• Norway!

    Norway: Sunnylvsfjord. Go Now!

    Norway
    Known for its natural beauty, Norway is home to isolated villages, fjords, and mountains that create a culture and landscape without compare. Begin Your Journey!

  • Vatican City!

    Vatican City: Vatican Museums. Go Now!

    Vatican City
    The smallest country in the world offers the heart of Catholicism and among the world's finest art collections, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms (ceiling pictured). Go to Vatican City!

  • Macedonia!

    Macedonia: Traditional architecture. Go Now!

    Macedonia
    Macedonia is a country still finding its unique identity, but its architecture is already one of a kind. Explore Macedonia!

  • Austria!

    Austria: Belvedere Palace. Go Now!

    Austria
    Belvedere Palace (pictured) is just one of many palaces found in Vienna. The capital is a good start to Austria, which also features the Alps, the Lakes District, and incredible history & food. Go Now!

  • Spain!

    Spain: Guell Park and Gaudi architecture. Go Now!

    Spain
    Fusion foods, lively music, historic ruins, and cultural events like the Running of the Bulls and La Tomatina make Spain and Barcelona (pictured) a favorite tourist destination. Explore Spain!

  • Ukraine!

    Ukraine: Traditional Village. Go Now!

    Ukraine
    Ukrainian culture is based on village life, particularly that found in the Carpathian Mountains (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

Architecture of Austria

Austrian Architecture - Romanesque St. Peterkirche in Salzburg
Romanesque St. Peterkirche

Austria's earliest examples of architecture are from the Middle Ages, but today these buildings have been primarily destroyed or updated to represent more recent architectural movements. Much of the country's most well-known cities are in the Baroque style today.

Austrian Architecture - Schloss Schonbrunn
Schloss Schonbrunn

Of the few Medieval buildings in the Romanesque style that are still standing, some can be found in the city of Salzburg. Over time the city continued to develop and adopted the Flamboyant Gothic style, and later, the Baroque style. In Salzburg, and Austria as a whole this style became fairly ornate and decorational, beginning in the late 1600s, but dominating much of the 1700s.

Salzburg's historic center has numerous buildings in the Baroque or Rococo style, including the University Church (1696). Vienna is also an incredible Baroque city, including buildings such as Belvedere Palace, Karlskirche, and Schonbrunn Palace (most, if not all of each was built in the early 1700s).

Austrian Architecture - Belvedere Palace
Belvedere Palace

The 1800s brought the Gothic Revival style, but as the country didn't prosper to the degree it did in the 1700s, there are not many examples of this. The Votive Church (mid-late 1800s) in Vienna is perhaps the best example. The early 1900s again experienced few changes as Art Nouveau came with little ceremony, although the Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station in Vienna is a good example.

In all, Vienna, Salzburg, and Graz tend to be the best cities to experience the architectural progress through the history of Austria as each has numerous buildings from the Middle Ages to the present day. For an example of village architecture, the towns of Hallstatt and St. Gilgen (both just east of Salzburg) offer incredible architecture and scenery.

This page was last updated: March, 2013