Zentralfriedhof

The Zentralfriedhof is the central cemetery in Vienna. It was opened in 1874 and it's the second largest in Europe, after Hamburg. With 3.3 million people buried in it, most of them are famous people, so it has a great attraction. Among people who visit the cemetery, especially the main attraction is for the music lovers, because most of the people buried there are famous musicians.

So, on June 22, 1888, the remains of Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert were transferred to the section of the musicians, which also contains the remains of Antonio Salieri, Johannes Brahms and Strauss, as well as the monument to Mozart, whose body is buried in a mass grave and his exact whereabouts are still unknown.

Besides the Catholic section, there is also a Protestant, an Orthodox, and two Jewish cemeteries. Although the oldest of these, created in 1863, was destroyed by the Nazis during Kristallnacht, 60,000 graves still remain. The second Jewish cemetery was built in 1917 and is still used.

The church located in the center of the cemetery is named Karl-Borromäus-Kirche.

• Mozart's memorial

• Beethoven's grave

• Brahms grave

• Schubert's grave

• Johann Strauss (father) grave

• Johann Strauss (son) grave

• Josef Strauss grave

• Antonio Salieri's grave

Unusual Facts

-Vienna is the tenth largest city in the European Union.
-An essential souvenir when visiting the city are the famous Mozart chocolates.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART

Although Mozart was not born in Vienna, he lived most of his life in this city and deserves a special mention.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, and died on December 5, 1791. He was an Austrian composer and musician (violinist and pianist) master of Classicism, considered one of the most influential and prominent musicians in history.

Son of the violinist and composer Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang was a child prodigy who at age four was able to play simple melodies at the piano and compose small pieces. His father took him from court to court and from city to city to surprise the audiences with his extraordinary gifts. Munich, Vienna, Frankfurt, Paris and London were some of the capitals in which he recorded his talent before his tenth birthday.

Leopold never neglected the training of his son: it went with the best teachers of the day, such as Johann Christian Bach, the youngest son of the great Johann Sebastian Bach, in London, or father Martini in Bologna. It's the time of the first symphonies and operas of Mozart.

After settling in Vienna, Mozart's career entered its period of maturity. Masterpieces were produced: in the scenic field emerged singspieler: Die Entführung Aus Dem Serail and Die Zauberflöte, score with which laid the foundation of the future German opera, and the three operas with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte Le Nozze Di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte, which exceeded genre conventions.

We must not forget Mozart Symphony production, especially his last three symphonies and his last seven concertos for piano and orchestra. Or his string quartets, piano sonatas and the unfinished Requiem. All mature works are expressions of the same miracle. His early death was undoubtedly one of the most painful losses in the history of music.

Traditional Food

The most classic Viennese dish is the Wienerschnitzel, a huge breaded escalope accompanied by a warm potato salad. 





Another famous dish is the Tafelspitz, consisting of beef cooked with vegetables, wine and spices. 



Global recognition recipes have big game such as deer, deer and wild boar, accompanied by red fruit sauces.

The cakes and pastries have a deserved reputation. The Sachertorte, black chocolate cake with apricot jam, is a culinary myth since its invention in 1832.

Traditional Clothing

Tracht: The Tracht is the Austrian costume for men. It is a native of rural clothing made of linen and loden. This costume consists of very specific elements: a hat, a jacket, a vest, shoe low and, most importantly, the leather pants, the famous Lederhosen. The Tracht is entirely handmade and embroidered with many small details that make it a unique and lifelong.

Dirndl: The dirndl is often related to the Tyrol region, but in reality is a suit worn by women from all regions of Austria, Bavaria and Liechtenstein, although in each of these areas the suit is slightly different, with details that show the region. The dirndl (which means "girl" in German dialect) is the best known Austrian garment, and women wear it as usual in the days part of every day, especially in the villages. It consists of a long flared skirt, a white blouse and an apron.

Famous inhabitants

Vienna, as we all know, is the City of Music since we remember, so we must highlight the most celebrated musicians who were born there.

Franz Schubert: (1797-1828). Austrian composer, considered introducer of musical Romanticism. It was a great composer of lieder (short compositions for voice and piano, predecessor of the modern song), as well as music for piano, chamber music and orchestral.

Johann Strauss (father): (1804-1849). Austrian composer known particularly for his waltzes. He was the founder of a musical dynasty with his children Johann Strauss (son), Josef Strauss and Eduard Strauss.

Johann Strauss (son): (1825-1899). Austrian composer known particularly also for his waltzes. He was the most famous composer of family Strauss, known in his lifetime as "the waltz king". To him is largely due the popularity of the waltz in Vienna XIX century.

Arnold Schönberg: (1874-1951). Recognized as one of the first composers to delve into atonal composition, and especially by the creation of the twelve-tone technique. He was also the founder of the Second Viennese School.

Anton Webern: (1883-1945). Follower of Arnold Schoenberg, is one of the best known exponents of the twelve-tone, in addition, his innovations regarding the systematic organization of pitch, rhythm and dynamics were crucial to the musical style later known as serialism.

Alban Berg: (1885-1935). He ventured into atonality and twelve-tone then typing works related to the expressionist aesthetic, but his music also has a sound that evokes the tonality, the romanticism, and an inclination markedly dramatic.

Important Monuments

Ringstrasse: The Ringstrasse is the most important avenue of the city and was constructed in the same place where the old wall was. It contains the most famous buildings in Vienna.

Vienna State Opera: Undoubtedly the most important and well-known opera world. It is a neo-Renaissance building constructed between 1861 and 1869. It is the nerve center of the Viennese musical life and one of the centers of attraction of the musical world.

Hofburg Imperial Palace: The Hofburg Palace has been for over 600 years the residence of the Habsburgs. Today is the most visited place in Vienna and an essential visit.

Hundertwasserhaus: Hundertwasserhaus is a residential block built by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an Austrian artist quite like Gaudí.

Stadtpark: Open to the public since 1862, the City Park (Stadtpark) is the favorite park of the Viennese and tourists visiting the capital.

Spanish Riding School: The Spanish Riding School, established in 1572, is part of the Hofburg and is one of the leading institutions in Vienna. Their horses are known worldwide.

Austrian National Library: Built in the eighteenth century under the command of the Emperor Charles VI, the Austrian National Library is one of the most beautiful historical libraries in the world.

Mozart's House: Between 1784 and 1787, Mozart, the renowned composer of all time, and his family lived in this apartment Domgasse.