We are FCC - Nº12

Vienna offers much more than just Stepahnsdom or Prater When you say “Vienna”, people pro- bably think first of the most famous places in the city; Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral), Prater amuse- ment park or Schoenbrunn Palace. Of course these monuments are some of the most emblematic of Vienna and one of the main reasons to visit the capital of Austria, but there is also much more to see. In particular, its historic centre, which was surprisingly added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2001. Hidden treasures in almost every corner Just a walk through the centre of Vienna makes you feel surrounded by its remarkable history. Its buil- dings reflect the evolution of the city over the centuries and its Gothic, Ba- roque or Classic styles are faithfully represented. The abbey of Schotten (the oldest mo- nastery in Austria, founded in 1155), the churches of Maria am Gestade, Michaelerkirche, Minoritenkirche and Minoritenkloster (from the 13th cen- tury) and St. Stephen’s Cathedral (from the 14th and 15th centuries) are all buildings in the Gothic style. In 1683, Vienna became the capital of the Habsburg Empire and quickly developed into an impressive ba- roque city. This baroque character is particularly well expressed in the great palaces of Vienna, including its garden ensembles. Among the most impressive and interesting baroque gardens are Augarten, Belvedere, the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace or the gardens of Schloss Hof. And you can also witness the majesty of baroque architecture in Schoen- brunn or Belvedere Palace, as well as St. Charles Borromeo Church, the Imperial Stables (Museumsquar- tier), Böhmische Hofkanzlei building, Auersperg Palace, Dietrichstein Pa- lace, Esterhazy Palace, Fürstenberg Palace, Palais Harrach, Palais Lam- berg, Jesuitenkirche, Rochuskirche, Palais Strozzi, Palais Trautson ...and many others. The Ringstrasse (translation; Ring Road) is a large circular boulevard that literally serves as a ring road around the historic Innere Stadt (In- ner City) district of Vienna, Austria. C O M M U N I T I E S 56 C O M M U N I T I E S