Vienna City Guide

History of Vienna Vienna, originally a Celtic settlement, became an important frontier city (called Vindobona at that time) at the border of the Roman Empire in the second century AD. In 1156, Austria was officially raised to the status of a duchy and made residence of the Babenberg Dynasty. It became the residence of the Habsburg Empire in 1440 AD and then grew to become the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. As residence of the Holy Roman Emperors, Vienna was a target of the expanding Ottoman Empire, leading to two futile sieges of the city by the Ottoman armies (Siege of Vienna in 1529 and Battle of Vienna in 1683). In the following period of prosperity building activity increased – as did the city’s population (with a break only due to two plague epidemics in the late 17 th and early 18 th centuries). First factories and a sewage system were built. The city blossomed and grew to be an important European cultural centre, being home to famous composers Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven, as well as to Biedermeier art in painting and furniture making. In 1804, Vienna became the capital of the Austrian Empire. Vienna continued to play an important role in Europe, hosting the Congress of Vienna in 1815 which aimed at rearranging the political circumstances in Europe. Vienna’s population grew dramatically with the beginning of the industrialization in the middle of the 19 th century and former suburbs were incorporated into the city. During the latter half of the 19 th century the city developed stately buildings along Ringstraße, a major prestige object. Vienna’s imperial past is still visible today in monumental structures and buildings such as the Imperial Palace (Hofburg), the Schönbrunn Palace, the buildings along Ringstraße, and many other sites throughout the city. On the other hand, there were major social changes: as a result, from immigration from other parts of the Empire, the working class grew and with increasing poverty, social democratic tendencies were on the rise. After World War I, Vienna became the capital of the First Austrian republic in 1918 and in 1922, the city became an autonomous federal province. During the 1920s and 1930s it was a bastion of Socialism, and became known as “rotes Wien” (Red Vienna), with the Social Democrats pursuing extensive social policies in particular regarding housing as well as social and youth policies in general. In 1938, Adolf Hitler annexed Austria to the Third Reich. Austria ceased to exist as a state, became part of Hitler’s Germany, with Vienna losing its status as a capital to Berlin. In 1945, Vienna was liberated by Soviet troops during the so-called Vienna Offensive. After World War II, Vienna was occupied by the Allied Forces for 10 years, and it was only with the Austrian State Treaty signed in 1955 that Austria regained its independence as a sovereign country. During the Cold War, Vienna continued to build on its international role: It was chosen as headquarters for the OSCE and in 1979 it became host city to the United Nations.

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Vienna City Guide