The language Austrians speak
The history of Austria was met with many complexities and influences from past historical events. Austria is located in the center of Europe and shares its borders with neighbouring countries like Hungary, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. It was part of the Holy Roman Empire till 1806, and then became part of the German Confederation until 1866 Austro-Prussian War. It wasn’t until the end of World War Ithat Austria began the process of nation-building.
Generally, most Austrians still speak German fluently, but it is not exactly full and pure German. Today, the national language of Austria is Austrian German, also known as
‘Österreichisches Deutsch’. It is used in writing, education, as well as in conversation. Try learning a few conversational words to impress the locals!
The Cinematic Magic of The Sound of Music
One of the most iconic references of Austria would have to be the 1965 classic film, The Sound of Music. Inspired by the real life events revolving around the Von Trapp Family, The Sound of Music features the picturesque Austrian scenery along with musical tunes and a captivating cast.
Due to The Sound of Music, Austria’s mountains and alps received international fame and attraction from all nature-lovers as thousands of fans and tourists flocked the lands of Austria to spectate and roam along the landscape. However, not everyone is fond of the film, as many locals criticise it for being an inaccurate representation of Austrian culture and history. Nevertheless, just like one of the songs in The Sound Of Music, the Hills are always alive and blossoming in its never changing beauty.
The Birthplace of classical music composers such as Mozart, Schubert and Strauss.
European classical music and its heritage revolve around the central countries like Germany, Italy and Austria. In the arts, Austria plays an important role in birthing and building some of the most famous music composers in history.
The most famous Austrian composer would be Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born and raised in Salzburg, Austria in 1756. This prodigy continues its legacy today at the Mozart Museum in Salzburg. There are even Mozart chocolates, music boxes and restaurants named after him! There are many other notable musical composers from Austria such as Viennese composers Franz Schubert, Joseph Hayden and Johann Strauss Son.
From the meadows to the mountains……62% of Austria’s total land area is covered by the Austrian Alps!
Adorned with the glistening Alpine peaks and alluring crystal lakes, Austria is hands down, one of the most beautiful countries in Europe! It's landscapes shows nature at its best, with the most enchanting train journeys around the country for everyone to look out and admire.
With every season comes its own enchanting beauty. Every town and city of Austria is surrounded by lush green mountains in summer and snowy glistening alps in the winter. If you ever have an opportunity to visit Austria, the alps, the lakes, and hiking along these trails are not to be missed!
The romantic castles and palaces - a fairytale dream come true!
When it comes to royalty, Austria has its own collection of splendid castles and palaces. These castles and palaces are so grand and majestic, anyone that visits the grounds will feel like its a fairytale-dream come true!
Some of the most famous palaces in Austria would be the Schloss schönbrunn, the biggest castle in Austria that serves as a beautiful park and a tourist attraction in Vienna, the Riegersburg Castle, which is one of the strongly built castles in Occident located on a high peak, and the Festung Hohensalzburg, a mighty fortress and castle that overlooks the city of Salzburg as a symbol of political might and defence. Many of these Austrian palaces and castles have been converted to tourist attractions, beautiful parks or museums to recollect and preserve the history of the Austrian Monarchy.
With all these exciting factors of Austria, you can see that there is so much culture and history to explore around Austria!
