. The most luxurious and beautiful places of the fortress are the Golden Chamber and the princely chambers, decorated with precious stones and rich ornaments.

Hellbrunn Palace (Salzburg)

Built at the beginning of the 17th century. This is the residence of the Archbishop of Salzburg, which has been preserved almost in its original form. The park of the palace is decorated with cracker fountains, ponds and many sculptures. In the crevice of the mountain, an open-air Stone Theater is arranged. A feature of the park is a mechanical theater. It is a small city with figurines of inhabitants moving to the sounds of an organ. The mechanisms of the organ and figurines are moved by a jet of water.

Mirabell Palace and Gardens (Salzburg)

The baroque palace was built for his beloved woman by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Reitenau in 1606. To emphasize the splendor of the palace, he ordered a magnificent garden to be built around. The park complex and the palace are included in the UNESCO heritage list. The best creations of the castle are the Marble Hall and the Marble Staircase. The park is notable for its rose garden and greenhouse, as well as two fountains - the Big Fountain and Pegasus.

Schlossberg Castle (Graz)

Built in 1125 as a defensive fortress. Located on a mountain 450 meters high. Cultural events are now taking place on the site of the casemates in the courtyard. Thanks to good acoustics, even classical music concerts are held here. A good view opens from the observation deck at the Clock Tower. An unusual sight is the Schlossberg steps, built during the First World War.

Eggenberg Castle (Graz)

The princely residence, decorated in the spirit of Prince Eggenberg's hobby - astronomy. The number of rooms in the castle corresponds to the number of weeks in a year, windows to the number of days in a year. 24 office premises is 24 hours a day. At the same time, the architect built the castle in the Renaissance style. Currently, the palace houses a collection of paintings - more than 600 paintings, as well as an archaeological exhibition and an art museum.

Ambras Castle (Innsbruck)

A popular place among event tourists. They come to the events taking place in this castle - the Innsbruck Early Music Festival and the annual Renaissance festival. They take place in one of the most beautiful halls of the Renaissance - the Spanish Hall of the castle. The wall paintings in it depict the rulers of the Tyrolean lands. Also in the castle there is an interesting collection of weapons, jewelry, art objects.

St. Stephen's Cathedral (Vienna)

This Catholic cathedral is a symbol of the capital of Austria. Built in the 12th century in the Gothic style. The height of the tallest tower is 136 meters. There are many sights in the cathedral - a Gothic altar of 1447, the tombstone of Emperor Frederick III made of red marble, the Poch miraculous icon. The decorations of the cathedral are bright patterns on the roof of multi-colored tiles, pylons with rich carvings, skillful stained-glass windows.

Church of St. Peter (Vienna)

Church with majestic baroque architecture. It hosts daily organ music concerts, and admission to daytime concerts is free. Inside the church is finished with marble. The molding is decorated with gold and silver. The monastery depicts the Holy Trinity, to which the construction of the church is dedicated, as well as the Face of the Queen of Heaven. Relics with particles of the relics of saints were delivered from Rome to the Church of St. Peter.

Monastery in Melk

The monastery is located in the Wachau valley on the rocky bank of the Danube. Built in 1702-1746 and included in the UNESCO heritage list. It is a gigantic baroque building. The interior is also impressive - the pilasters decorating the marble hall are finished with red marble, the golden altar. The ceiling is decorated with frescoes. On two floors of the monastery there is the largest library of old books in Austria - more than 80,000 volumes.

Salzburg Cathedral

Included in the list of the most beautiful temples in the world. It is a magnificent example of Renaissance architecture. The height of the majestic dome is 79 meters. The facade is made of marble, it is decorated with two towers 81 meters high. The capacity of the cathedral is 10,000 people. The interior of the cathedral is made in the Baroque style and decorated with frescoes and paintings. The great composer Wolfgang Mozart was baptized in a bronze font.

Vienna City Hall

It was built according to the project of the famous architect Schmidt in the Neo-Gothic style in 1872-1883. The tallest tower of the town hall rises 105 meters above the ground. It has a statue of "Rathausman" 3.5 meters high. The main hall of the town hall, 20 meters wide and 71 meters long, is decorated with sculptures of famous citizens of Vienna. In it, as well as in the adjacent premises, up to 800 events are held annually - exhibitions, balls, concerts.

Vienna State Opera

The Vienna Opera is called the musical capital of the world. It was headed at different times by such musicians as Gustav Mahler, Lorin Maazel, Clemens Kraus, Karl Böhm. The graceful and refined building is especially beautiful in the evening. Under the lights of the ramps, the sculptures of muses made of marble on the facade of the building seem to be shining. Every year, the State Opera hosts the Vienna Opera Ball, in which even the President of Austria takes part.

Museum Quarter (Vienna)

Located on the site of the emperor's court stables. The reconstruction of the building for the Exhibition Pavilion began in 1921. The construction of all buildings of the quarter was completed only in 2001. More than 20 museums of various subjects are located in the Museum Quarter. The most famous of them are the Leopold Museum, the Kunsthalle and the Museum of Modern Art. Art events take place in the MuseumsQuartier as part of the Vienna Festival.

Kunsthistorisches Museum and Natural History Museum

The museums are located opposite each other and were opened at the same time - in 1889. They are located in the Historic Center of Vienna and are identical in appearance. The Museum of Natural History has a lot of exhibits that are not found in any other place. For example, a stuffed animal of an extinct Steller's cow and a diplodocus skeleton. The collection of works and exhibits in the Museum of Art History is among the top five in the world.

Albertina (Vienna)

Museum in the center of Vienna. The collection was assembled by Duke Albert for the education of morality in future generations. The basis of the collection is the world's largest collection of graphics - more than a million exhibits. These are engravings, drawings, architectural drawings and photographs, including works by Rubens, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael. In addition, the gallery presents paintings by Monet and Picasso, as well as other famous artists.

Kunsthaus (Graz)

Gallery of contemporary art. It is located in a building of an unusual shape, which is why it received a second unusual name - “friendly alien”. The convex building of the gallery was built in the style of modern architecture "blob". It looks like reinforced concrete, but is made of blue plastic panels. On the facade of the building there are many luminous elements. The backlight is controlled by a computer.

Hangar-7 Red Bull (Salzburg)

This unusual museum will be of interest not only to those who are fond of extreme and technical sports. The Angara-7 building itself is extremely interesting - a structure made of metal supports holds a giant glass dome. It was built on the territory of the airport. The main theme of the museum is aeronautics. Among the exhibits there are both pleasure and sports aircraft. The museum also has a collection of Formula 1 racing cars.

Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Wattens)

Created in 1995 for the anniversary of Swarovski. This museum displays installations made of Swarovski crystals. Built in the form of a labyrinth of 13 rooms, it also has a shop, a restaurant, separate rooms for VIP collectors and special exhibitions. The entrance to the museum is made in the form of a giant's head, from whose mouth a waterfall erupts. The museum itself is underground. Two crystals of the museum are included in the Guinness Book of Records.

Hohe Tauern

This 181,500 ha national park sits on the highest mountain range in Austria. Mountain peaks in it reach a height of more than 3000 meters. The slopes are covered with meadows and dense forests. Athletes-alpinists often come here. There are guided tours for hikers. The most popular of them lead to the Golling and Krimml waterfalls, as well as to the Lichtensteinklamm mountain gorge.

Cable car Nordkettenbahn

Located in the city of Innsbruck. The funicular delivers everyone to the mountain peak Hafelekar with a height of 2256 meters. The cable car ride from the city center takes 20 minutes. The route passes through several stations, some of them are made in the form of glaciers. From the top of the mountain you have a view of the snow-covered mountain landscapes, the valley of the Inn River and the city of Innsbruck itself. The cable car operates all year round.

Untersberg

Mountain near Salzburg - in the Untersberg Nature Park. You can climb the mountain by cable car. Its top station is at an altitude of 1853 meters. There lies snow, clouds float by. The view of the city from the top of the mountain is comparable to the view from the window of an airplane. From the station there are several hiking trails along the mountain range. Many tourists find the Schellenberg ice cave on the mountainside interesting.

Eisriesenwelt cave

The largest ice cave in the world. Ice is preserved in it all year round. The depth of the cave is 407 meters, the length is 42 km. The cave is popular with tourists, with about 150,000 visitors a year. However, the entrance to it is open only from May to October. The rest of the time there is a danger of avalanches. You can get to the cave by cable car. Carbide lamps are provided for the duration of the visit.

Pasterze Glacier

The largest glacier in Austria. Located in the Alps, at the foot of the Grossglockner mountain on the Hohe Tauern ridge. Its length is 9 km. The maximum height is 2100 meters above sea level. The glacier has been continuously melting and descending since 1856. However, since 2003, due to climate change, the melting rate has increased. A visit to this ice mass is one of the most popular tourist routes in Austria.

Grossglockner high road

The serpentine of this mountain road consists of 36 turns. Its length is 48 km. The road is tolled, but, nevertheless, more than one million people pass through it every year. They are attracted by the opportunity to see the picturesque views of the Hohe Tauern and the Central Alps. The maximum high point of the road is located on the Khoktor pass at an altitude of 2504 meters above sea level. The road passes Pasterze Glacier and Grossglockner Mountain.

Semmering Railway

The world's first mountain railway. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The oldest section of the road, 42 km long, was built in 1848-1854. Due to the complexity of the terrain, the builders had to build more than 100 stone bridges, 16 viaducts, and cut through 14 tunnels. There is a picturesque mountain area around the road. Near the railway route there are balneological and ski resorts.

Wachau cultural landscape

Section of the valley located between the cities of Melk and Krems. Included in the list of objects protected by UNESCO, thanks to the many monuments of history, archeology and culture. The unique traditions of winemaking and fruit growing have been preserved in the valley. The cultural landscape of the valley with its landscapes shows the history of civilization from the Paleolithic to the present. Picturesque views of the valley attract writers and artists.

Alps

These mountains, known throughout the world, occupy half of the territory of Austria. Millions of ski lovers come to Austria for the opportunity to visit the country's snow resorts. The landscape of the Eastern Alps of Austria is distinguished by picturesque valleys, they have many routes to natural monuments. You can climb many mountain peaks by funicular and enjoy the mountain scenery and clean air.