Austria

Located in Central Europe, Austria is a landlocked and a mountainous country. Sprawling over an area of 83,855 square kilometres, the country is divided into nine federal provinces. Austria shares its borders with eight countries, namely; Switzerland, Italy, Germany, the Principality of Liechtenstein, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Hungary. The capital of this country is Vienna, which lies on the Danube River and is partly enveloped by the hills of Vienna Woods.

The history of Austria states that it has been ruled by many, from the early human settlements in the Danube Valley, followed by Celts, Illyrians, Romans and Bavarians to Babenberg and the Habsburg dynasties. Dating back to prehistoric times, the land of Austria was inhabited and overrun by several tribes, including the Celts, Romans, Vandals and others.

For several centuries, Austria was a part of the Roman Empire. However the fate of the country began to change when in the 5th century, the Roman Empire collapsed. This collapse entailed another tide of invasion in the country. Later in the 8th century, the land of Austria was conquered by Charles the Great, who was believed to be the patron of Christianisation and colonisation.

The territories under the rule of Charles were later handed over to the House of Babenberg. It was during this time that the name of Austria appeared in the history for the first time with the written documents proving its existence. The name was mentioned in the documents that described the Babenberg March.

After the extinction of the Babenberg line in the 13th century, the Habsburgs took over Austria until the First World War. During the rule of the Habsburgs, Austria witnessed its cultural and economical development that significantly contributed to the country’s art and architecture.

The rule of Habsburg marked the expansion of Austrian territories, which was brought through the marriages of the Habsburgs with the royal families of different parts of the world. By doing this, they managed to bring in different territories of the world under the rule of the Austrian Empire.

In 1806, with the victory of Napoleon over the Austrian forces, the Holy Roman Empire came to decline. This was followed by Austria’s participation in the French Revolution. During the middle of the 19th century, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire came into existence.

This empire comprised German, Serbian, Czech and other lands, that helped it in being one of the central powers of that period. However, this empire collapsed after the First World War and monarchy was abolished; and Austria established itself as a Republic in 1918.

In 1983, the country was forced to submit to the German Third Reich. However, in 1945, Austria again declared itself as a Republic with its victory of the allies over Germany. After Austria declared itself a Republic in 1945, the land was constitutionally secured. Later in 1995, Austria was acceded to the European Union.

Being a federation of nine federal states, Austria has its own distinct culture which can be seen in its music, art, theatre, literature, philosophy and food. Cultural figures ranging from composers like Mozart and Schubert to the psychologist Sigmund Freud, all belong to this country.

Austria is among one of the most popular tourists’ destinations owing to its beautiful architectures located in Vienna, like Opera House and imperial Hofburg and baroque churches. In addition, with a city like Salzburg, which was the birthplace of Mozart, Austria, has been enticing music lovers from all around the globe.

Austria can be visited throughout the year, as various activities can be enjoyed in different months. For instance, November to April are the ideal months for those who want to enjoy winter sports.