Vienna is one of the great European capitals - a city full of
tradition and rich in architectural, artistic and musical heritage.
Situated on the banks of the Danube, with a population of about 1.7
million, Vienna is by far Austria's largest city, as well as
cultural, economic and political centre. Vienna was originally a
Celtic settlement, founded around 500BC later to become a Roman
frontier in 15BC previously known as "Vindobona".
In 1440 the Habsburg dynasty took a seat for several centuries,
and the city became their residence. Vienna is full of reminders of
its imperial heyday, from the austere Hofburg Palace to the
magnificent baroque Belvedere Palace and the grandiose public
buildings of the Ringstrasse. Although it can be traced back to the
Roman era, Vienna did not gain any real significance until it
passed into the control of the Babenburg dynasty.