A heart for Europe

It has been said that the soul of Europe is there, in the City of Lights. Maybe it is, but the heart is here.

Twice in a hundred years the Ottoman Empire stood in front of the gates of the Western World, and twice those gates remained closed. A powerful family had its roots of strength here. They were the roots of an empire on which the sun never sated for 200 years. So many wars, so many struggles. The balance of power in Europe shifted and Napoleon entered this city looking invincible, but the empire endured. And the tides changed again. More wars, more struggles. And starting here, the war to end all wars. But all it ended, was the empire. And another, bigger war was just waiting to begin.

The history of a city. And yet so much more than history has this city to offer.

Palaces rivaling Louvre and Versailles, gardens rivaling Royal Palace and Tuileries, architecture rivaling Gaudi’s, parks, churches and art collections rivaling the best the world has to offer.

And more, so much more …

The place of our childhood dreams. The place of our fairy-tales. Our princes and princesses await in their castles. Cinderella’s chariot just stopped in front of the main entrance. The Sleeping Beauty is awake. The ballroom is full of guests. And … and I just saw Sisi and the young king entering. The orchestra is ready. It’s that sound … The Sound of Music …

And more …

More music … The Opera House … The Europe’s Song … Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Schiller, Strauss … The Waltz …

More …

Sigmund Freud. Architecture styles spanning a thousand of years. The oldest zoo in the world …

The food, the cakes, the coffee, the chocolate …

The city seen from the top of the 100 years old Riesenrad …

Vienna, the city our wandering hearts dream to call home.