Page 132 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

130  A u STri A r E gio N B y r E gio N

Austria at a Glance

This modest-sized country situated at the heart of
Europe is a true paradise for visitors. There is beautiful
countryside – from Neusiedler Lake in the east,
sur rounded by vast, flat steppes, to the fertile plains
of the Danube Valley; the scenic Vienna Woods; and
three majestic Alpine ranges that cut across the country
from west to east. These glorious settings provide
stunning backdrops for the historic sites and art treasures
that form Austria’s cultural highlights, and the names
of great artists and Habsburg rulers will follow you
wherever you go. There are also grand Baroque abbeys, The Mirabell Palace in Salzburg
and every where you can enjoy the work of Austria’s was built in the 17th century for
outstanding musicians – Mozart, Strauss, Haydn and Salome Alt, the mistress of Archbishop
Beethoven, an adopted citizen of Vienna. Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau. The Gmünd
magnificent stairway is adorned
with sculptures by Raphael Donner.
Hollabrunn
Innsbruck, with its
picturesque Old Town LOWER AUSTRIA
and church spires rising AND BURGENLAND Stockerau
against the majestic (see pp132–59)
backdrop of the snow- Linz VIENNA
covered Alps, is the UPPER Wels Melk St Pölten (see pp54–127)
capital of the Tyrol,
AUSTRIA
the picture-postcard (see pp190–213) Steyr Baden
province most popular
with visitors.
Eisenstadt
Wiener Neustadt
Mitterbach
Salzburg
Lofer
Wörgl Oberpullendorf
Bregenz
Reutte Radstadt Leoben
Zell am See
Schwaz
STYRIA
TYROL AND SALZBURGER LAND (Ssee pp160–89)
VORARLBERG Innsbruck (see pp214–37) Murau
Bludenz (see pp238–67)
Graz
CARINTHIA
Lienz AND EAST TYROL Wolfsberg
(see pp268–85) Leibnitz
Klagenfurt
Villach

Houses in Bregenz, capital of the
Vorarlberg province, are decorated Schloss Bruck in Lienz, in East
with early heraldic paintings and Tyrol, was built in 1252–77 for the
the figures of saints. Görz family. Today, it is home to a
museum with a fine collection of
19th- and 20th-century Austrian
art and folklore items.
Charming view of Hallstatt, one of Austria’s most picturesque villages

130-131_EW_Austria.indd 130 03/09/15 5:42 pm