Historical and Cultural Sites to Explore in Vienna

I had previously expressed my interest in exploring different cultures. Three friends and I decided to go on a trip. Mehmet suggested going to “Vienna.” In fact, we had determined all our future trips in this way. One of us would say, “Let’s go here” and we would make the preparations and hit the road. The Ottoman Empire had reached the gates of Vienna but failed to capture it. Since the Ottoman Empire couldn’t conquer it, we decided to conquer it ourselves and set off. It’s approximately 1100 km from Düsseldorf to Vienna. We decided to go by car because we would need a car for 5 days. And on a summer day, we embarked on the roads of Vienna…

When we arrived in Vienna, the only things that changed for us were the buildings, as the general structure closely resembled Germany. Since German was spoken, we didn’t have any language problems. We checked into the hotel and started our tour.

Places to visit in Vienna

Arsenal History Museum

A kind of war museum that depicts Austria’s last 700 years. All weapons, clothing, armor, paintings, flags, photographs, ships, medals, and various war-related artifacts are exhibited here. So, you can find Austria’s war history in this museum. The items related to the Ottoman Empire interested us the most. This museum housed the largest collection of Ottoman war artifacts in Europe. Since we had visited Vienna three times before, there were also many Ottoman spoils. On the second floor of the museum, all Ottoman weapons, flags, military uniforms, rifles, bows, spears, shields, cannons, and more were displayed. There were also paintings depicting the Third Siege of Vienna. After a thorough examination, we continued our journey. If your path leads to Vienna, be sure to visit the Arsenal Museum. It contains a wealth of information and artifacts from both European and Ottoman history.

Heroes’ Square (Heldenplatz)

This is exactly the place that the Ottoman soldiers couldn’t capture. Symbolically, there is a grand gate standing there. It symbolizes that the Ottomans couldn’t enter Vienna’s gates. Of course, we entered ☺. This is why it was given this name. When you enter through the gate, you enter the Hofburg Imperial Palace.

Hofburg Imperial Palace

The historical palace where the rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire resided. Important figures of the Habsburg Dynasty have also stayed in this palace. Many historical items related to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, such as crown jewels, are preserved here.

Schönbrunn Palace

A palace belonging to the Habsburg Dynasty. It is quite ironic that the agreement that put an end to the Habsburg Dynasty was signed in this palace. Visually, it is one of the most beautiful and exceptional palaces in Europe.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom)

Built in 1147, it has become the symbol of Vienna. It stands 110 meters tall and is 35 meters wide. It is one of the most significant examples of Gothic architecture in Austria. Over time, it has undergone several restorations.

Kahlenberg (Vienna Hill)

A beautiful place where you can overlook all of Vienna from the top. Even driving up there can be a bit challenging, but it’s worth it. It is also the place where Merzifonlu set up his camp during the Second Siege of Vienna…

Danube River

We took a nice tour along the Danube River. Right next to the place we visited, there was a beautiful mosque built by the Arabs. Its window overlooked the Danube. Additionally, you can take a boat tour of Vienna if you wish. The part of the Danube is where historical and cultural buildings are located, while the other part is dominated by large buildings and settlements. The river separates the past and the present…

Conclusion

Since it has been 9 years since the trip, I could only write down what I remembered. Our overall impression was that Vienna is a very organized, orderly, and clean place. Tourists are generally treated with hospitality. We didn’t encounter anything to complain about…