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| St.Stephan's |
Does it suffice to say that Vienna was the cradle of western classical music?No,it was much much more.
Through the 19th century,much of Central and South-east Europe was ruled from Vienna,the seat of the powerful Hapsburg Empire, known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 19th century.Its provinces, shown in this map, were inhabited by many different nationalities.It was one of Europe's cultural capitals.Fine wine,exquisite art,coffee,cakes,dress-up balls and the good life flourished here.Composers like Mozart,Beethoven,Brahms,Strauss Sr.and Jr.came here to launch their careers. Vienna was also home to Freud.By the year 1900 it had 2.2 million people and was the fifth largest city in the world.After defeat in the First World War, the empire was dissolved. Austria and Hungary separated, and parts of the empire joined Italy,Romania,the restored Poland and the new states of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.In the 1990s the component states of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia became independent. Take a look at the map below.
Day 1
We arrived in Vienna and located at Stephan Platz, the city centre which made it easy to walk to most of the attractions that the city had to offer.In just under 10 minutes we would reach the famous Opera house,more later,and walk to the meeting point for the walking tour.We pass Albertina museum on the left and could see emperor Franz Josef I astride on his horse.
Our tour begins...Albertina Platz itself is filled with statues including the powerful thought provoking Monument against War and Fascism. This is a work of an Austrian sculptor.The monument serves as a reminder of a very dark chapter in history,and pays homage to all those who lost their lives.The split white sculpture,The Gates of violence,remembers victims.You can see an old Jew crawled on the floor enmeshed in barbed wire and scrubbing anti-Nazi graffiti off the street with a tooth brush. This monument stands on a spot where WWII bombs struck,demolishing a cellar and burying several hundred people alive.Finally,we see a declaration that established democratic Austria in 1945.
Some recent history...
Austrians had been led into WWII by Germany,which annexed the country in 1938,saying Austrians were wannabe Germans.(But Austrians are not Germans and will never be.Germany wasn't a nation till 1870,Austria has a thousand year heritage.) From 1945,Austria lived through 10 years of joint occupation by the Allies until it became a free nation in 1955.
Leaving history behind...we are informed that the popular Bitzinger Wurstelstand is nearby for delicious Bratwursts,Wieners and some beer.We also pass by the classic Cafe Tirolerhof which has the old world charm... Chandeliers,marbled tables,upholstered booths and waiters in Tuxes.Coffee and Vienna are forever linked from 17th century when the invading Turks,Ottomans, introduced it.It was first an aristocratic drink and then became a hit with the working class in the 19th with the coming of the Industrial age.By 20th it was refined...when waiters came around with a sheet of paper with various shades of brown for customers to specify the strength.
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| Tirolerhof cafe |
We turn into grand Karntner strasse, and walk looking up modern store fronts and also getting a feel of the street's former glory.We amble along and see an orange-ish church with a triangular roof and cross.This is the Capuchin church,home of the Kaisergruft or the Imperial crypt which is located in the basement.It is filled with what is left of the Royalty,the Habsburgs. No less than 150 members of the family.Most famous among them was Maria Theresa who ruled for 40 years from 1740-80.Besides reforming the Government,banning torture,and funding schools,Maria also found time to have 16 children.Ill fated Marie Antoinette was her youngest daughter who was married to the king of France.We are in the Neuer market and the first thing that strikes you is the Donnerbrunnen fountain that is located in the centre of the square.Built in 1737,at the centre is the allegory of Providentia interpreted as the wisdom of good governance.She foresees great water supplies for Vienna and is surrounded by four figures that are the four main rivers of Austria.
The Austrian National library is the next stop at Joseph Platz. Oh What a grand feast it is!!The State Hall of the ANL exhibits one of the world's most beautiful architecture in Baroque style with ceiling frescoes.It is home to some 200,000 books published between 1501-1850.Together with marble statues and walnut bookcases it presents a magnificent glimpse of the 18th century!
Next,The Hofburg: Below is the facade showing the present entrance to this sprawling complex.
It was the official residence of every Austrian ruler since 1275 and the seat of the Habsburgs. Today it is occupied by the Austrian President.It consists of numerous buildings(18 of them,19 courtyards and 2500 rooms) reflecting various period architecture from Gothic,Renaissance,Baroque and Rococo.It is like the Vatican,a city within a city.Imperial apartments, Museums, Library, Treasury with collection of Imperial regalia,family silver and a Chapel are to be found here.
The Dome over the entrance and the main gate from the inside are shown below. The horse buggies are maintained in top condition to cater to tourists. They complement the grandeur of the location and give you a feel of the centuries gone by.
In the centre of the platz outside is a Caesar like statue of Emperor Franz II.He ruled in the early 1800's. Franz was the grandson of Maria Theresa,grandfather of Franz Josef and the Father in law of Napoleon.(Imagine their X-Mas dinner party!).
Franz II statue faces a colorful red and golden gateway called the Swiss gate.It is the oldest part of the palace.This was the site of the old fortress with a moat and drawbridge.
We go through the main entrance,shown earlier, past the museum and the tunnel that spills into a spacious area known as Heldenplatz or Heroes' square.We see a new Palace on the left built in early 1900 as the new living quarters.Their plans were shattered by the onset of WWI in 1914 when emperor's nephew and heir Ferdinand was assassinated.This was the eventual end of seven centuries of Habsburg rule.But why call it Heroes' square?
There stand two equestrian statues,Prince Eugene who battled the Ottoman Turks and Archduke Charles who fought Napoleon.
In 1938,when Hitler returned to Vienna in triumph,he addressed his adoring throngs from the balcony of the new Palace.See pic below.
We pass the famous Demel,the oldest cafe and bakery in Vienna which serves cakes and other dishes hand crafted to century old traditional recipes.Some of them used to satisfy the cravings of emperor Franz Josef who had Demel cake and pralines served secretly during his trysts with his lover.We are now in the Kohlmarkt which is Vienna's most elegant and unaffordable shopping street.There is Cartier,Armani,Gucci,Tiffany and other famous jewelers here.
Next we see the Plague column.It is a 60-foot pillar sprouting angels and cherubs.At the top is the gilded trinity,Father,Son and Holy Ghost.Why was it built?In 1679 the city was hit by bubonic plague and 1/3rd of the population died.The then emperor dropped to his knees and begged God to save the city. Lady faith,statue with the cross,with the help of a cupid tosses an old naked woman,symbolizing the plague,into the abyss,saving the city.In gratitude King vowed to erect this monument as did many other kingdoms who were ravaged with the plague.
Our next stop is the Cathedral of St.Stephan (See watercolor heading this blog),Stephan Platz,Vienna's famous address and the absolute city centre. The Habsburgs set foot in Vienna in late 13th century and around 1350's laid the corner stone of the Nave and aisles.From then on, it took over two hundred years for the building to reach its present shape.
Its North tower is half the size of the south tower.Why?
In 1529 the Ottoman Turks invaded.Construction funds had to be diverted for war efforts and construction of tower was stopped..For the next two centuries Vienna fought a rising tide of Islam.Finally they were driven off for good in late 17th century.They left behind bags and bags of Coffee and the city's first coffee house was opened.
Mozart,got married at the Cathedral and lived here in the 1780's and one of his many residences is just a block behind.Here we are at the end of the guided walk.
Sat at a side walk cafe for Sacher Torte made famous by Franz Sacher. It is a two layered chocolate cake separated by apricot jam and coated with chocolate icing.It is often accompanied by unsweetened whipped cream. Yummmmm!
After a brief siesta we headed to the Opera house for a guided tour.
The Opera house,built in 1869,is located on the busy Ringstrasse that circles Vienna's historical core.This is the throne room of Classical,Musical Vienna.Generations of great composers (musicians) flocked to Vienna; Haydn, Mozart ,Beethoven, Brahms,Strauss Sr/Jr among others.It is a symbol of the golden age.Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss served as musical directors. Pavarotti, Calas,Domingo have all sung from its stage.Even today the Opera belts out 300 shows a year,both traditional and cutting edge.
The inside is sumptuous. Chandeliered lobby,carpeted stairs,tapestry and murals depicting scenes from famous Operas,marble busts of all the famous composers,Royal boxes,the huge stage with its many sections,the orchestral pit,and the theater itself with five wrap around balconies,gold and red decor,and a magnificent Chandelier to top it all.
There is a giant outdoor screen where some performances are projected to public.We were lucky to watch Verdi's Opera,Don Carlo here.
Sat at a side walk cafe for Sacher Torte made famous by Franz Sacher. It is a two layered chocolate cake separated by apricot jam and coated with chocolate icing.It is often accompanied by unsweetened whipped cream. Yummmmm!
After a brief siesta we headed to the Opera house for a guided tour.
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| Opera House painted by Hitler in 1912 |
The inside is sumptuous. Chandeliered lobby,carpeted stairs,tapestry and murals depicting scenes from famous Operas,marble busts of all the famous composers,Royal boxes,the huge stage with its many sections,the orchestral pit,and the theater itself with five wrap around balconies,gold and red decor,and a magnificent Chandelier to top it all.
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| Entry/Exit for the Royalty, |
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Apart from the Opera house this incredible city of music has other venues such as the world famous Vienna Boys Choir and Vienna Philharmonic(Musikverein) and Haus der Musik.
Pavement on the side walks had star shaped plaques honoring maestros of classical musik.
Our day continued on a short tram ride on the Ringstrasse where a young Indian boy helped us purchase and validate our tickets.We returned to the Opera house and passed by cafe Sacher,run by the makers of the original Sacher Torte.
Thus ended a great day full of history and grandeur.
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Day 2
Out in the Danube's Wachau valley.....
The Wachau is a stretch of the Danube valley,40 Kms between the towns of Krems and Melk,a landscape of high visual quality. We decided to take a day trip to this beautiful valley,a UNESCO heritage site to the west of Vienna.
Our trip started early so as to allow us to motor down to Krems where we transferred to a boat for a cruise up the Danube and berthed at Melk to visit the good old Monastery there.
I shall present a photo tour for your benefit.
The Road trip:
Our bus commences journey from the main bus station with a guide speaking English,German and Spanish.We leave the bustle of the city and drive to the countryside over very good roads.Weather behaves and we are able to enjoy our ride to our heart's content. Krems is lush and many villages and towns with their own churches and cathedrals could be seen,each one a picture postcard.
On our left is the Danube and on the right are villages with land put to agricultural use.
On our left is the Danube and on the right are villages with land put to agricultural use.
The valley is secluded by hills on either side with the river snaking its course.
Here is the famous 
Gottweig Abbey set up in 1083 AD where the monks earn their livelihood by making their own brand of wine.Krems,Gottweigand Wachau are
synonymous with good wine.
We are now approaching the
ruins of Dornstein castle
where the English king Richard "the lion heart" was imprisoned in 1192-93 by Leopold V of Austria.This is a popular 'ruins" in these parts and attracts good amount of tourists.Below on the left is 
the medieval church of Michael.We took a break here and walked around and went up the watch tower which had some bright murals painted
Shortly,we arrived at Spitz to catch our boat after a 90 minute exhilarating drive.
The Cruise:
We take the top deck or the Sun deck if you wish.The weather is even better now and there is cool natural breeze.The boat is gentle and the going is good.Danube here is not very wide and one can easily view both the banks and take in the scenery.More castle ruins,beautiful farm houses and all close to the river highlighting the fact that Danube was a trading route from the middle ages. It is a super romantic part of the Danube and a prestigious wine country. 
The waitresses waste no time in getting orders for drinks and we welcome it after the long bus ride.
The smooth gliding motion of the boat and the drinks serve to enliven us as we watch medieval relics pass by in decent succession.
Below is Schonbuhel castle.It is built on rocks approx 40 meters above the level of Danube.It stands out majestically as we pass and every one on board is clicking away furiously as the boat turns along with the river.
The pic on the right is when we heard the captain announce the impending arrival of Melk, our destination.The lull was broken and people got busy after a laze on the deck for about 100 minutes.
It was heavenly while it lasted.
Melk: A UNESCO Jewel
Riding the coach to the Abbey we see that Melk is a sleepy but elegant town.The restored Benedictine Abbey beams proudly and towers over the Danube valley and is one of Europe's great sights.Established in the 11th century,it was destroyed by fire. What visitors see today is 18th-century re-creation.For 900 years, monks of St. Benedict have lived and worked in Melk's abbey, during the Reformation (1500s), occupation by Napoleon (1800s), and the Nazis (1900s). Today, the institution survives, funded by agriculture and the horde of tourists.Before the guided tour we got a break and we used the time for a modest lunch followed by apricot filled pancakes for dessert.We had time to visit the Park with its Baroque pavilion/cafe adorned with some fine frescoes.
We toured the monastery's museum,marble hall,Library and the church.We learnt that there are more than two dozen Benedictine monks here and a few hundred children who attend the Abbey's secondary school.There are regular classical concerts,open to the public.As amazing as the architecture is,the role the abbey has played as a spiritual centre in old Europe is noteworthy.
The marble hall was another place that would dwarf a grand palace ball room.
The ceiling frescoes were outstanding.
Greek Gods were roaming the skies to pay reverence to a Habsburg emperor.
The entry to the Museum was lighted in Purple!! A first for me.Take a look.
The word Höre is part of a motto, Höre und du wirst Ankommen ( Listen and you will arrive ) which is part of the Benedictine dictum.They have got it even on the steps to the parking lot,so it's the last thing you see before you leave.
The Museum was in top shape and well organised.As you walked,you saw the life of St.Benedict evolve. The development of the monastery and its role in society over the centuries unfolded.The most stunning room was entirely covered with mirrors,reflecting and multiplying four gold statues placed strategically,one in each corner.
Most visitors flock to the main library,world famous for its 16000 ancient books...No pics allowed here and keep your hands off please as many books are more than 500 years old.Once again we see awesome ceiling frescoes in vibrant colours. Richly decorated galleries and bookshelves.The library is not just a show piece.It is still in use as a few gaps in the book shelves showed.There is a small library behind the main library and there is a cute spiral staircase too!
The Church:The top architects of European Baroque have done a thorough job!The place climaxed the art of glorifying God;the rule of St.Benedict.
Where does all the money come from? crossed my mind as I marveled at richly carved and gold plated pulpits,marble columns and delicate frescoes.
We were given access to the balcony of the Abbey and got stunning shots of the town,farms and river below.
With this our long and eventful day comes to an end as our guide beckons us to our seats on the coach,on our way back to Vienna.
We were let off at the Opera house and as we ambled slowly watching the giant screen showing yet another Opera we heard.....
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare
Closer to home at Stephanplatz we sat for Coffee and Sacher Torte and watched the world go by....
( In Vienna once you have taken your seat it is left to you to ask for the bill,settle and go out)
Early morning start to enable us to spend some more time at St.Stephan,before heading to the Horse show.Going up the tower was always on our mind and opted for the shorter tower as we would go up by an elevator.The taller tower requires you to climb the steps.The tower hosts the largest bell of the cathedral that weighs 21 tons. There was a Chinese invasion of sorts when their big group came immediately after us with their interpreter.Oh what a noise these guys make wherever you see them We could see the ornately patterned,richly coloured roof done with glazed tiles.
The views of Vienna from the top.
In the grounds of the Hofburg,from 1735 is located the famous Spanish Riding school.It is a leading attraction,thrilling audiences watching from 3-Tiered chandeliered galleries,with precision display of equestrian skills by Lipizzaner horses,a breed dating back to 16th century.The horses and the riders demonstrate the haute ecole,high school movements of classical dressage...highly controlled stylized jumps known as the "airs above the ground".Tickets to performances sell quickly,so be sure to book as far in advance as possible.
We now head to Musikverein--Friends of Music
It is a very beautiful concert building located in the centre of Vienna created
under a historic decree by emperor Franz Joseph who in 1857,when we were busy with Sepoy mutiny,ordered removal of the city walls to build a sophisticated modern boulevard,Ringstrasse,and also gave a plot of land for the construction of Musikverein (MV) hall.It opened in 1860.A truly classical ambiance pervades the Institution,seeped in Renaissance antiquity,for the performance of classical music.Our tour lasted 45 minutes and the young guide showed us every Hall and answered all our questions.It was a treat of a different kind.
MV has a complete ensemble of Concert halls.
It has long been a Vienna Philharmonic tradition,at the New Year, to present a program of music from the vast repertoire of the family of Johann Strauss and its contemporaries.These concerts not only delight the audiences in the MV in Vienna, but also enjoy great international popularity through the worldwide television broadcast,which now reaches over 90 countries.
Brahms Saal:
Johannes Brahms not only performed in person in this hall,he was also behind the very first concert to be performed here, by Clara Schumann on 19 Jan 1870. The Brahms Saal remains one of the most prized locations for the greatest chamber music ensembles and lieder singers performing in the world today. 
In 2004 MV undertook significant expansion and created four additional subterranean halls.In the largest of the Four New Halls, “gold” motif was adopted from the Grand hall and combined with the element of “glass” to translate it into a modern setting.Basic elements – metal, stone and wood – also lent each of the other new spaces,the Metal, Stone and Wooden Hall.These halls are much smaller and are used for rehearsals,music conferences and receptions. Acoustic quality is top class in all these halls.
Archive · Library · Collections of the MV are the most important private music collections worldwide.It was a founding ambition of the Society of MV to document the history of music as comprehensively as possible.Manuscripts and printed scores, letters, books and periodicals, paintings, sculptural objects and photographs,recordings and musical instruments have all been added to the collection.The music library of Beethoven,was bequeathed to the Society: ninety boxes each weighing 250 kgs and containing priceless Beethoven documents. What is perhaps the most famous of all Beethoven’s manuscripts is the transcription of the “Eroica” score, with its dedication to Napoleon erased by the composer.Lunched at a Cafe on Ringstrasse and as we were returning to our room we saw a huge traffic pile up nearby and music blare from speakers.Stopped to see a huge "Rainbow Parade" popularly celebrated as gay parade" the world over,making a visible statement for the acceptance of Homosexuality.People dressed and undressed,some with coloured faces and limbs carrying out a huge procession...walking,cycling,cars,buses,trucks and so on with large banners and graffiti...festoons,balloons, but no fire crackers!
Vienna is done; we move to Budapest tomorrow
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