The flag of Austria is based off the coat of arms of the Babenberg dynasty. It has three equal bands or stripes of red, and white.
This is a political map of Austria, showing many important cities and bordering countries.
Hallo, or hello from Austria! (7) We just had a great vacation in Austria and we would love to tell you all the new facts we learned there! But before we start, we should tell you some cultural taboos so you won't get into trouble in this country. First, make sure you are clear on the differences between the Germans and the Austrians. The Austrians will take offense if you don't know the distinctions between these two countries or mistake them for a German. Second, the courtesy titles Herr (Mr.), Frrau (Mrs.), or Fraulein (Miss) are still commonly used. Since Austria is located in Central Europe, or more specifically bordered by Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland, (1) it gets pretty cold in the winter. Upon learning that, we decided to pack warm clothing, like sweaters, coats, mittens, and boots. Because of all the ice on the runways in Austria, our arrival was delayed and we had to wait an extra day before taking off. (4) On the plane ride there, we noticed the Grossglockner as we passed the Alps. The Grossglockner is the not only the highest mountain in Austria, but it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps. It is a very popular physical attraction because of its great beauty and because people like to climb it. Many people love skiing in the Alpine Mountains. Because there is a lot of skiing, the young trees on the mountains are getting destroyed by the skis, and that results in less oxygen getting released into the air. (2) Unfortunately, our trip was cut short because of school, and we didn't have time to visit it. (15)
This is the Grossglockner mountain in Austria. Many photographers take pictures of this beautiful mountain for postcards.
We landed in Vienna, the capital city of Austria. We almost stayed in either Graz or Linz because they are two of the major cities in Austira. They are important cities because Graz has many important universities and Linz has many companies that makes it one of Austria's most important economic centers. We decided to stay in Vienna however, since it is the capital and there are way more museums and attractions there. (12) There, we stayed at the Vienna Marriott Hotel. The next day we got up early and went to the Museum of Military History. There, our tour guide taught us about Austria's role in World War II. Although Austria played an important role, it did not voluntarily get involved in the war. It became involved in the war when in 1939, Hitler invaded to make it a part of the German Greater Reich. Many of Austria's men were drafted into the war as well. (5) After visting this wonderful museum, we decided to go to the heart of Vienna and visit the Haus der Musik, a museum dedicated to music. There, we learned all about the famous Austrian musician, Wolfgang Mozart. He is famous for composing over 600 musical works. His most famous works are "The Magic Flute" and "The Marriage of Figaro". (6)
This is a painting of Wolfgang Mozart. He was born on January 27, 1756. He composed many songs in his life and died on December 5, 1791.
After learning a lot at the museum, we decided to take a break and go to lunch. We went to a restaurant where we ate a traditional dish called Wiener Schnitzel. Wiener Schnitzel is a very thin, breaded, and deep fried Schnitzel. Schnitzel is a boneless meat thinned with meat tenderizer, coated with flour, beaten eggs, and bread crumbs. It was a very delicious meal.(9)
This is a wiener schnitzel meal. This is commonly served for lunch or dinner. It is very delicious and the local people in Austria love it.
After lunch, we decided to go to a religious attraction. We went to St. Stephan's Cathedral, which is in Vienna. There we saw several of the 18 alters, and of the chapels. We learned that this cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna. The organs were playing as we walked around and it was a very touching experience. (13) We then went to a local mall where we observed the locals shopping. Shopping is a very popular pastime in Austria, along with skiing and ice hockey. (19) Also, while at the mall, we saw some native attire and our tour guide taught us about them. We saw a dirndl style wool skirt on some women. It is often decorated with ribbon.(11)
This woman is wearing a dirndl skirt. Even though this is not commonly worn now in Austria, it use to be a very popular style. Now, people wear this clothing for festivals or celebrations.
After exploring the market, we went back to our hotel room to get a good night sleep. In the morning, we got up and went to the Schönbrunn Palace. The Schönbrunn Palace is a very popular attraction that shows the culture of Vienna. It is a former summer residence of many people, including Franz Joseph, a long lasting emperor of Austria. Even John F. Kennedy went there for a meeting. We received a tour of some of the 1,441 rooms, and they were very impressive. (14) One of the most memorable attractions of our trip was visiting one of the rooms in the palace. It was so beautiful with many chandeliers and crystal. It was fun to imagine what it would be like to live in such a magnificent place. (20)
The Schönbrunn Palace was known for its beautiful gardens in the front. This palace was opened in 1699 and has been open for small tours ever since.
Our favorite room in the palace. This is where important people in the government of Austria might have met for an informal meeting.
After seeing the Schönbrunn Palace, we visited the historical attraction of the ruins of a Roman aqueduct in the heart of Vienna. This aqueduct dates back to when Austria was a part of the Roman empire. Aqueducts were structure that carried water into the cities for the people. It is a wonder that the aqueduct is still intact after all these years. (16)
This Roman aqueduct was built by the Romans when Austria was part of the Roman Empire.
One current event that took place on October 30, 2014 affected our trip greatly. What happened was a fourteen year old boy was arrested for suspicion of placing a bomb in a busy train station in Vienna. This affected us because it made Austrian government increase security measures with everything. We were checked before entering every museum, train, and airport. It changed Austria because the government had to change some of its small security policies. The world realized that even in Austria which has one of the lowest crime rates, there are still threats. (18) Our final day there we learned about the culture of Austria. We learned that the National Day took place not very long ago! It happened on October 26. National Day is the national holiday where Austria celebrates its independence. Many flags are put up around the country, and lots of ceremonies are held throughout the day. Also, many museums offer free entry! Next time we go to Austria, we will try to be there for this fun holiday. (8)
This is a picture of a parade during National Day. The people are celebrating their independence and freedom.
We enjoyed our trip in Austria very greatly and we agree with the U.S. State Department travel advisory. It said that Austria is a very safe place and there is not a lot of terrorism to be worried about. However, it cautioned about the avalanches that occur there very commonly. Luckily, we did not experience any avalanches. (17) We loved our trip and hope to return very soon to learn more about this beautiful country and share it with you! Until then, auf wiedersehen, or goodbye!
About the Authors!
Madison and McKamie Quine are both diligent and hardworking students. McKamie is on the varsity swim team at Memorial and Madison in on the junior varsity soccer team. They went to River Oaks Baptist for middle school and they now attend Memorial High School. They are freshmen twins, and they have two older twin brothers who are seniors at Memorial High School.