Austria Tours

Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The origins of Austria date back to the ninth century, however, it was in the 14th and 15th centuries when the Habsburg empire became one of the continent's most powerful. The country expanded to include portions of modern day Hungary, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Yugoslavia and Italy. The empire declined and was ultimately broken apart after WWI. The country was annexed by Germany, but regained its independence in 1955. Austria is a largely mountainous country due to its location in the Alps. The biggest area are the Austrian Alps, which constitute 62% of Austria's total area. The capital is the city of Vienna on the Danube River. It is home to many famous composers; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, Johann Strauss, Sr. & Jr., Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern and Alban Berg. Eighteenth and nineteenth century composers were drawn to the city due to the patronage of the Habsburgs, and made Vienna the European capital of classical music.