At The Belvedere, a historic building complex consisting of two Baroque palaces, in the city of Vienna, Austria

 “You need some reason why Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn in the 18th century all flocked to Vienna. What was it about Vienna? They must have known on some level that it is where they would flourish. It’s what biologists call 'selective migration'.” — Eric Weiner

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(in northeastern Austria, at the easternmost extension of the Alps) Vienna ("Wien"), the capital, largest city, and one of nine states of Austria, is the 6th largest city (by population) in the European Union and the largest city on the Danube River.

+ Until the beginning of the 20th century, Vienna was the largest German-speaking city in the world, and before the splitting of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I, the city had two million inhabitants. Today, it is the second-largest German-speaking city after Berlin. Vienna is host to major international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

+ The city is located in the eastern part of Austria and is close to the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. These regions work together in a European Centrope border region. In 2001, the city center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Vienna is known as the "City of Music" due to its musical legacy, as many famous classical musicians such as Beethoven and Mozart called Vienna home. Vienna is also said to be the "City of Dreams" because it was home to the world's first psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud.

+ Baroque streetscapes and imperial palaces set the stage for Vienna's artistic and musical masterpieces alongside its coffee-house culture and vibrant epicurean and design scenes. In Vienna, the coffee house is not just a hangout; it is an institution. Lingering over a newspaper with a pastry and a strong espresso drink is officially a cornerstone of Viennese culture. Walk off your slice of Sachertorte with a self-guided tour of the city’s stunning traditional, Secessionist, and modern architecture, such as the Imperial Palace, the State Opera House, the Kirche am Steinhof, or the Kunsthistorisches Museum, an exercise in ornate geometry.

+ Vienna's imperial grandeur is the legacy of the powerful Habsburg monarchy. Their home for more than six centuries, the Hofburg palace complex incorporates the Burgkapelle (Imperial Chapel), where the Vienna Boys' Choir sings Sunday Mass, and the famed Spanish Riding School, where Lipizzaner stallions perform elegant equine ballet, along with a trove of museums, including those in the chandeliered Kaiserappartements (Imperial Apartments). Other immense palaces include the baroque Schloss Belvedere and the Habsburgs' 1441-room summer residence, Schloss Schönbrunn, while 19th-century splendors such as the neo-Gothic Rathaus (City Hall) line the magnificent Ringstrasse encircling the Innere Stadt (inner city).

+ Depicted here is The Belvedere, a historic building complex consisting of two Baroque palaces: