Theme Week Styria – Mürzzuschlag

19 November 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

© Doronenko/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Doronenko/cc-by-sa-3.0

Mürzzuschlag is a town in northeastern Styria, the capital of the Mürzzuschlag District. It is located on the Mürz river near the Semmering Pass, the border with the state of Lower Austria, about 85 km (53 mi) southwest of Vienna. The population is 8,500. Originally an industrial area, the nearby mountains are today a popular ski resort.   read more…

Theme Week Styria

18 November 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks Reading Time:  7 minutes

Graz - Clock Tower © Philipp Steiner/cc-by-sa-3.0

Graz – Clock Tower © Philipp Steiner/cc-by-sa-3.0

Styria (German: Steiermark) is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. The population is at 1,2 millione. The capital city is Graz.   read more…

Grafenegg Castle in Lower Austria

24 July 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  6 minutes

© Zairon/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Zairon/cc-by-sa-3.0

Seven centuries of history can be seen in the architecture of Grafenegg Castle. Extended in the 19th century, it has become Austria’s most important example of historicism and in Grafenegg it is possible to find stylistic traces from Gothic through Baroque and Biedermeier to elegant Neo-gothic. With its soaring tower, grandiose façades, stylish staircases, atmospheric arcades and attractive chapel, Grafenegg has become an emblem of Lower Austria.   read more…

Kitzbühel in Tyrol

22 June 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

2010 World Cup Hahnenkamm Race © Anonymous

2010 World Cup Hahnenkamm Race © Anonymous

Kitzbühel is a small medieval town in Tyrol and the administrative centre of the Kitzbühel district. It has a population of 8,100. The town is situated in the Kitzbühel Alps about 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of the state capital of Innsbruck. It is a ski resort of international renown.   read more…

The Benedictine abbey Stift Melk in Lower Austria

2 March 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  4 minutes

Park © Veleius

Park © Veleius

Melk Abbey is an Austrian Benedictine abbey, and one of the world’s most famous monastic sites. It is located above the town of Melk on a rocky outcrop overlooking the river Danube in Lower Austria, adjoining the Wachau valley.   read more…

Gmunden on Lake Traunsee

16 February 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

Aerial view of Gmunden and Ort Castle © Hannesrb

Aerial view of Gmunden and Ort Castle © Hannesrb

Gmunden is a town in Upper Austria in the district of Gmunden. It has 13,000 inhabitants. It is much frequented as a health and summer resort, and has a variety of goat, lake, brine, vegetable and pine-cone baths, a hydropathic establishment, inhalation chambers, whey cure, etc. It is also an important centre of the salt industry in Salzkammergut.   read more…

Theme Week Vienna – The Vienna State Opera

12 December 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Opera Houses, Theaters, Libraries Reading Time:  5 minutes

Vienna State Opera around 1900 © Library of Congress

Vienna State Opera around 1900 © Library of Congress

The Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper) is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera (Wiener Hofoper). In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Republic of Austria, it was renamed the Vienna State Opera. The members of the Vienna Philharmonic are recruited from its orchestra.   read more…

Riegersburg Castle in Styria

1 December 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  6 minutes

Vineyards on the top of the fortified hill, surrounding the castle proper © Andi oisn/cc-by-sa3.0

Vineyards on the top of the fortified hill, surrounding the castle proper © Andi oisn/cc-by-sa3.0

Riegersburg Castle is a medieval castle situated on a dormant volcano hill above the town of Riegersburg in the Austrian state of Styria. The castle is owned by the Princely Family of Liechtenstein and serves as a museum, with 25 out of the 108 rooms being opened for visiting. 16 of the rooms show the history of the Riegersburg castle and 9 are dealing with witches and sorcerers.   read more…

The Gasometer in Vienna

14 November 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

Gasometer Vienna © Andreas Poeschek - www.wiener-gasometer.at / CC-BY-SA-2.0-at

Gasometer Vienna © Andreas Poeschek – www.wiener-gasometer.at / CC-BY-SA-2.0-at

The Gasometers in Vienna are four former gas tanks, each of 90,000 m³ storage capacity, built as part of the Vienna municipal gas works Gaswerk Simmering in 1896–1899. They are located in the 11th district, Simmering. They were used from 1899 to 1984 as gas storage tanks. After the changeover from town gas to natural gas between 1969 and 1978, they were no longer used and were shut down. Only the brick exterior front walls were preserved. The structures have found a new use in modern times.   read more…

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