Vienna's history can be traced back to Roman times. Like many cities throughout Europe, it is based on a former Roman military settlement called Vindobona. After the decline of the Roman Empire, the remains of this camp developed in to a town under the reign of the Babenberger dynasty. In 1492 it became the seat and capital of the Habsburger's Holy Roman Empire and began its development in to the city it is today.
Nowadays, Vienna is the capital of the Austrian Republic, the seat of government, home to approximately 1,7 million people and place of work for many Austrians from the surrounding area.
Vienna offers a variety of sightseeing options. The St. Stephan's Cathedral is one of the City's oldest buildings, combining, as a result of its lengthy construction time, a number of different architectural styles. The Ringstrasse, the former encircling border of the city centre was turned into a magnificent boulevard in the 19th century and is definitely worth a walk. A must for tourists is the Schloss Schönbrunn, the former summer seat and residence of the Habsburgs, with its parks, palm house, butterfly house and world renowned Zoo.
Vienna is a melting pot for what used to be a multinational empire during the Habsburg monarchy. The immigration of Hungarians, Czechs and Poles and other ethnic groups has left its influence everywhere, especially on the surnames of many Viennese inhabitants.
Vienna is not only the political, but also the cultural capital of Austria. The city offers a wide variety of theatre, music, art and cinemas and its cultural tradition of high art is well known worldwide. Vienna has been home to many famous musicians, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Falco. It is still a very popular place to live for artists from all over the world.
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