Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The 1920s saw the rise of fascism, and in 1934 civil war broke out in the city streets.
The socialists were defeated and Vienna's city council dissolved. Austria was ripe for the
picking, and Hitler came a-harvesting; on 15 March 1938 he entered the city to the cries
of 200,000 ecstatic Viennese.
Vienna suffered heavily under Allied bombing, and on 11 April 1945 advancing Russi-
an troops liberated the city. The Allies joined them until Vienna became independent in
1955, and since then it has gone from the razor's edge of the Cold War to the focal point
between new and old EU member nations.
MORE FOR YOUR MONEY
If you're planning on doing a lot of sightseeing in a short period, consider purchasing the
Wien-Karte
(Vienna
Card; €19.90), which provides 72 hours of unlimited travel on the U-Bahn, bus and tram, plus a discount on the
airport train. It also gets you discounts at selected museums, attractions, cafes and shops. It comes with an in-
formation brochure and is available from hotels and ticket offices.
The City of Vienna runs some 20
municipal museums
(
www.wienmuseum.at
) scattered around the city, all of
which are included in a free booklet available at the Rathaus. Permanent exhibitions in all are free on Sunday.
Sights
Innere Stadt
The Innere Stadt is a timeless and magical place where Vienna's past swirls and eddies in
narrow ways and atmospheric cobblestone streets. The city-centre district is a Unesco
World Heritage site. Though well trodden, it rewards close exploration, and if crowds
distract then try exploring the streets at night.
