New-York tribune., 1873-05-15
VIENNA.
TIE CHANGES OF FIFTEEN YEARS.


VIENNA, April 29.-Venna is the Oldest and in
historical point of the most interesting of the
German capitals. Originally, like Paris, q Celtic
camp OF village, it became a frontier town in the
early days of the Roman Empire, and fouTished as
VndobOna, when Pannonia rose to the dignity of
province. Here, in A. D. 181 died the great and
good Marcus Aureus, man whose like, take him
all in all. Vindobona, Vienna or Wien has not seen
since. Although the Goths and Yandas in their
migrations, swept around by the Black Sea to
Thrace and Illyria this has continued to mark very
nearly the eastern limit of the Germanic territory
from Charlemagne's day to ours. Magyar Slavonc,
and Turkish iDvasions and the tides Of the Cru
sades have swept over it, but, the key to the up
per- German half of the Danube, its possession has
never been lost Here, on both sides of the Danube,
which splits into three arms, broad and fertile
plain opens toward the eastward. 1t is intersected
by small river, called the Wien Vienna), which
comes down from the Pannonian Alps; and where it
joins the southern arm of the Danube there
was originally natural knoll or mound
capable of being easily fortified nearly circular in
form, and about half mile in diameter. Here the
Cets in the prehistoric times made their camp and
here arose the Roman Vindobona. When the East
mark as Austria was originally called, colOnized
from Bavaria, the town speedily became German,
and the circuit of the broad mound was strengthened
with walls and towers. Thus it grew to be fortih
cation of the first class toward the close
of the Middle Ages, and its increasing popu-
tion became more and more closely crowded IN
high houses and narrow streets. After the last siege
and defeat of the Turks, in 1853, suburbs began to
spring up outside of the long sloping glacs quar-
ter of mile wide which surrounded the walls. The
process of growth continued through the last CEN
tury and the first half Of this until the suburbs be-
came one continuous ring-shaped city, connected
with the old by eight or ten avenues, traversing
the open space Of the glacis. To use familiar
illustration, Vienna was like wheel, the
old city forming the hub, with the
avenues as short spokes and the suburbs as broad
tire The population of the old city had reached its
limit of 55 OOO beyond which it cannot be much in
creased The BARE grassy ring of the glaeis was re-
taned, ION military considerations" long after the
other German cities had leveled their useless walls.
The old Notifications were simply nuisance and an
eyesore but the Government seemed to fear know
not what loss Of power or prestige in tearing them
down.
When was last IN Vienna, in May, 1855 the edict
had finally been issued and about hundred yards
Of the wall, next to the Danube arm on the north
ern side, were level with the ground The bare old
masses of houses within so given to the and air.
in fact, was so cramped for space while it all of
Vienna, that there little chance for architec-
tural display and no capital Of the same age pre-
serves so few relics of the past
return to find the physiognomy of the city COM
pletely changed With the disappearance OF the
walls the Open houseless glacs lost its reason for
being there and has become splendid belt of tran
siton between the inner and outer cities 1t shows
what effects may be achieved when private Will or
whim is restrained by a governing taste. The
glacis offered a free field for the con-
struction Of an encirclng series of boule-
wards as in Paris. but far finer inasmuch as
they conform to one harmonious design. Vienna,
moreover has been very fortunate in It's arehiects
even the new, ambitious avenues OF Hausmann' OF
which the world has heard so much, appear cheap
and pretentous beside these stately blocks every
one Of which might be a palace. My first walk
around The Ring" it is now called, was series
of surprises crossed the Danube arm by the new
"Aspern Bridge" and was forced to pause before its
couchant lions, which put Landseer's, in
Trafalgar-square, TO shame. These no
Sphmx-like figures, with straight extended
DAVIS; but beasts aroused and alive,
with the very action have so often seen in the liv-
ing animal. The main avenue, 200 feet wide, passes
first the parade ground, and then the City Park
small but beautifully arranged plot where the turf
is now bright with buttercups, where storks walk
tamely beside the citizens and swans loaf on the
water. Then comes the Koowrat Ring, with
its magnificent mansions and hotels, turning
by bold curve into the Corinthian
and Opera Rings, which are the center
of the new architectural display The
side streets broad and imposing at first are led,
wherever practicable into those of the old city on
the one side and those of the suburbs on the other
but the masses of buildings are lrregulary inter-
rupted by open squares, bridges over the Wien, or
the spaces around public edifces Thus the freedom
of the old glacis, which was its only recommends
ton. is in great meaure preserved.
Beyond the Opera Ring, the avenue passes between
the Imperial Gardens and the National Museums
now in process of erection Then follow the Schiller
Platz, and the spacious parade ground for grand
reviews; and finally at the SchOtten Ring, on the
northwestern side of the old city, we pass between
piles of superb buildings, many still unfinished and
reach the Danube again. There is no single coup
dali equal TO that on the Place de la ConcOtde, in
Paris-as there is not in the world; but know not
where to find two miles of city grand, varied and
harmonious as here.
OF all European capitals, Vienna most suggests
Paris; vet il is resemblance of differences. The
German nature, here, has been modified by inter
course with the Sclavonic that it has acquired
something OF the ease, galety, and mercufal humOr
of the Celtic French. On the other hand, 1t has
lost, in the process, the finer kind OF develop
ment which grows out Of stability OF race
and character. 1t has missed purity of Ian
guage, leadership in literature and art.
and the wider attraction which follows these. Its
lively outdoor life, free-and-easy contact of all
classes and Indifferent morals, are those of Paris;
its courtesy toward strangers is perhaps less grace
full, but more cordial; but it has its own dialect.
which is even less German than that Of Berlin and
the lack Of quick practical sense among the people