Austria had more windmills than any place we've been except the Baltic countries
Vienna, Austria, was the center of one of the largest countries of Medieval Europe and the opulence that remains speaks of the massive wealth of its rulers. The tour guides explanations were great, as this was a part of “World History” that had not really computed so clearly in high school history classes. But to look at the balcony from which Adolph Hitler told the Austrians that they were now part of the Third Reich and that there would now be more jobs … to cheers, put the whole thing in perspective.
The Vienna National Library, One of the largest libraries in the world. Ladders are needed to access the books.
What looks like a secret passage is one of dozens of access points to small reading rooms on the perimeter of the library. These were required because of lack of light inside, especially in the dark winters.
Austria and Hungary were Hitler’s “pantry” both being rich agricultural producers. Unfortunately that put them on the wrong side and set them up for Soviet domination after WWII. (All of Hungary, only the divided part of Austria, until the Velvet Revolution of 1989)
This pedi-cab was amazingly fast. The driver told us that it had a small electric motor to assist in acceleration as he took us to find an internet cafe which he knew of. He
Heldensplatz Square, Dedicated to the victory over Napoleon
Roman Ruins under a street excavation. It turns out that there are Roman Ruins under almost all of these cities. For a long time, the Danube was the northern border of the Roman Empire and it was well fortified and populated.
There are hundreds of these Prayer Towers located all around Europe. Some are less ornate but the message is always the same, The leader praying to God for the people to be spared from the Black Plague. The promise was to build a monument when the plague relented.
Cinderella was there with her golden slipper
Creative use of draping. Most large buildings are always in some stage of renovation. Previously the scaffolding and drapes kept people from seeing the monunent. But the drapes on this Vienna Cathedral, show what's under it. Smart.
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