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The Armchair Traveler

By Ben Abramson
WashingtonPost.com Staff

The Web really is worldwide. Through documents, photographs, maps, and sound files it is possible to get an unprecedented multimedia view of any nation. We have organized this material for you, to provide a guided tour of the country's history and geography, government and politics, culture and sport. So fire up your modem, grab hold of your mouse, and take a virtual visit to Austria with the Armchair Traveler.

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History

The republic of Austria was once the center of an empire that stretched across Central Europe and was home to 70 million citizens. Read a 1914 Encyclopedia Britannica entry on Austria-Hungary to understand the empire at the peak of its power. Then view an archive of historical documents of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

These documents reveal Austria's pivotal role in World War I, precipitated by the assassination of Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo in 1914.

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Next take a virtual tour of Schoenbrunn Palace,

the ornate summer home of Austrian monarchs from the 18th century until the death of the last Hapsburg ruler,
Emperor Franz Joseph, in 1916.

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Culture

Austria is known historically as a great cultural center. Several noted classical composers are Austrian. Read biographies (and on some sites hear sound files) of:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart(right)
Joseph Haydn
Gustav Mahler
Franz Schubert

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Vienna was also a noted intellectual center, especially at the turn of the 20th century. Read an essay on Vienna Moderne which describes the flourishing scene in art, music, architecture, philosophy and the social sciences.

Now view the works of artist Gustav Klimt.

Then take a virtual visit to the Sigmund Freud House, read about architect Adolf Loos, or see the architectural landmarks of Vienna through a map of Viennese architecture.

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If You're Going...

Austria is a country of great scenic beauty, from rugged Alpine landscapes to the Vienna woods. Start with an overview of the country from the Austrian Tourist Office, or the Lonely Planet.

Now learn a few phrases in German, and convert some currency to Austrian shillings. Then read today's edition of the Austrian newspaper Der Standard (in German) or chart a course on the Vienna U-bahn.

You can also check the ski conditions (including spring glacier skiing), and get travel information for these Austrian cities:

Salzburg | Graz | Vienna | Linz | Innsbruck

And be sure to see the Austrian video archive, for an intriguing selection of video files including the famous Lipizzaner Stallions, and film clips of Austria from above.

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News

Now that you've completed the tour, stay updated with WashingtonPost.com's Austria Page, featuring the latest Post and AP news plus reference material and more links.

And finally check out our special contest for this page.