Gimnaziya № 5

Research Work

The Cultural Life of Vienna

Alina Rozental

6 A Form

Work supervisor:

A.A. Ivushkova

Khabarovsk, 2014

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 2

1. VIENNA’S ATTRACTIONS 3

1.1. The Hofburg Palace 3

1.2. Schönbrunn Palace 4

1.3. Parks and Gardens of Vienna 5

1.4. Museums of Vienna 6

2. FAMOUS MUSICIANS OF VIENNA 7

2.1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 7

2.2. Ludwig van Beethoven 9

2.3. Franz Peter Schubert 9

3. VIENNA’S MUSICAL BUILDINGS 10

3.1. Opera State Building 10

3.2. The Golden Hall 11

CONCLUSION 12

BIBLIOGRAPHY 13

APPENDIX 14

Picture 10. Opera State Building 16

Introduction

Vienna - by many considered to be the cultural capital of Europe - is a modern metropolis with unique atmosphere and considerable charme. It provides excellent infrastructure, is clean and safe with a stimulating cultural calendar.

Vienna is a city of art, culture and music; tourist-metropolis on the banks of the Danube.

It is a safe city with an excellent public transport network of underground trains, trams and buses.

Along with Zürich and Vancouver, Vienna takes first place in a world-wide survey of quality of life in 215 cities

Famous sights as for example the imperial Hofburg, Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace, splendour buildings at the Ring Boulevard, medieval narrow streets and baroque squares.

Vienna has been synonymous with music for centuries, and was home to Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Johann Strauss.

This outstanding musical heritage has been preserved right to the present day. The Wiener Philharmoniker, one of the world’s top orchestras, international award-winners of the Vienna Conservatorium and a lively young music scene (see app. pic.1).

Vienna is a city of art and culture: theatres, films, dance-festivals, operas, operettas and musicals, exhibitions and concerts.

The aim of my work is to prove that Vienna is a cultural capital of Austria.

To achieve this aim I set myself the following tasks:

• to learn about historical and cultural sights of Vienna;

• to tell about great people of the country;

• to present architectural monuments.

1. Vienna’s attractions

   1. The Hofburg Palace

The Hofburg Palace is a palace located in Vienna, Austria, that has housed some of the most powerful people in European and Austrian history, including the Habsburg dynasty, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (see app. pic.2). It currently serves as the official residence of the President of Austria. It was the Habsburgs' principal winter residence, as the Schönbrunn Palace was their preferred summer residence.

The oldest sections originate from the 13th century and were primarily constructed by the last of the Babenbergers or by Ottakar II of Bohemia. Previously the castle of the Austrian rulers had been located on the square called "Am Hof."

Across from the Swiss Gate is the Amalienburg, named after Amalie Wilhelmine, the widow of Joseph I. However, this wing had already been in use for more than a century, constructed as the Viennese residence of Emperor Rudolph II in the style of the late Renaissance. Of note is the small tower with its dome and the astronomical clock on its facade.

Today, the former private apartments of the imperial family in the Imperial Palace are open to the public. Immerse yourself in the daily life of the monarchs.

Emperor Franz Joseph and his Elisabeth lived here with their children and the entire royal household. From this location they represented the realm of the Habsburg and directed its politics. (see app. pic.3)

The most important treasury in the world is reason indeed to be amazed: Here, in the oldest part of the Imperial Palace (13th century), you find not only the Emperor’s Crown of the Holy Roman Empire (circa 962) and the Austrian Emperor’s Crown (1602), but also the Burgundian Treasure from the fifteenth century and the Treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece.

Immerse yourself in the daily life of old Egypt – at the museum with the largest collection of papyri in the world, in the center of the Imperial Palace.

The papyrus collection contains documents from three millenniums, which have been preserved and are not only useful for research but can also be admired by visitors from all over the world.