Vienna

Vienna(/viˈɛnə/vee-EN-ə;German:Wien[viːn];Austro-Bavarian:Wean[veɐ̯n]) is the capital,most populous city, and one ofnine federal statesofAustria. It is Austria'sprimate city, with just over two million inhabitants.Its largermetropolitan areahas a population of nearly 2.9 million,representing nearly one-third of the country's population. Vienna is thecultural,economic, andpoliticalcenter of the country, thefifth-largest city by populationin theEuropean Union, and the most-populous of thecities on the Danube river.
The city lies on the eastern edge of theVienna Woods(Wienerwald), the northeasternmost foothills of theAlps, that separate Vienna from the more western parts of Austria, at the transition to thePannonian Basin. It sits on theDanube, and is traversed by the highly regulatedWienfluss(Vienna River). Vienna is completely surrounded byLower Austria, and lies around 50 km (31 mi) west ofSlovakiaand its capitalBratislava, 60 km (37 mi) northwest ofHungary, and 60 km (37 mi) south ofMoravia(Czech Republic).
The onceCelticsettlement ofVeduniawas converted by theRomansinto thecastrumVindobona(province ofPannonia) in the 1st century, and was elevated to amunicipiumwith Roman city rights in 212. This was followed by a time in the sphere of influence of theLombardsand later thePannonian Avars, whenSlavsformed the majority of the region's population.From the 8th century on, the region was settled by theBaiuvarii. In 1155, Vienna became the seat of theBabenbergs, who ruled Austria from 976 to 1246. In 1221, Vienna was granted city rights. During the 16th century, theHabsburgs, who had succeeded the Babenbergs, established Vienna as the seat of theemperorsof theHoly Roman Empire, a position it held until the empire's dissolution in 1806, with only a brief interruption. With the formation of theAustrian Empirein 1804, Vienna became the capital of it and all its successor states.
Throughout themodern era, Vienna has been among the largest German-speaking cities in the world. It was the largest in the 18th and 19th century, peaking at two million inhabitants before it was overtaken byBerlinat the beginning of the 20th century.Vienna is host to many majorinternational organizations, including the United Nations,OPECand theOSCE. In 2001, the city center was designated aUNESCO World Heritage Site. In July 2017, it was moved to the list ofWorld Heritage in Danger.
Vienna has been called the "City of Music"due to its musical legacy, as many famous classical musicians such asBeethoven,Brahms,Bruckner,Haydn,Mahler,Mozart,Schoenberg,Schubert,Johann Strauss IandJohann Strauss IIlived and worked there.It played a pivotal role as a leading European music center, from the age ofViennese Classicismthrough the early part of the 20th century. Vienna was home to the world's first psychoanalyst,Sigmund Freud.The historic center of Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles, including Baroque palaces and gardens, and the late-19th-centuryRingstraße, which is lined with grand buildings, monuments, and parks.
In 2024, Vienna retained its position asmost livable cityper theEconomist Intelligence Unit, and has spent every year since 2015 in the top 2 places, bar 2021 due to theCOVID-19 lockdowns.
The place is mentioned asΟϋι[νδ]όβονα (Oui[nd]obona)in the 2nd century AD (Ptolemy,Geography, II, 14, 3);Vindobonain the 3rd century (Itinerarium Antonini Augusti233, 8);Vindobonain the 4th century (Tabula Peutingeriana, V, 1);Vindomanaab. 400 (Notitia Dignitatum, 145, 16);Vindomina, Vendominain the 6th century (Jordanes,De origine actibusque Getarum, 50, 264).
The English nameViennais borrowed from the homonymous Italian name. The German nameWiencomes from the name of the riverWien, mentionedad UUeniamin 881 (Wenia-in modern writing).
The name of the Roman settlement on the same emplacement is of Celtic extractionVindobona, probably meaning "white village, white settlement" from Celtic roots,vindo-, meaning "white" (Old Irishfind"white", Welshgwyn/gwenn, Old Bretonguinn"white, bright" > Bretongwenn"white"), and-bona"foundation, settlement, village",related to Old Irishbun"base, foundation" and Welshbon, same meaning.The Celtic wordvindosmay reflect a widespread prehistoricalcult of Vindos, a Celticdeitywho survives inIrish mythologyas the warrior andseerFionn mac Cumhaill.A variant of this Celtic name could be preserved in theCzech,Slovak,PolishandUkrainiannames of the city (Vídeň,Viedeň,WiedeńandВіденьrespectively) and in that of the city's districtWieden.
The name of the city inHungarian(Bécs),Serbo-Croatian(Beč,Беч) andOttoman Turkish(بچ,Beç) has a different, probablySlavonicorigin, and originally referred to anAvarfort in the area.Slovenespeakers call the cityDunaj, which in other Central European Slavic languages means the riverDanube, on which the city stands.
In the 1st century, theRomansset up themilitary campofVindobonainPannoniaon the site of today's Vienna city center near the Danube with an adjoining civilian town to secure theborders of the Roman Empire. Construction of the legionary camp began around 97 AD. At its peak, Vindobona had a population of around 15,000 people. It was a part of a trade and communications network across the Empire. Roman emperorMarcus Aureliusmay have died here in 180 AD during a campaign against theMarcomanni.
After a Germanic invasion in the second century the city was rebuilt. It served as a seat of the Roman government until the fifth century, when the population fled due to theHunsinvasion of Pannonia. The city was abandoned for several centuries.
Evidence of the Romans in the city is plentiful. Remains of the military camp have been found under the city, as well as fragments of thecanal systemand figurines.
Close ties with other Celtic peoples continued through the ages. The Irish monkSaint Colman(or Koloman, IrishColmán, derived fromcolm"dove") is buried in Melk Abbey andSaint Fergil(Virgil the Geometer) served as Bishop of Salzburg for forty years. Irish Benedictines founded twelfth-century monastic settlements; evidence of these ties persists in the form of Vienna's greatSchottenstiftmonastery (Scots Abbey), once home to many Irish monks.
In 976,Leopold I of Babenbergbecame count of theEastern March, a district centered on the Danube on the eastern frontier ofBavaria. This initial district grew into theduchy of Austria. Each succeeding Babenberg ruler expanded the march east along the Danube, eventually encompassing Vienna and the lands immediately east. In 1155,Henry II, Duke of Austriamoved the Babenberg family residence with the founding of theSchottenstiftfromKlosterneuburgin Lower Austria to Vienna.From that time, Vienna remained the center of the Babenberg dynasty.Hungaryoccupied the city between 1485 and 1490.
Vienna became at the turn to the 16th century the seat of theAulic Counciland subsequently later in the 16th century of theHabsburgemperors of theHoly Roman Empirewith an interruption between at the turn to the 17th century until 1806, becoming an important center in the empire.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Christian forces twice stoppedOttomanarmies outside Vienna, in the 1529siege of Viennaand the 1683Battle of Vienna. TheGreat Plague of Viennaravaged the city in 1679, killing nearly a third of its population.
In 1804, during theNapoleonic Wars, Vienna became the capital of the newly formedAustrian Empire. The city continued to play a major role in European and world politics, including hosting theCongress of Viennain 1814–15. The city also saw major uprisings against Habsburg rule in1848, which were suppressed. After theAustro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, Vienna remained the capital of what became theAustro-Hungarian Empire. The city functioned as a center of classical music, for which the title of theFirst Viennese School(Haydn/Mozart/Beethoven) is sometimes applied.
During the latter half of the 19th century, Vienna developed what had previously been thebastionsandglacisinto theRingstraße, a newboulevardsurrounding the historical town and a major prestige project. Former suburbs were incorporated, and the city of Vienna grew dramatically. In 1918, afterWorld War I, Vienna became capital of theRepublic of German-Austria, and then in 1919 of theFirst Republic of Austria.
From the late-19th century to 1938, the city remained a center of high culture and ofmodernism. A world capital of music, Vienna played host to composers such asJohannes Brahms,Anton Bruckner,Gustav Mahler, andRichard Strauss.
The city's cultural contributions in the first half of the 20th century included, among many, theVienna Secessionmovement in art, theSecond Viennese School, the architecture ofAdolf Loos, the philosophy ofLudwig Wittgenstein, and theVienna Circle.
The city of Vienna became the center ofsocialistpolitics from 1919 to 1934, a period referred to asRed Vienna(Das rote Wien). After a new breed of socialist politicians won the local elections they engaged in a brief but ambitious municipal experiment.Social democrats had won an absolute majority in the May 1919 municipal election and commanded the city council with 100 of the 165 seats.Jakob Reumannwas appointed by the city council as city mayor.The theoretical foundations of so-calledAustromarxismwere established byOtto Bauer,Karl Renner, andMax Adler.
Red Vienna is perhaps most well known for itsGemeindebauten, public housing buildings. Between 1925 and 1934, over 60,000 new apartments were built in the Gemeindebauten. Apartments were assigned on the basis of a point system favoring families and less affluent citizens.
InJuly 1927, after three nationalist far-right paramilitary members were acquitted of the killing of two social democraticRepublikanischer Schutzbundmembers, a riot broke out in the city. The protestors, enraged by the decision, set thePalace of Justiceablaze. The police attempted to end the revolt with force and killed at least 84 protestors, with 5 policemen also dying.In 1933, right-wing ChancellorEngelbert Dollfussdissolved the parliament, essentially letting him run the country as adictatorship, banned theCommunist Partyand severely limited the influence of theSocial Democratic Party. This led to acivil warbetween the right-wing government and socialist forces the following year, which started inLinzand quickly spread to Vienna. Socialist members of theRepublikanischer Schutzbundbarricaded themselves inside the housing estates and exchanged fire with the police and paramilitary groups. The fighting in Vienna ended after theAustrian Armed Forcesshelled theKarl-Marx-Hof, a civilian housing estate, and theSchutzbundsurrendered.
On 15 March 1938, three days after German troops had first entered Austria,Adolf Hitlerarrived in Vienna. 200,000 Austrians greeted him at theHeldenplatz, where he held a speech from a balcony in the Neue Burg, in which he announced that Austria would be absorbed intoNazi Germany. The persecution ofJewsstarted almost immediately, Viennese Jews were harassed and hounded, their homes and businesses plundered. Some were forced to scrub pro-independence slogans off the streets. This culminated in theKristallnacht, a nationwidepogromagainst the Jews carried out by theSchutzstaffeland theSturmabteilung, with support of theHitler Youthand German civilians. Allsynagoguesand prayer houses in the city were destroyed, bar theStadttempel, due to its proximity to residential buildings.Vienna lost its status as a capital toBerlin, as Austria had ceased to exist. The fewresistorsin the city were arrested.
Adolf Eichmannheld office in the expropriated Palais Rothschild and organized the expropriation and persecution of the Jews. Of the almost 200,000 Jews in Vienna, around 120,000 were driven to emigrate and around 65,000 were killed. After the end of the war, the Jewish population of Vienna was only about 5,000.
In 1942 the city suffered its firstair raid, carried out by theSoviet air force. Only after theAllies had taken Italydid the next raids commence. From 17 March 1944, 51 air raids were carried out in Vienna. Targets of the bombings were primarily the city'soil refineries. However, around a third of the city center was destroyed, and culturally important buildings such as the State Opera and the Burgtheater were burned, and the Albertina was heavily damaged. These air raids lasted until March 1945, just before the Soviet troops started theVienna offensive.
TheRed Army, who had previouslymarched through Hungary, first entered Vienna on 6 April. They first attacked the eastern and southern suburbs, before moving on to the western suburbs. By the 8th they had the center of the city surrounded. The following day the Soviets started with the infiltration of the city center. Fighting continued for a few more days until theSoviet Navy’sDanube Flotillanaval force arrived with reinforcements. The remaining defending soldiers surrendered that same day.
After the war, Vienna was part ofSoviet-occupied Eastern Austriauntil September 1945. That month, Vienna was divided into sectors by the four powers: the US, the UK, France, and theSoviet Unionand supervised by anAllied Commission. The four-power occupation of Vienna differed in one key respect from that of Berlin: the central area of the city, known as the first district, constituted aninternational zonein which the four powers alternated control on a monthly basis. The city was policed by the four powers on a day-to-day basis using the "four soldiers in a jeep" method, which had one soldier from each nation sitting together. The four powers all had separate headquarters, the Soviets inPalais Epsteinnext to the Parliament, the French in Hotel Kummer on Mariahilferstraße, the Americans in theNational Bank, and the British inSchönnbrunn Palace. The division of the city was not comparable to that ofBerlin. Although the borders between the sectors were marked, travel between them was freely possible.
During the ten years of the four-power occupation, Vienna was a hotbed for international espionage between theWesternandEastern blocs, which deeply distrusted each other. The city experienced an economic upturn due to theMarshall Plan.
The atmosphere of four-power Vienna is the background forGraham Greene's screenplay for the filmThe Third Man(1949). The film'stheme musicwas composed and performed by Viennese musicianAnton Karasusing azither. Later he adapted the screenplay as a novel and published it. Occupied Vienna is also depicted in the 1991Philip Kerrnovel,A German Requiem.
The four-power control of Vienna lasted until theAustrian State Treatywas signed in May 1955 and came into force on 27 July 1955. By October, all soldiers had left the country. That year, after years of reconstruction and restoration, theState Operaand theBurgtheater, both on theRingstraßereopened to the public.
In the Autumn of 1956, Vienna accepted many Hungarianrefugees, who had fled Hungary after anattempted revolution. The city experienced another wave of refugees after thePrague SpringinCzechoslovakiain 1968, as well as after thecollapse of Yugoslaviain 1991.
In 1972 the construction of theDonauinselandthe excavation of theNew Danubebegan. In the same decade,Austrian ChancellorBruno Kreiskyinaugurated theVienna International Centre, a new area of the city created to host international institutions. Vienna has regained much of its former international stature by hosting international organisations, such as the United Nations.
Because of the industrialization and migration from other parts of the Empire, the population of Vienna increased sharply during its time as the capital ofAustria-Hungary(1867–1918). In 1910, Vienna had more than two million inhabitants and was the thirdlargest cityin Europe after London and Paris.Around the start of the 20th century, Vienna was the city with the second-largestCzechpopulation in the world (afterPrague).After World War I, manyCzechsandHungariansreturned to their ancestral countries, resulting in a decline in the Viennese population. After World War II, the Soviets used force to repatriate key workers of Czech, Slovak and Hungarian origins to return to their ethnic homelands to further the Soviet bloc economy.The population of Vienna generally stagnated or declined through the remainder of the 20th century, not demonstrating significant growth again until the census of 2000. In 2020, Vienna's population remained significantly below its reported peak in 1916.
Under the Nazi regime, 65,000Jewswere deported and murdered in concentration camps by Nazi forces; approximately 130,000 fled.
By 2001, 16% of people living in Austria had nationalities other than Austrian, nearly half of whom were from formerYugoslavia;the next most numerous nationalities in Vienna wereTurks(39,000; 2.5%),Poles(13,600; 0.9%) and Germans (12,700; 0.8%).
As of 2012, an official report from Statistics Austria showed that more than 660,000 (38.8%) of the Viennese population have full or partial migrant background, mostly from Ex-Yugoslavia, Turkey, Germany, Poland, Romania and Hungary.
From 2005 to 2015 the city's population grew by 10.1%.According toUN-Habitat, Vienna could be the fastest growing city out of 17 European metropolitan areas until 2025 with an increase of 4.65% of its population, compared to 2010.
According to the 2021 census, 49.0% of Viennese were Christian. Among them, 31.8% wereCatholic, 11.2% wereEastern Orthodox, and 3.7% wereProtestant, mostlyLutheran, 34.1% had no religious affiliation, 14.8% wereMuslim, and 2% were of other religions, including Jewish.One sources estimates that Vienna's Jewish community is of 8,000 members meanwhile another suggest 15,000.
Based on information provided to city officials by various religious organizations about their membership, Vienna's Statistical Yearbook 2019 reports in 2018 an estimated 610,269 Roman Catholics, or 32.3% of the population, and 200,000 (10.4%) Muslims, 70,298 (3.7%) Orthodox, 57,502 (3.0%) other Christians, and 9,504 (0.5%) other religions.A study conducted by theVienna Institute of Demographyestimated the 2018 proportions to be 34% Catholic, 30% unaffiliated, 15% Muslim, 10% Orthodox, 4% Protestant, and 6% other religions.
As of the spring of 2014, Muslims made up 30% of the total proportion of schoolchildren in Vienna.
Vienna is the seat of the MetropolitanRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna, in which is also vested the exemptOrdinariatefor Byzantine-Rite Catholics in Austria; itsArchbishopisCardinalChristoph Schönborn. ManyCatholic Churchesin central Vienna feature performances of religious or other music, including masses sung to classical music and organ. Some of Vienna's most significant historical buildings are Catholic churches, including theSt. Stephen's Cathedral(Stephansdom),Karlskirche,Peterskircheand theVotivkirche. On the banks of the Danube is a BuddhistPeace Pagoda, built in 1983 by the monks and nuns ofNipponzan Myohoji.
Vienna is located in northeastern Austria, at the easternmost extension of theAlpsin theVienna Basin. The earliest settlement, at the location of today'sinner city, was south of the meandering Danube while the city now spans both sides of the river. Elevation ranges from 151 to 542 m (495 to 1,778 ft). The city has a total area of 414.78 square kilometers (160.1 sq mi), making it the largest city in Austria by area.
Whereas the higher elevated north/western edges of Vienna have a borderlineoceanic(Köppen:Cfb) andhumid continental climate(Köppen:Dfb), most parts of the urban core are warm enough for ahumid subtropical(Köppen:Cfa) classification with dozens of days exceeding 30 °C (86 °F) and night temperatures not dropping below  20 °C (68 °F).
The city has warm to hot showery summers, with average high temperatures ranging between 27 and 32 °C (81 and 90 °F) and a record maximum exceeding 38 °C (100 °F). Winters are relatively dry and cool to cold with daily mean temperatures at or well above freezing point. Spring is variable and autumn cool, with a chance of snow in or after November. Snowfall and frequent frost have become rare though in the last decades, with snow cover mostly ranging from zero to a few inches for a short period of time.
Precipitation is generally moderate throughout the year, averaging around 600 mm (23.6 in) annually, with considerable local variations, the Vienna Woods region in the west being the wettest part (700 to 800 mm (28 to 31 in) annually) and the flat plains in the east being the driest part (500 to 550 mm (20 to 22 in) annually). Snow in winter is not common anymore and not so frequent compared to the mostly alpine Western and Southern regions of Austria.
Vienna is divided into 23 districts (German:Bezirke). Each district has both a name and a corresponding number. These numbers are displayed on every street sign before the street name (e.g., 16., Thaliastraße). They also serve as the second and third digits of the postcode (1010 for the 1st district to 1230 for the 23rd district).
Residents of the districts (Austrians as well as EU citizens) elect the district assembly to a five year term. The elections take place concurrently with the state election. Any decision taken by the district can be overridden by the city assembly or the responsible city councilor.
The heart and historical city of Vienna, a large part of today'sInnere Stadt, was a fortress surrounded by fields to defend itself from potential attackers. In 1850, with the emperor's consent, Vienna annexed 34 surrounding villages into the city limits. Following this expansion the walls were taken down, allowing the city center to expand.
In its place, a broad boulevard called theRingstraßewas built, along which grand public and private buildings, monuments and parks were constructed by the early 20th century. These buildings include theRathaus,Burgtheater,University,Parliament, the twin museums ofnatural historyandfine art, and theStaatsoper. It is also the location of the New Wing of theHofburg, the former imperial palace, and the Imperial and Royal War Ministry finished in 1913. The mainlyGothicStephansdomis located at the center of the city, onStephansplatz. The Imperial-Royal Government set up the Vienna City Renovation Fund (Wiener Stadterneuerungsfonds) and sold many building lots to private investors, thereby partly financing public construction works.
From 1850 to 1890, city limits in the West and the South mainly followed another wall calledLinienwallat which aroad tollcalled theLiniengeldwas charged. Outside this wall from 1873 onwards aring roadcalledThe Gürtelwas built. In 1890 it was decided to integrate 33 suburbs (called Vororte) beyond that wall into Vienna by 1 January 1892and transform them into districts no. 11 to 19 (district no. 10 had been constituted in 1874); hence the Linienwall was torn down beginning in 1894.In 1900, district no. 20, Brigittenau, was created by separating the area from the 2nd district.
From 1850 to 1904, Vienna had expanded only on the eastern bank of the Danube, following the main branch before the regulation of 1868–1875, i.e., the Old Danube of today. In 1904, the 21st district was created by integrating Floridsdorf, Kagran, Stadlau, Hirschstetten, Aspern and other villages on the left bank of the Danube into Vienna, and in 1910 Strebersdorf followed. On 15 October 1938, the Nazis created Great Vienna with 26 districts by merging 97 towns and villages into Vienna, 80 of which were returned to surroundingLower Austriain 1954.Since then Vienna has had 23 districts.
Industries are located mostly in the southern and eastern districts. TheInnere Stadtis situated away from the main flow of theDanube, but is bounded by theDonaukanal("Danube canal"). Vienna's second and twentieth districts are located between the Donaukanal and the Danube. Across the Danube, where the Vienna International Centre is located (districts 21–22), and in the southern areas (district 23) are the newest parts of the city.
In the provinces represented in theImperial Council, men had enjoyed universalsuffrageat the national level since 1907. However, MayorKarl Luegerof theChristian Social Partyprevented the adoption of this right to vote in municipal council elections, effectively excluding many working-class people. The first elections in whichall adult men and womenwere entitled to vote took place in 1919, after the end of the monarchy. Since 1919, theSocial Democratic Party of Austria(SPÖ) has consistently provided the mayor in all free elections, and the Vienna City Council (the city parliament) has maintained a Social Democratic majority.
On 10 November 1920, theFederal Constitution of Austriacame into force. This constitution defined Vienna as a separatefederal state, enabling its separation fromLower Austria. Since then, themayor of Viennahas also served as the governor of the state, the city senate has functioned as the state government and the municipal council the state parliament. Vienna continued to serve as the seat of the Lower Austrian government until 1997, when it relocated toSt. Pölten.
From 1934 to 1945, during theAustrofascistandNaziperiods, no democratic elections were held, and the city was governed under adictatorship. During this time, the SPÖ was banned, and many of its members were imprisoned. Vienna's city constitution was reinstated in 1945.
The city has enacted numerous social democratic policies. One notable example is theGemeindebauten,social housingassets that are well-integrated into the city's architecture outside the inner district. These low-cost rentals provide comfortable accommodation and good access to city amenities. Many of the projects were built after World War II on vacant lots left by bombings during the war, with a strong emphasis on high construction standards. Today, Vienna's social housing accommodates over 500,000 people.
In the 1996 City Council election, theSPÖlost its overall majority in the 100-seat chamber, winning 43 seats and 39.15% of the vote. The SPÖ had previously held an outright majority in every free municipal election since 1919. In the same election, theFreedom Party of Austria(FPÖ) won 29 seats, an increase from 21 in 1991, and surpassed theÖVP, who finished in third place for the second consecutive election. From 1996 to 2001, the SPÖ governed Vienna in acoalitionwith the ÖVP.
In2001, the SPÖ regained their overall majority with 52 seats and 46.91% of the vote. In2005, this majority increased further to 55 seats (49.09%). However, in the2010 elections, the SPÖ lost their overall majority again and subsequently formed a coalition with theGreen Party– the first SPÖ/Green coalition in Austria. This coalition remained in place following the2015 election.
After the2020 election, the SPÖ formed a coalition withNEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum. The next elections are scheduled to take place on 27 April 2025.
The latest elections were held on 11 October 2020. It resulted in an SPÖ-NEOS coalition andMichael Ludwigwas re-elected as mayor.
Vienna generates 25.1% of Austria's GDP, making it the highest performingregional economy of the country. It has a GDP per capita of €56,600€ as of 2024. The unemployment rate in Vienna is 9.6% as of 2022, which is the highest of all the states.The private service sector provides 75% of all jobs.The city improved its position from 2012 on the ranking of the most economically powerful cities reaching number nine on the list in 2015.Of the top 500 Austrian firms measured byturnover, 203 are headquartered in Vienna.As of 2015, 175 international firms maintained offices in Vienna.
Since thefall of the Iron Curtainin 1989, Vienna has expanded its position as a gateway to Eastern Europe. 300 international companies have theirEastern Europeanheadquarters in Vienna, includingHewlett-Packard,Henkel,Baxalta, andSiemens.
Bioscience is a major research and development sector in Vienna. The Vienna Life Science Cluster is Austria's major hub for life science research, education and business. Throughout Vienna, five universities and several basic research institutes form the academic core of the hub with more than 12,600 employees and 34,700 students. Here, more than 480 medical device,biotechnologyandpharmaceutical companieswith almost 23,000 employees generate around 12 billion euros in revenue (2017). This corresponds to more than 50% of the revenue generated by life science companies in Austria (22.4 billion euros).
Vienna is home toBoehringer Ingelheim,Octapharma,OttobockandTakeda Pharmaceutical Company.Companies such as Apeiron Biologics, Hookipa Pharma, Marinomed, mySugr, Themis Bioscience and Valneva operate in Vienna.TheCentral European Diabetes Association, a cooperative international medical research association, was founded in the city.
The Viennese sector for information and communication technologies is comparable in size with those ofHelsinki, Milan, orMunich, and ranks among Europe's largest locations for information technology. In 2012 8,962 information technology businesses with a workforce of 64,223 were located in the Vienna region. Among the biggest IT firms in Vienna areKapsch,BekoEngineering & Informatics,Frequentis,Cisco SystemsAustria,MicrosoftAustria,IBMAustria andSamsung ElectronicsAustria.
The British companyUBMhas rated Vienna one of theTop 10 Internet Citiesworldwide, by analyzing criteria like connection speed, WiFi availability, innovation spirit and open government data.
In 2022, theInternational Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)ranked Vienna 1st in the world for association meetings.The Union of International Associations (UIA) ranked Vienna 5th in the world for 2019 with 306 international meetings, behind Singapore, Brussels, Seoul and Paris.The city's largest conference center, the Austria Center Vienna (ACV) has a total capacity for around 22,800 people and is situated next to theUnited Nations Office at Vienna.Other centers are the Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center (up to 3,000 people) and the Hofburg Palace (up to 4,900 people).
There were 17.3 million overnight stays in Vienna in 2023. The top ten incoming markets in 2023 were Germany, the rest ofAustria, the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, France,Poland,Switzerland, andRomania.
Art and culture have had a long tradition in Vienna, including theater, opera, classical music and fine arts. TheBurgtheateris considered one of the premier theaters in the German-speaking world alongside its branch, theAkademietheater. TheVolkstheaterand theTheater in der Josefstadtalso enjoy good reputations. There is also a multitude of smaller theaters, in many cases devoted to less mainstream forms of the performing arts, such as modern or experimental plays, as well ascabaret.
The city is also home to a number of opera houses, including theTheater an der Wien, theStaatsoperand theVolksoper, the latter being devoted to the typical Vienneseoperetta. Classical concerts are performed at venues such as theWiener Musikverein, home of theVienna Philharmonic Orchestraknown across the world for its annual, widely broadcast "New Year's Concert", as well as theWiener Konzerthaus, home of the internationally renownedVienna Symphony. Many concert venues offer concerts aimed at tourists, featuring popular highlights of Viennese music, particularly the works ofWolfgang Amadeus Mozart,Johann Strauss I, andJohann Strauss II.
Notable classical musicians born in Vienna includeLouie Austen,Alban Berg,Fritz Kreisler,Joseph Lanner,Arnold Schoenberg,Franz Schubert,Johann Strauss I,Johann Strauss IIandAnton Webern.
Famous classical musicians who moved to the city to work wereKurt Adler,Johann Joseph Fux,Joseph Haydn,Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,Ludwig van Beethoven,Ferdinand Ries,Johann Sedlatzek,Antonio Salieri,Carl Czerny,Johann Nepomuk Hummel,Franz Liszt,Franz von Suppé,Anton Bruckner,Johannes Brahms, andGustav Mahler.
Operas that premiered in the capital includeFidelio,Die Fledermaus,The Gypsy Baron,The Magic Flute, andThe Marriage of Figaro.
Up until 2005, the Theater an der Wien hosted premieres of musicals, but since 2006 (a year dedicated to the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth), has devoted itself to opera again, becoming a stagione opera house offering one new production each month. Since 2012, Theater an der Wien has taken over the Wiener Kammeroper, a historical small theater in the first district of Vienna seating 300 spectators, turning it into its second venue for smaller-sized productions and chamber operas created by the young ensemble of Theater an der Wien (JET). Before 2005 the most successful musical wasElisabeth, which was later translated into several languages and performed all over the world. TheWiener Taschenoperis dedicated to stage music of the 20th and 21st century. TheHaus der Musik("House of Music") opened in the year 2000.
TheVienna's English Theater(VET) is an English theater in Vienna. It was founded in 1963 and is located in the 8th Vienna's district. It is the oldest English-language theater in continental Europe.
Vienna has also produced some well-known pop music artists. Pioneers ofAustropop,Georg Danzer,Rainhard Fendrich,Wolfgang Ambros, andPeter Corneliusall hail from the capital.Willi Resetaritslived in the city from the age of three. The internationally best-known Viennese artist wasFalco, whose song ”Rock Me Amadeus” is the only German-language song to reachnumber 1on theAmerican Billboard Hot 100, which it held for three weeks in1986. His other hits, such as “Der Kommissar” and “Jeanny” also charted internationally. The founder of the Americanjazz fusionbandWeather ReportandMiles Daviscollaborator,Joe Zawinul, was born in Vienna and studied music at theConservatory of Vienna.
Current artists includeRapperRAF Camora, who grew up in the district ofRudolfsheim-Fünfhausand often emphasizes his ties to his home in his lyrics, as well aship-hop-musicianYung Hurnandindie pop bandWanda.
Multiple popular songs have been written about Vienna, such as"Vienna" (1977)byBilly Joel,"Vienna" (1981)byUltravox, and "Vienna Calling" byFalco.
TheWienerliedis a unique song genre from Vienna. They are sung inViennese dialectand often center around the city. There are approximately 60,000 – 70,000 Wienerlieder.
Every year the Donauinsel stages theDonauinselfest, the largest open-air music festival in the world, with approximately 3 million attendees over three days.The festival is organized by theSPÖ Wienand is free to enter.TheVienna Jazz Festivalhas taken place almost every year since 1991 and has featured artists such asNina Simone,Miles Davis,Dizzy Gillespie, andRavi Shankar.
Films set in Vienna includeAmadeus,Before Sunrise,The Third Man,The Living DaylightsandMission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.
Notable actors born in the city includeHedy Lamarr,Christoph Waltz,Christiane Hörbiger,Eric Pohlmann,Boris Kodjoe,Christine Buchegger,Senta Bergerand,Christine Ostermayer. Many filmmakers, such asMichael HanekeandFritz Lang, andBilly Wilder, who lived in Vienna during his teenage years, were born in Vienna.
Vienna's cinemas include the Apollo Kino andCineplexx Donauzentrumand manyEnglish languagecinemas, including the Haydn Kino, Artis International and the Burg Kino, which screensThe Third Man, a 1949 film set in Vienna, three times a week.
Every October since 1960 the city has staged theViennale, an international film festival which screens several differentgenres of filmsand manypremieres.
Notable writers from Vienna includeCarl Julius Haidvogel,Karl Leopold von Möller, andStefan Zweig.
Writers who lived and worked in Vienna includeIngeborg Bachmann,Thomas Bernhard,Elias Canetti,Ernst von Feuchtersleben,Elfriede Jelinek,Franz Kafka,Karl Kraus,Robert Musil,Arthur Schnitzler, andBertha von Suttner.
Scientists and intellectuals who were born, lived or worked in Vienna include:
The majority ofmuseumsin Vienna are located in an area on the border of Innere Stadt and Neubau in the center of the city, from the museums inside theHofburgto theMuseumsQuartier, with the twinNaturhistorisches MuseumandKunsthistorisches Museumin between. This area is home to many museums such as:
TheÖsterreichische Galerie Belvedereat theBelvederepresents art from Austria from theMiddle Agesthrough theBaroqueto the early 20th century, includingThe Kiss, Gustav Klimt's most famous work. It also houses the Baroque Museum withFranz Xaver Messerschmidt's famous character heads. In 2011, Belvedere 21 (formerly 21er Haus) was reopened in its immediate vicinity as a branch of contemporary art.
TheVienna Museumdocuments the history of Vienna with temporary exhibitions and a permanent presentation and presents the memorials to Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert and Johann Strauss. Other branches of the museum include theHermesvillain theLainzer Tiergarten, the Vienna Clock Museum, the Roman Museum and the Prater Museum.
The former imperial summer residence atSchönbrunn Palace, Vienna's most visited attraction, is set up as a museum with the palace's showrooms and theImperial Carriage Museum.
TheMuseum of Military Historyin theArsenalis the leading museum of theAustrian Armed Forcesand documents the history of theAustrian militarywith exhibits includingweapons,armour,tanks, aircraft,uniforms,battle flags,paintings,medals and decorations, photographs,battleship modelsand documents.
Other museums in the city include:
A variety of architectural styles have been preserved in Vienna, includingRomanesqueandBaroque architecture.Art Nouveauhas left many architectural traces in Vienna. TheSecession building,Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station, and theKirche am SteinhofbyOtto Wagnerrank among the best-known examples of Art Nouveau in the world.
TheWiener Moderneshunned the use of extraneous adornment. ArchitectAdolf Loosis responsible for theLooshaus(1909), the Kärntner Bar (1908), and theSteiner House(1910).
TheHundertwasserhausbyFriedensreich Hundertwasser, designed to counter the clinical look of modern architecture, is one of Vienna's most populartourist attractions. Hundertwasser also designed theKunstHausWienand the District Heating Plant in Alsergrund.
In the 1990s, a number of quarters were adapted and extensive building projects were implemented in the areas aroundDonaustadtandWienerberg. Vienna has seen numerous architectural projects completed which combine modern architectural elements with old buildings, such as the remodeling and revitalization of the oldGasometerin 2001.
TheDC Towersare located on the northern bank of the Danube and were completed in 2013.
Due to the prevalence of Christianity in the city, most places of worship are churches andcathedrals. Most notable are:
Other notable churches include theAugustinian Church, theChurch of St. Maria Rotunda, theChurch of St. Leopold, theFranciscan Church, theJesuit Churchand theMinoritenkirche.
Vienna's biggest mosque is theVienna Islamic Centerin Kaisermühlen, which is financed by theMuslim World League. The mosque features a 32-meter-highminaretand adome16 meters high, with a 20-meter radius.In addition, there are over 100 further mosques in the city.
Before theNovember pogroms of 1938, also known as the Kristallnacht, Vienna had 24synagoguesand 78 prayer houses. Only one synagogue, theStadttempel, survived the destruction.
The firstballsin Vienna were held in the 18th century. The ball season takes place annually duringCarnival, running from 11 November toShrove Tuesday. Many balls are held in theHofburg,RathausandMusikverein. Guests adhere to a strict dress code, men are required to wearblackorwhite tie, while women must wearball gowns. Debutants of the ball wear white.
The balls are opened with dances, traditionally including a Viennese waltz, at around 22:00, and close at about 05:00 the next morning. Food served at the balls includes sausages with bread, andgoulash.
Notable Viennese balls include theVienna Opera Ball, theVienna Ball of Sciences, the Wiener Akademikerball and the Hofburg Silvesterball.
The Wiener Akademikerball in the Hofburg has attracted lots of controversy for being a gathering for far-right politicians and groups. The ball is hosted by theFPÖ, the right-wing populist party of Austria and has attracted multiple right-wing and far-right personalities, such asMartin SellnerandMarine Le Pen. Since 2008, annual demonstrations organized by various groups have protested against the event. Former leader of the FPÖHeinz-Christian Strachecomparedanti-fascistprotesters to aNazimob, alleging that the ball attendees were being treated as "new Jews".
Vienna is part of theAustro-Bavarianlanguage area, in particularCentral Bavarian(Mittelbairisch).The Viennese dialect takes many loanword from languages of the former Habsburg Monarchy, especially Czech. The dialect differs from the west of Austria in its pronunciation and grammar. Features typical of Viennese German includeMonophthongization, the transformation of adiphthonginto amonophtong(Germanheiß(hot) into Viennesehaas) and the lengthening of vowels (Heeaasd, i bin do ned bleeed, wooos waaasn ii, wea des woooa(Standard GermanHörst du, ich bin doch nicht blöd, was weiß denn ich, wer das war): "Listen, I'm not stupid; what do I know, who that was?"). Speakers of the dialect tend to avoid thegenetive case.
Vienna is regarded as the center ofLGBTQ+life in Austria.The city has implemented an action plan againsthomophobic discriminationand has maintained an anti-discrimination unit within its administration since 1998.The city has several cafés, bars and clubs frequented by theLGBTQ+community, including theCafé Savoy, a traditional coffee house established in 1896. In 2015, Vienna introduced traffic lights featuring same-sex couples before hosting theEurovision Song Contestthat year, which garnered media attention internationally.Multiplerainbow crossingsare dotted around the city.Vienna's Pride Paradeis held everyJune. In 2019, when the parade hostedEuropride, it attracted around 500.000 visitors.
As of the 2022/2023 school year, there were 457 compulsory education schools in Vienna, including 303 primary schools and 140 middle schools. Additionally, there are 98 high schools, 90 of which also include middle school education. Around 250,000 children are enrolled in the Viennese school system, which is staffed by almost 29,000 teachers.
With 197,209 students enrolled in the winter semester of 2023/2024, Vienna has the largest student population of any city in the German-speaking world.The city is home to several historic universities. TheUniversity of Vienna, the oldest and largest university in the German-speaking world, was founded in 1365 byDuke Rudolph IV. Its medical faculty became independent as theMedical University of Viennain 2004. Other prominent institutions include theAcademy of Fine Arts Vienna(1692), theUniversity of Veterinary Medicine Vienna(1765), and theUniversity of Music and Performing Arts Vienna(1767). The 19th century saw the founding of theVienna University of Technology(TU), theUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences(BOKU) and theVienna University of Economics and Business(WU). TheUniversity of Applied Arts, founded in 1867, gained university status in 1970
In addition to these public universities, Vienna also hosts several private universities, includingWebster Vienna Private University, theMusic and Arts University of the City of Viennaand, since 2019, theCentral European University, as well as several universities of applied sciences.
Due partly to the numerous international offices in the city, Vienna is home to many international schools, including theVienna International School, theAmerican International School, theInternational Christian Schooland theLycée Français de Vienne.
On the southeastern outer border of theRingstraßelies theStadtpark. The park covers an area of about 28 acres and is split in half by theWien river. It contains monuments to various Viennese artists, most notably thegildedbronzemonument ofJohann Strauß II.On the other side of the Ring is theBurggarten, just behind the Hofburg, which features amonument to Mozartas well as agreenhouse. On the other side of the Hofburg is theVolksgarten, home to a small-scale replica of theTemple of Hephaestusand a cultivated flower garden. On the other side of the road, in front of the Rathaus, is theRathauspark, which hosts the Christmas Christkindlmarkt.
ThePrateris a large public park inLeopoldstadt. Within the park is theWurstelprater(colloquially known as “the Prater”), a public amusement park that contains theWiener Riesenrad, a 64.75 meter tallFerris Wheel, along with various rides, roller coasters, carousels and aMadame Tussauds.The rest of the park is covered by forest. TheHauptallee, a wide, car-free alley lined withhorse chestnut trees, runs through the park.Eliud Kipchogebroke the marathon distance record on this road in theINEOS 1:59 Challengein October 2019.The Prater also is home to theLiliputbahn, a railway line primarily used by tourists, and a planetarium.It was the location of the1873 Vienna World's Fair.In 1931, theErnst-Happel-Stadion, formerly known as the Praterstadion, was opened in the Prater.
TheLobau, afloodplainin the southeast of the city, is a part of the widerDanube-Auen National Park. It is used for recreation and has manynudistareas. It is home to multiplespeciesof animals:
In the west of the city is theLainzer Tiergarten, a 24.5 km² publicnature reserve, of which 19.5 km² iswoodland.The park was created in 1561 byEmperor Ferdinand I, who used it as a private hunting ground. After the fall of the monarchy, the Austrian government declared it a public nature reserve. Since 1973, admission has been free of charge. The reserve is home to manywild boar,fallow deer,red deer,European mouflons, as well as 18 species ofbats.
The grounds of the imperialSchönbrunn Palacecontain an 18th-century park which includes theSchönbrunn Zoo, which was founded in 1752, making it the world's oldest zoo still in operation.The zoo is one of the few to housegiant pandas.The park also features thePalmenhaus Schönbrunn, a largegreenhousewith around 4,500 plant species.
TheAugarteninLeopoldstadt, on the border ofBrigittenau, is a 129-acre French Baroque-style public park open during the day. The park is home to flower gardens and multiple tree-lined avenues. The park was opened in 1775 byJoseph IIand is surrounded by a wall with five gates, which are shut at night. ThebaroquePalais Augarten, in the south of the park, is home to theVienna Boys' Choir. Towering over the park are twoanti-aircraftflak towers, built by the Nazis in 1944. After the war, as the towers were unable to be destroyed, so they were left standing. They now stand empty and serve no function, though various other such towers in the city were repurposed, such as theHaus des Meeresin Esterhazy Park.
TheDonauinsel, part of Vienna's flood defences, is a 21.1 km (13.1 mi) longartificial islandbetween theDanubeandNew Danubededicated to leisure activities. It was constructed from 1972 to 1988 forflood protection measures.Sporting amenities, such asvolleyball courts,playgrounds,skate spots,dog parks, and multiple toilet facilities, some with showers, are available on the island. To transform the island into a green space, approximately 1.8 million trees and shrubs, along with 170 hectares of forest, were planted.A few hundredJapanese cherry treeswere planted as a symbol of friendship between Austria and Japan. Animals on the island includesand lizardsandDanube crested newts.
The Donaupark is a 63-hectare park in Kaisermühlen,Donaustadt, between theNew Danubeand the Old Danube, next to theVienna International Centre. The park features theDonauturm, thetallest structure in Austriaat 252 meters, as well as a 40-meter tallsteel cross, erected in 1983 on the occasion of aholy massheld byPope John Paul IIduring his visit to Austria. In the park is theLatin America-CaribbeanSquare, which features memorials to multiple Latin American figures such asSalvador Allende,Simón Bolívar, andChe Guevara.
Other parks include the Türkenschanzpark, the Schweizergarten, and the Waldmüllerpark.
Vienna is home to 55 cemeteries, 46 of which are managed by the city, while the others are operated by religious communities.
The largest cemetery in the city is theVienna Central Cemetery(Zentralfriedhof). Covering an area of 2.4 km², it contains over 330,000 graves and approximately 3 million interments. Opened in 1874, the cemetery includes Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, and Jewish sections. Notable burials includeLudwig van Beethoven,Falco,Bruno Kreisky,Hedy Lamarr, and every deceased Austrianpresidentsince WWII. The cemetery is also home to wildlife such asdeer,badgers,martens, and, most notably,European hamsters, which feed on the plants growing around theheadstones. The grounds feature numerous memorials, including those dedicated to the casualties of theRevolutions of 1848, theJuly Revolt of 1927, and thevictims of the Nazi regime.
The now-closedSt. Marx Cemeteryhouses the grave ofWolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Other notable cemeteries include those in Grinzing and Hietzing, as well as theJewish Cemeteryin Roßau.
Vienna is thelargest cityon theDanube, which flows from the north through the city and exits to the southeast. In Vienna, the river is split into four parts:
The city is home to numerousfootballclubs. The two biggest teams areFK Austria Wien(21Austrian Bundesligatitles and a record 27-timecup winners), who play at theGenerali Arenain Favoriten, andSK Rapid Wien(a record 32Austrian Bundesligatitles), who play at theAllianz Stadionin Penzing. The oldest team in Austria,First Vienna FC, andFloridsdorfer ACboth play in the2. Liga, while the football team of theWiener Sport-Club, one of the oldest athletics clubs in the country, play in theAustrian Regionalliga East, the third division.
TheErnst-Happel-Stadionis thelargest stadium in Austriawith 50,865 seats, and serves as the home stadium of theAustria national football team. It has hosted multipleEuropean Cupfinals (1963–64,1986–87,1989–90,1994–95), as well as seven matches during the2008 European Championship, including thefinal, which sawSpainsecure a  1–0 victory overGermany.
Othersports clubsinclude theVikings Vienna(American football), who won theEurobowltitle four times in a row between 2004 and 2007 and had aperfect seasonin 2013, theHotvolleys Vienna(volleyball), the Vienna Wanderers (baseball), who won the 2012 and 2013 Championship of the Austrian Baseball League, and theVienna Capitals(ice hockey). TheEuropean Handball Federation (EHF)is headquartered in Vienna. There are also threerugbyclubs in the city:Vienna Celtic, the oldest rugby club in Austria,RC Donau, and Stade Viennois.
In addition to team sports, Vienna offers a wide range of individual sports. The paths in the Prater or along the Donauinsel are popular running routes. TheVienna City Marathon, which attracts more than 10,000 participants annually, typically takes place in May. Cyclists can choose from over 1,000 kilometers of cycle paths and numerous mountain bike trails in the Viennese mountains.Golf coursesare available on theWienerbergand in the Prater.
TheVienna Opentennis tournament has taken place in the city since 1974. The matches are played on indoorhard courtsin theWiener Stadthalle.
The City of Vienna also operates twoski slopes, one on the Hohe-Wand-Wiese and another on the Dollwiese.
The city submitted a bid to host the1964 Summer Olympicsbut lost out toTokyo.
Vienna is well known forWiener schnitzel, a cutlet ofveal(Kalbsschnitzel), sometimes also made with pork (Schweinsschnitzel) or chicken (Hühnerschnitzel), that is pounded flat, coated in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and fried inclarified butter. It is available in almost every restaurant that servesViennese cuisineand can be eaten hot or cold. Other examples of Viennese cuisine includeTafelspitz(very lean boiled beef), which is traditionally served withGeröstete Erdäpfel(boiled potatoes that are sliced and pan-fried) and horseradish sauce,Apfelkren(a mixture of horseradish, cream and apple) andSchnittlauchsauce(a chives sauce made with mayonnaise and stale bread).
Vienna has a long tradition of producing cakes and desserts. These includeApfelstrudel(hot apple strudel),Milchrahmstrudel(milk-cream strudel),Palatschinken(sweet pancakes), andKnödel(dumplings) often filled with fruit such as apricots (Marillenknödel).Sachertorte, a delicately moist chocolate cake with a layer of apricot jam and a chocolate glaze, created by theSacher Hotel, is world-famous.
In winter, small street stands sell traditionalMaroni(hot chestnuts) andpotato fritters.
Sausages are popular and available from street vendors (Würstelstand) throughout the day and into the night. The sausage known asWiener(German for Viennese) in the U.S. and in Germany is called aFrankfurterin Vienna. Other popular sausages areBurenwurst(a coarse beef and pork sausage, generally boiled),Käsekrainer(spicy pork with small chunks of cheese), andBratwurst(a white pork sausage). Theese sausages either come with sliced bread or as ahot dog.Mustardis the traditional condiment and usually offered in two varieties: "süß" (sweet) or "scharf" (spicy).
Vienna ranked 10th in vegan friendly European cities in a study by Alternative Traveler in 2020.
TheNaschmarktis a permanent market for fruit, vegetables, spices, fish, and meat, as well as a popular spot for international cuisine, with numerous small restaurants and food stalls offering dishes from around the world.
Vienna is one of the few remaining world capitals with its own vineyards.The wine is served in small Viennese pubs known asHeuriger. The wine is often enjoyed as a Spritzer ("G'spritzter") with sparkling water. TheGrüner Veltliner, a dry white wine, is the most widely cultivated wine in Austria.Another wine typical of the region is "Gemischter Satz", which is usually a blend of different grape varieties harvested from the same vineyard.
Beer is second in importance to wine. Vienna has a single large brewery,Ottakringer, and more than tenmicrobreweries. Ottakringer's most popular product is theOttakringer Helles, a beer with analcohol contentof 5.2%. A Beisl is a traditional small Austrian pub, and Vienna is home to many of them.
Localsoft drinks, such asAlmdudler, are popular across the country as an alternative to alcoholic beverages, ranking them among the top choices alongside American brands likeCoca-Colain terms of market share. Other popular drinks includeSpezi, a mix between cola and orange lemonade, andFrucade, a German carbonated orange drink.
TheViennese coffee house(Kaffeehaus) dates back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Viennaintelligentsiatreated Viennese cafés like a living room.The first Viennese café was opened in 1685 by an Armenian businessman named Johannes Diodato. Café culture flourished in Vienna in the early 19th century.Notable patrons included political figures such asJoseph Stalin,Adolf Hitler,Leon Trotsky, andJosip Broz Tito, who all lived in Vienna in 1913, as well as scientists, writers, and artists such asSigmund Freud,Stefan Zweig,Egon SchieleandGustav Klimt.
Notable coffee houses include:
Vienna is one of the few major cities with its ownwine-growing region. This wine is sold in taverns, so-calledHeuriger, by the local winemakers during the growing season. The wine is often served as aSchorle, a mix of wine andcarbonated water. The meals are simple and homemade, usually consisting of fresh bread, typicallysemmels, with localcoldcutsand cheese, orLiptauer spread. The Heurigers are especially numerous in the areas ofDöbling(Grinzing,Neustift am Walde,Nußdorf,Salmannsdorf,Sievering),Floridsdorf(Stammersdorf, Strebersdorf),Liesing(Mauer), andFavoriten(Oberlaa).
Vienna has an extensive public transportation network. It consists predominantly of theWiener Liniennetwork (subway, tram and bus lines) and theS-Bahnlines belonging to theAustrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). As of 2023, 32% of the population of the city uses public transit as their main mode of transit.
TheVienna metro systemconsists of five lines (U1,U2,U3,U4,U6) with theU5currently under construction. The metro currently serves98 stationsand covers a distance of 83.5 kilometers.The services run from 05:00 to about 01:00 with intervals of two to five minutes during the day and up to eight minutes after 20:00. On Friday and Saturday evenings and on evenings before a public holiday they operate a 24-hour service at 15-minute intervals.
Buses were first introduced to the city in 1907. Currently, 117 bus lines operate in Vienna during the day. 47 of these are run by the Wiener Linien, who also set the routes and timetables, the rest by subcontractors such asDr. Richard,GschwindlandBlaguss. The Wiener Linien also operate 20 night buses.
TheViennese tram networkhas existed since 1865; the first line was electrified in 1897. There are currently 28 lines with 1071 stops that operate on a network of 176,9 km. The trams move at about 15 km/h. The fleet consists of bothhigh-floorandlow-floorvehicles, however the high-floor models, which are not air-conditioned, are in the process of being replaced by more modern, accessible trams. The modern models are air-conditioned and suitable for disabled users.
The city forms the hub of the Austrian railway system, with services to all parts of the country and abroad. The railway system connects Vienna's main stationVienna Hauptbahnhofwith other European cities, includingBratislava,Budapest,Ljubljana, Munich,Prague,Venice,Wrocław,Warsaw,Zagreb, andZürich. Other train stations include:
The cycling network in the city spans 1,721 kilometers. However, this figure counts bidirectionalbike pathstwice and includes on-road cycle-lanes, which are also shared with motor vehicles.The network is constantly being expanded and upgraded, especially in the outer areas, such as Donaustadt.Bike use in the city has been rising, from just 3% in 1993 to 10% in 2023.
The city also operates abicycle-sharing systemcalledWienMobil Radverleih, which offers 3,000 bikes stationed across 185 stations, available at all times. The bikes are 7-speedcity bikeswith an adjustable saddle.
Vienna is served byVienna International Airport, located 18 km southeast of the city center near the town ofSchwechat. The airport handled approximately 29.5 million passengers in 2023.Following lengthy negotiations with surrounding communities, the airport is set to be expanded to increase its capacity by adding a third runway. The airport is undergoing a major expansion, including a new terminal building that opened in 2012 to accommodate the growing number of passengers. Another option for travelers is to useBratislava Airport, Slovakia, located approximately 60 km away.
In 1980, Vienna became a UN headquarter city, alongside New York City andGeneva, and was later joined byNairobi. The city hosts numerous international organizations, many of which are located in theVienna International CentreinDonaustadt, including:
In addition, theUniversity of Viennahosts the annualWillem C. Vis Moot, an international commercial arbitration competition for law students from around the world.
Diplomatic meetings were frequently held in Vienna in the latter half of the 20th century, resulting in several significant documents bearing the nameVienna Convention. Among the most important documents are the 1969Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, as well as the 1990Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. Vienna also hosted the negotiations leading to the 2015Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actionon Iran's nuclear program, as well as theVienna peace talks for Syria.
Alongside international and intergovernmental organizations, there are dozens of charitable organizations based in Vienna. One such organization is the network ofSOS Children's Villages, founded byHermann Gmeinerin 1949. Today, SOS Children's Villages are active in 132 countries and territories worldwide. Others includeHelp Afghan School Children Organization(HASCO).
The general policy of the City of Vienna is not to sign anytwin townagreements with other cities. Instead, the city cooperates with a handful of cities on specific issues..
In addition, individual Viennese districts have international partnerships all over the world. A detailed list is published on the website of the City of Vienna.