Vienna - Austria
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This is the statue of Johann-Strauss. Vienna is his birth place. We just passed by his house where he composed
world famous "Blue Danube" near the river, the second longest river in Europe. We also visited the Danube which is still blue to us. White and red grapes grow here for wine brewing.
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The city's remarkable architecture includes the 15th-century Saint
Stephen's Cathedral, with its lofty Gothic spires. It incorporates remnants
of the original 12th-century Romanesque structure. The 20-ton bell, made
from captured Turkish cannons in 1711, was recast and rehung with much ceremony.
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This is one of the world's leading opera houses built in 1869, known especially for
performances of works by Richard Wagner, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Richard Strauss.
Schonbrunn Summer Palace is a Rococo-style 1,440-room palace of the Habsburgs. It is located on the
suburb of Vienna. Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach's first design for the building, meant to rival France's
Palace of Versailles, was done in 1690. A second, somewhat less ornate, plan, however, dating
back 1695-96 was adopted, and the palace was finished by 1711. There are rooms decorated in blue
which represents the Queen's interest in Chinese porcelain.
This magnificent summer palace of the Habsburg dynasty is a stunning reminder of Austria's glorious past.
Schonbrunn stands for beautiful spring water. Gloriette is located on top of the hill.
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Gloriette
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Mozart and other renowned artists entertained at the Schonbrunn for Empress Maria Theresa.
This is the winter palace of Habsburg. It consists of 2600 rooms with the oldest part dating back the
13th century and the latest from the end of the 19th. It houses the imperial treasury of the Holy Roman
and Austrian empires, the Austrian National Library, the Albertina and several other museums, and the
Spanish Riding School. The statue on the right side of the picture is admiring Empress Maria Theresa.
