Vienna

Introduction
Physical and human geography
- The landscape
  - Site
  - Climate
  - Layout and architecture
- The people
  - Ethnicity and language
  - Religion
- The economy
  - Industry and trade
  - Transportation
- Administration and social conditions
  - Government
  - Health and welfare
  - Education
- Cultural life
  - Music and theatre
  - Museums and libraries
  - Coffeehouses and taverns
History
- The ancient city and medieval growth
- Development of imperial Vienna
- Evolution of the modern city

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Observe Vienna's Schloss Schönbrunn, Gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral, and postmodern Haas Haus building

Tour Vienna's Rococo, Gothic, and postmodern buildings and learn about the city's imperial past

Map showing Austria highlighted at the center of Central Europe, bordered by Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Croatia. The capital city, Vienna, is marked, and the Adriatic Sea is labeled to the south.

Glass display case at Cafe Demel in Vienna filled with assorted pastries and cakes, each labeled with a name card, arranged on multiple shelves.

At a Glance

Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria, viewed from above with formal gardens and tree-lined paths in the foreground and the cityscape in the background.

Vienna summary

Quizzes

Top of Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany

European Capitals Quiz

Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day.

Guess the City by Its River Quiz

A woman with a brightly-colored feather headdress and costume, during a Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro. Rio Carnival. Brazil Carnival.

World Cities

Catedral at night on Plaza de Armas (also known as plaza mayor) Lima, Peru.

World Capitals Quiz

Related Questions

How did Nazi rule affect Vienna’s Jewish population?
How did Red Vienna improve housing and public welfare?
How did Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler contribute to Vienna’s intellectual life?
How did the Revolution of 1848 change Metternich’s rule in Vienna?
How did the Sezessionstil movement change art and architecture in Vienna?
How did the Vienna Woods shape Vienna’s landscape?
How did the bubonic plague of 1679 affect Vienna?
How do Vienna’s tramway and underground systems serve the city?
How many municipal districts does Vienna have?
How was Vienna defended during the Ottoman siege of 1683?
How was Vienna divided after World War II?
What areas are included in Vienna’s Innere Stadt?
What caused the Vienna Revolution of 1848?
What changes did Joseph II make to religious freedom in Vienna?
What is the historical importance of the Hofburg in Vienna?
What replaced Vienna’s inner ramparts in the 19th century?
What treasures are kept in Vienna’s Imperial Treasury?
What was Red Vienna after World War I?
When did the Habsburg dynasty take control of Vienna?
When was the Ringstrasse built in Vienna?
Where is Vienna located in Austria?
Where was the Roman settlement of Vindobona located in present-day Vienna?
Which Roman emperor is believed to have died at Vindobona?
Which architects helped shape Baroque Vienna?
Which artists were associated with Vienna’s Art Nouveau movement?
Which international organizations have headquarters in Vienna?
Which mountain is the highest point within Vienna?
Who helped defeat the Ottoman army at the siege of Vienna in 1683?
Why did Austria become part of Nazi Germany in 1938?
Why did Baroque architecture become prominent in Vienna?
Why did Crusaders stop in Vienna during the Middle Ages?
Why did Napoleon’s armies occupy Vienna in 1805 and 1809?
Why did Vienna become a centre of espionage during the Cold War?
Why did Vienna become an important centre of classical music in the 18th century?
Why is Belvedere Palace important in Austrian history?
Why is St. Stephen’s Cathedral important to Vienna?
Why is Vienna an important international meeting place?
Why is the Prater one of Vienna’s best-known parks?
Why was Vindobona important to the Roman Empire?
Why was the Congress of Vienna held in Vienna?
Where is Graz located?
What is Graz known for in Austria?
What are some famous landmarks in Graz?
What geographic features characterize Austria?
What is the capital of Austria?

Geography & Travel Cities & Towns Cities & Towns T-Z

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External Websites

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Holocaust Encyclopedia - Vienna, Austria
Official Site of the city of Vienna, Austria
Jewish Virtual Library - Vienna, Austria

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Vienna - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Vienna - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Vienna

national capital, Austria

Also known as: Bécs, Videň, Vindobona, Wenia, Wien, Wienis

Written by

Blake Ehrlich

Author of Paris on the Seine; London on the Thames.

Blake EhrlichAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 8, 2026 •History

Vienna, city and Bundesland (federal state), the capital of Austria. Of the country’s nine states, Vienna is the smallest in area but the largest in population. Modern Vienna has undergone several historical incarnations. From 1558 to 1918 it was an imperial city—until 1806 the seat of the Holy Roman Empire and then the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1918 it became the capital of the truncated, landlocked central European country that emerged from World...

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