Full Answer
What is the history of Vienna?
The history of Vienna has been long and varied, beginning when the Roman Empire created a military camp in the area covered by Vienna's city centre. From that humble beginning, Vienna grew from the Roman settlement known as Vindobona to be an important trading site in the 11th century.
Where did the Romans settle in Austria?
The most important Roman settlement in Austria was Carnuntum (capital of the Roman province of Pannonia in today’s Lower Austria) which became the center of the Roman fortifications along the Danube. Today there is an interesting Archeology Park with a museum and an amphitheater. From Ostarrichi to Austria
What is the capital of Austria?
Since the end of World War I, Vienna has been the capital of the Republic of Austria . The name Vindobona derives from a Celtic language, suggesting that the region must have been inhabited before Roman times. The Romans created a military camp (occupied by Legio X Gemina) during the 1st century on the site of the city centre of present-day Vienna.
How did the Viennese act as middlemen in the Roman Empire?
This meant that all traders passing through Vienna had to offer their goods in the city. This allowed the Viennese to act as middlemen in trade, so that Vienna soon created a network of far-reaching trade relations, particularly along the Danube basin and to Venice, and to become one of the most important cities in the Holy Roman Empire .
Was Vienna a Roman settlement?
Like many other cities of Continental Europe, Vienna originated in ancient Roman times. In the first century AD , the Romans set up a military camp, called Vindobona, which formed part of the large number of similar facilities along the Limes frontier. The camp was situated in what is today the core of the city.
What was the Roman name for Vienna?
VindobonaVienna is first mentioned in the first century under its Roman-Celtic name Vindobona. It was established by the Romans to be a frontier fortress to maintain vigil over the Danube which served as the northern border of the Roman Empire.
How long was Vienna the capital of the Holy Roman Empire?
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.
Was Vienna the capital of the Holy Roman Empire?
In 1440, Vienna became the resident city of the Habsburg dynasty. It eventually grew to become the de facto capital of the Holy Roman Empire (800–1806) in 1437 and a cultural center for arts and science, music and fine cuisine. Hungary occupied the city between 1485 and 1490.
Why is Vienna so wealthy?
The country is also rich in natural resources, especially iron ore, magnesite, and other minerals. In addition, it produces petroleum and natural gas but also needs to import some. A considerable part of its energy comes through hydroelectric power, making it a leader in the field in the European Union.
Which Roman emperor died in Vienna?
Marcus AureliusVindobona was rebuilt and seems to have offered accommodation to the headquarters of the imperial forces. Marcus Aurelius died on 17 March 180, when the Romans had conquered their enemies. According to the Roman author Aurelius Victor, the emperor died in Vindobona.
How badly was Vienna damaged in ww2?
52 timesUnsourced material may be challenged and removed. The city of Vienna in Austria was bombed 52 times during World War II, and 37,000 houses of the city were lost, 20% of the entire city. Only 41 civilian vehicles survived the raids, and more than 3,000 bomb craters were counted.
What does the word Vienna mean?
Definition of Vienna noun. German Wien. a port in and the capital of Austria, in the NE part, on the Danube.
Were there Romans in Austria?
The Romans arrived in 200 BC and by 15 BC they dominated the entire area. The most important Roman settlement in Austria was Carnuntum (capital of the Roman province of Pannonia in today's Lower Austria) which became the centre of the Roman fortifications along the Danube.
Who built Vienna Austria?
The Romans created a military camp (occupied by Legio X Gemina) during the 1st century on the site of the city centre of present-day Vienna. The settlement was raised to the status of a municipium in 212.
What language do they speak in Vienna?
GermanThe national language in Austria is actually German.
What food is Vienna famous for?
The classics of Viennese cuisineThe Wiener Schnitzel. The Wiener Schnitzel - a breaded and fried veal escalope. ... Sachertorte (Sacher Cake) In 1832, Prince Metternich asked his court kitchen to create a special ...Tafelspitz (boiled beef) ... Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel) ... Kaiserschmarren.
How many people lived in Vienna in 1724?
After the extensive plague epidemics of 1679 and 1713, the population began to grow steadily. It is estimated that 150,000 people lived in Vienna in 1724, and 200,000 in 1790. At that time, the first factories were built, starting in Leopoldstadt. Leopoldstadt also became a site where many Jews lived, as they had been driven out of their 50-year-old ghetto in 1670. Hygienic problems began to become noticeable: sewers and street cleaning began to develop. Also in this time, the first house numbers (the Konskriptionsnummern) were issued, and the government postal system began to develop.
What is the significance of Vienna?
Vienna lay at its border to Hungary. Vienna was an important site of trade as early as the 11th century. In the Exchange of Mautern between the Bishop of Passau and Margrave Leopold IV, Vienna is mentioned as a Civitas for the first time, which indicates the existence of a well-ordered settlement.
How many times did Napoleon take Vienna?
During the Napoleonic Wars, Vienna was taken by Napoleon twice, in 1805 and 1809. The first conquest happened without a battle. Three French marshals crossed the strongly defended Taborbrücke ( Tábor Bridge), the only Danube bridge at that time, and convinced the Austrian commander that the war was already over. In the meantime, the French army easily entered the city and was greeted by the population with interest rather than rejection. Napoleon allowed 10,000 men of the Vienna national guard to remain armed and left the arsenal to them when he left, as complete as he had found it.
Why is Vienna important?
The city has about 17,000 diplomats, many assigned to international organizations. Because of their presence and Austria's neutrality, Vienna became an important center for espionage, as depicted in The Third Man; during the Cold War the city allegedly had more spies than Austrian soldiers. Vienna was the capital of the surrounding Bundesland of Lower Austria ( German: Niederösterreich) until 1986, when it was replaced by Sankt Pölten. As Vienna was not a geographical part of Lower Austria it was a capital outside of the territory it served .
What is the coat of arms of Vienna?
Old coat of arms of Vienna (1465–1925) with the imperial double-headed eagle. The history of Vienna has been long and varied, beginning when the Roman Empire created a military camp in the area now covered by Vienna's city centre.
Why did Leopold V die?
Because he had abused a protected crusader, Leopold V was excommunicated by Pope Celestine III, and died (without having been absolved) after falling from a horse in a tournament . In 1221, Vienna received the rights of a city and as a staple port ( Stapelrecht ).
Where did Vindobona get its name?
Beginnings and early Middle Ages. The name Vindobona derives from a Celtic language, suggesting that the region must have been inhabited before Roman times. The Romans created a military camp (occupied by Legio X Gemina) during the 1st century on the site of the city centre of present-day Vienna.
What was the principle of the Vienna settlement?
One great principle underlying the Vienna Settlement was the restoration, as far as possible, of the boundaries and reigning families of Europe, as they had been before 1789 . It was this principle of legitimacy which Talleyrand urged in order to preserve France. In line with this principle, the Bourbons were reinstated in Spain and in the Two Sicilies, the House of Orange in Holland, the House of Savvy in Sardinia, the Pope in the Papal State and a number of German princes in their former possessions. The Swiss Confederation was restored. In the name of legitimacy, Austria recovered Tyrol and most of the territories she had lost.
What was the third principle of the Congress of Vienna?
The third principle which guided the Congress of Vienna was to provide a guarantee for the future peace of Europe by weakening France. She was reduced to the boundaries which she possessed before the outbreak of the Revolution. Steps were taken to surround France with strong states as bulwarks against future aggressions. Thus in north Belgium, previously an Austrian province, was joined to Holland as one kingdom under the House of Orange. In the southeast, the kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont was strengthened by the acquisition of Genoa.
How many states were there in Germany?
Germany was reconstituted as a loose confederation of 39 states with a Diet consisting of delegates of the various rulers. Austria presided over the Diet and dominated the Confederation.
How Roman Vienna Was Created
Roman Vienna. Vindobona, as Vienna was first called, was set up in the first century AD as a military camp. The location was right in the city centre (see photo). The adjacent Roman town was located in what is today the third district.
Where To Find Roman Vienna Today
Roman Vienna. In the middle of Michaelerplatz, close to the Spanish Riding School Vienna and the Imperial Palace (Hofburg), you can see excavations of Roman Vienna. The square had been a Roman junction of streets. The bases of Roman houses can be seen underneath.
What was the name of the Roman city in Vienna?
Vindobona was part of the Roman province Pannonia, of which the regional administrative centre was Carnuntum. Vindobona was a military camp with an attached civilian city ( Canabae ). The military complex covered an area of some 20 hectares, housing about 6000 men where Vienna’s first district now stands.
What was the population of the Romans on the banks of the Danube?
Henceforth, the Danube marked the border of the empire, and the Romans built fortifications and settlements on the banks of the Danube, including Vindobona with an estimated population of 15,000 to 20,000.
What was the Danube?
The Danube marked the border of the Roman Empire, and Vindobona was part of a defensive network including the camps of Carnuntum, Brigetio and Aquincum. By the time of Emperor Commodus, four legions ( X Gemina, XIV Gemina Martia Victrix, I Adiutrix and II Adiutrix) were stationed in Pannonia.
What is the name of the Roman military camp?
The name “Graben” (English: ditch) is believed to hark back to the defensive ditches of the military camp. It is thought that at least parts of the walls still stood in the Middle Ages, when these streets were laid out, and thus determined their routes. The Berghof was later erected in one corner of the camp.
How did the Romans get water?
The Romans provided their cities, including Vindobona, with clean potable water through an elaborate systems of Roman aqueducts, canals, and large subterranean pipes. Excavations have revealed that Vindobona received its supply through a 17 km long water pipeline. The source is in the Vienna Woods around today's Kalksburg. Wells, latrines and the thermae were supplied with water. Central buildings such as the commander's office and the hospital had their own supplies, as did the settlement outside the camp, where households had their own groundwater wells.
Where is Vindobona located?
Vindobona (from Gaulish windo- "white" and bona "base/bottom") was a Roman military camp on the site of the modern city of Vienna in Austria. The settlement area took on a new name in the 13th century, being changed to Berghof, or now simply known as Alter Berghof (the Old Berghof).
How was waste transported from the Roman camp?
Waste from the Roman camp was transported through an elaborate subterranean sewerage system that was planned from the beginning. The sewers were lined with brick walls and plates and ran beneath the main roads. Gradients were used in such a way that the waste water descended through the canals into the River Danube. Since the canals were up to two meters deep, they could be cleaned out regularly. Large waste was probably deposed at the slope of the river. In the civilian settlement, waste was deposed in former water wells and dumps.
What was the most important Roman settlement in Austria?
The most important Roman settlement in Austria was Carnuntum (capital of the Roman province of Pannonia in today’s Lower Austria) which became the center of the Roman fortifications along the Danube. Today there is an interesting Archeology Park with a museum and an amphitheater. Heathen's Gate in Carnuntum, Lower Austria.
What was the most important city in Europe under Strauß's rule?
Under his rule Vienna became of the Europe’s most important metropolises and the center of a multinational state extending from Hungary to North Italy and deep into southern Europe. Johann Strauß, the King of Waltz, was celebrated all over the world for his wonderful musical compositions.
What was the Celtic state?
A Celtic state, Noricum, developed around the region's ironworks in the second century BC. From the 7th century BC onwards one of the main regions of Celtic occupation was in modern-day Austria, centered around Hallstatt, a large prehistoric salt-mining area. The Hallstatt period, 750 - c.450 BC, is named after this region.
Where did the Babenbergs live?
The dynasty established their first residence in Pöchlarn before moving it to Melk in the scenic Wachau region.
Which tribes controlled the territory between the eastern Alps and the Wienerwald region?
By the mid-500s, the Bavarians controlled the territory between the eastern Alps and the Wienerwald region.
Where did Henry II live?
In the 12th century Henry II moved his residence to Vienna which has remained the capital of the country ever since. Also in the 12th century the Cathedral of Saint Stephan was completed, which became a visible landmark of the city, showing its prominence.
When did Austria become neutral?
On May 15, 1955, the Austrian State Treaty was ratified, with Austria declaring its permanent neutrality. Thanks to its location near the “Iron Curtain”, Austria soon developed into a nerve center between the West and the East.
Overview
The history of Vienna has been long and varied, beginning when the Roman Empire created a military camp in the area now covered by Vienna's city centre. From that humble beginning, Vienna grew from the Roman settlement known as Vindobona to be an important trading site in the 11th century. It became the capital of the Babenberg dynasty and subsequently of the Austrian Habsburgs, u…
Beginnings and early Middle Ages
The name Vindobona derives from a Celtic language, suggesting that the region must have been inhabited before Roman times. The Romans created a military camp (occupied by Legio X Gemina) during the 1st century on the site of the city centre of present-day Vienna. The settlement was raised to the status of a municipium in 212. Even today, the streets of the First District show where the e…
Babenberg rule
In 976, the Margraviate of Ostarrîchi was given to the Babenberg family. Vienna lay at its border with Hungary.
Vienna was an important site of trade as early as the 11th century. In the Exchange of Mautern between the Bishop of Passau and Margrave Leopold IV, Vienna is mentioned as a Civitas for the first time, which indicates the existenc…
Habsburg rule
In 1278, Rudolf I took control over the Austrian lands after his victory over Ottokar II of Bohemia and began to establish Habsburg rule. In Vienna, it took a relatively long time for the Habsburgs to establish their control, because partisans of Ottokar remained strong for a long time. There were several uprisings against Albert I. The family of the Paltrams vom Stephansfreithof was foremost amon…
The First Republic
The end of the war was also the end of Austria-Hungary. On November 12, 1918, the Republic of Deutsch-Österreich, or German-Austria, was proclaimed in front of the parliament. The population was concentrated in the capital, which was often called a hydrocephalus because of this; articles in the international press had doubts about the viability of Vienna as a major European metropolis after …
Austrofascism
The fire of the Justizpalast (Palace of Justice) in 1927 after violent demonstrations, the collapse of the Creditanstalt, the largest bank of the country, and finally the dissolution of parliament in 1933, marked the way to the Civil War in February 1934. After Engelbert Dollfuß, who had been Chancellor of Austria and foreign minister since 1932, had forbidden the Nazi Party, the Communist Party and …
Annexation by German Third Reich and Second World War
In March 1938 Nazi Germany occupied and annexed Austria in a process known as the Anschluss. Adolf Hitler was rapturously received in Vienna by large crowds of admirers and famously gave a speech at Heldenplatz in which he welcomed his homeland into the Reich. Hitler's anti-Jewish policies fell on fertile soil in Vienna, where latent anti-Semitism had increased during the early 20th century…
The Second Republic
Only a few days after the war, a provisional city government and administration was created. Also, the political parties were recreated. On April 29, 1945, the parliament building passed from the occupation force to the new Austrian government, and Karl Renner announced the reinstitution of the democratic Republic of Austria. Vienna was divided into five occupation zones between the Soviet …
Overview
Vindobona (from Gaulish windo- "white" and bona "base/bottom") was a Roman military camp on the site of the modern city of Vienna in Austria. The settlement area took on a new name in the 13th century, being changed to Berghof, or now simply known as Alter Berghof (the Old Berghof).
Around 15 BC, the kingdom of Noricum was included in the Roman Empire. Hen…
History
Early references to Vindobona are made by the geographer Ptolemy in his Geographica and the historian Aurelius Victor, who recounts that emperor Marcus Aurelius died in Vindobona on 17 March 180 from an unknown illness while on a military campaign against invading Germanic tribes. Today, there is a Marc-Aurelstraße (English: Marcus Aurelius street) near the Hoher Markt in Vie…
Evidence for the Roman presence in Vindobona
Remains of the Roman military camp have been found at many sites in the centre of Vienna. The centre of the Michaelerplatz has been widely investigated by archaeologists. Here, traces of a Roman legionary outpost (canabae legionis) and of a crossroad have been found. The centrepiece of the current design of the square is a rectangular opening that evokes the archaeological excavation…
In popular culture
• In the American film Gladiator (2000), Maximus (Russell Crowe) fights in the battle of Vindobona under the order of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). There are also two lines that make reference to Vindobona. In one, the lead character's servant, Cicero, trying to get the attention of Lucilla, states, "I served your father at Vindobona!" In the other, the lead character asks if anyone in his group of gladiators has served in the army, to which an anonymous fighter responds, "I served w…
See also
• List of aqueducts in the Roman Empire
Further reading
• Michaela Kronberger: Siedlungschronologische Forschungen zu den canabae legionis von Vindobona. Die Gräberfelder (Monographien der Stadtarchäologie Wien Band 1). Phoibos Verlag, Wien 2005. (in German)
• Christine Ranseder e.a., Michaelerplatz. Die archäologischen Ausgrabungen. Wien Archäologisch 1, Wien 2006. ISBN 3-901232-72-9. (in German)
External links
Media related to Vindobona at Wikimedia Commons
• Wien Museum | Ausgrabungsstätten (in German)
• Forschungsgesellschaft Wiener Stadtarchäologie | Legionslager Vindobona (in German)
• Animationsfilme zu vindobona (in German)