Historic Centre of Vienna In Austria

Historic Centre of Vienna - Austria

Vienna developed from the early Celtic and Roman settlements in a medieval and baroque city, the capital of the Habsburg Empire. They play a key role as a leading European music center, from the era of the Viennese Classicism by the first part of the 20th century. The historic center of Vienna is rich in architectural ensemble, including baroque castles and gardens, as well as the late-19th-century Ringstrasse lined with large buildings, monuments and parks.

Wide Report

The urban and architectural qualities of the historic center of Vienna bear witness yet an ongoing exchange of values in the 2nd millennium AD. Three important periods of the European cultural and political development - the Middle Ages, the baroque and the Gründerzeit - are particularly well illustrated by the urban and architectural heritage of Vienna. The complex consists of the medieval core (based on the Roman settlement), the main Baroque ensemble with their axs, and the Gründerzeit constructions from the beginning of the modern era. The city of Vienna is located on the Danube River in the eastern part of Austria. The old Roman military camp, traces of which are still visible in the medieval urban structure of the current Vienna, was located in a plain, west of the old branch of the Danube.

Beginning in the 12th century, the scheme should be extended outside the Roman fortifications, which were scrapped. The medieval city walls surrounded a much larger area; they were rebuilt during the Ottoman conflicts in the 16th and 17th century and bastions. This remained the core of Vienna to the walls were demolished in the second half of the 19th century. This town contains a number of medieval historic buildings, including the Schottenkloster, the oldest monastery in Austria, the churches of Maria am Strand (one of the most important Gothic structures), Michaelerkirche, Minoritenkirche and Minoritenkloster, from the 13th century. St Stephen's Cathedral dating from the 14th and 15th century. The period was also the construction of civic ensembles, such as first parts of the Hofburg. Whereas a monastic complexes were generally built from stone, as part of the fortifications of the medieval city, the residential area were of wood and suffering frequent forest fires.

In 1683 Vienna developed rapidly as the capital of the Austro-hungarian Empire, an impressive baroque city. The baroque nature was reflected in particular in the large palace layouts built under Emperor Charles VI (1711-40) and Maria Theresa (1740-80), such as the Belvedere Palace and garden ensemble. A growing number of new palaces were built by noble families. Many existing medieval buildings, churches and monasteries are amended and baroque elements and additions were representative administrative buildings. Several historic buildings are now associated with the major Viennese residence of personalities, such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and others, when the city an important role as a leading European music center, from the era of the Viennese Classicism by the first part of the 20th century.

A new phase in the history of Vienna took place at the 34 suburbs were included with the city, and the emperor ordered the demolition of the fortifications around the city. This opportunity was taken to one of the most important 19th-century ensemble in the history of cities, which strongly influenced by the rest of Europe in this crucial period of social and economic development. In 1874 the Hofburg complex was extended with the Neue Hofburg, a 'roman forum', together with large museum complexes in one ensemble. The burgtheater, the parliament, the city hall and the university formed another ensemble associated with this. This was supplemented by the opera, as well as a large number of public and private buildings in the Ringstrasse, the line of the broken walls. The late 19th and early 20th century witnesses of more creative contributions of Viennese designers, artists and architects in the period of Art Nouveau, separation and the early painting of the 20th century architecture.

Historical Data

Antiquity and early middle ages (up to 11th century):

Archaeological evidence has shown that the site of Vienna was a Celtic settlement when the Romans extended their control over the Danube region in the 1st century CE, construction of the castellum of Vindobona on the edge of the river and to stay here to 488. The meandering River Danube was the limes of the Roman Empire, the border with Germania libera, later affect urban development to modern times. The High German name Wenia was first mentioned in 881, during the battle between the Germans and Magyars.

High and late middle ages (12th to 15th century):

Vienna started interpretation obtained in the late 12th and 13th century, one of the largest cities of the German Reich, next to Cologne. Different a monastic complexes were built, including the Minoritenkirche, as well as the construction of the ducal residence, the current Hofburg, Taken over by the Habsburgs in 1276. In the 14th and 15th century the city prospered in trade, and the first German university was founded in 1365. The church of St Stephen was made for an independent diocese in 1469 and an archbishopric in 1718. The Jewish community here since the 12th century was destroyed in 1420-21.

Gap and the Turkish siege ( 16th century to 1683):

In the 16th century Europe was in conflict with the Ottoman Empire, which most of Hungary. Vienna was a frontier fortress, surrounded first in 1529, and trade fall. In 1533 Ferdinand I transferred to Vienna, making it the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, which lasted until 1806, with an open circuit from 1583 to 1612. In 1683 Vienna with success against the Ottoman army, a victory that Hungary under Habsburg rule.

Baroque metropolis (1683 to the French Revolution):

The change in the political situation after 1683 also showed significant changes in the city of Vienna, the start of an important phase. An increase of the population led to the construction of suburban areas, which were protected by their own fortifications, the Linienwall. Baroque palaces were designed for the center of the city by the leading architects of the time, including J. B. Fischer von Erlach and L. von Unkel-te Kaat, resulting in the construction of the palaces of Schönbrunn and Belvedere, the enlargement of the Hofburg, and a large number of ecclesiastical and civil ensemble. Vienna was the European capital of music as a result of the genius of Haydn and Mozart. After the defeat of Napoleon was the location of the Congress of Vienna (1814 - 15), which resulted in the political continuation of absolutism must (Vormärz, i.e. before March 1848).  Simultaneously, the petite bourgeoisie continued interest for art, furniture (Biedermeier), painting, and especially music (Beethoven, Schubert).

The era of French Joseph I (1848-1916):

At the end of 1848, the young Emperor Francis Joseph I have been on the throne of the austrian-hungarian Empire. The desire for a democratic government remained a dream, although constitutional government was restored in 1860. The walls were expelled in 1857 and ground with a view to the establishment of the Ringstrasse, a beautiful example of 19th century urban planning. With the new ambitions of the haute bourgeoisie, the new Ringstrasse was a large construction site for an impressive number of large buildings, such as theaters, museums, universities and large private construction, characterized as the Gründerzeit, the constructors' period. There was also an important development in the field of culture, including composers: Bruckner, Brahms, Wolf, Mahler, Schönberg, architects and painters such as O. Wagner, A. Loos, G. Klimt, and O. Kokoschka, as well as philosophers, including L. Wittgenstein.

Period since the World War I:  

With the death of the Emperor in 1916 the Empire came to an end and Austria was declared a democratic republic in 1918. Between the two World Wars, Vienna's leading architects involved in subsidized housing which came to dominate the nature of some Viennese districts. The Second World War caused great damage to the city and the reconstruction took in 1960. Simultaneously, a new approach to conservation has developed, and the old town is legally protected in 1972. In 1945 Vienna status as a federal province (country) and the capital city of Austria.

Source:whc/unesco