VIENNA

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Founded around 500 BC as a Celtic settlement, it became a Roman frontier city. In the 13th century, it came under threat from the Mongolian Empire. During the Middle Ages, it was home to the Babenberg Dynasty, and then it became the resident city of the Habsburg Dynasties. In 1804, it became the capital of the Austrian Empire and continued to play a major role in European and world politics. After World War I, Vienna became capital of the First Austrian Republic.

VIENNA

Schönbrunn Palace

From the 18th century to 1918, it was the imperial summer residence. It is full of outstanding examples of decorative art. Together with its gardens, the site of the world’s first zoo in 1752, it is a remarkable Baroque ensemble. It is a potent material symbol of the power and influence of the House of Habsburg over a long period of European history, from the end of the 17th to the early 20th century.