Vienna is known as the "City of Music" and is also famous as a city of fine art. During my stay in Vienna, I enjoy music, fine art and other cultures.
Statues of famous musicians stand throughout the city. In the Stadtpark (City Park) on the eastern side of the Old Town, I found statues of Johann Strauss II, Schubert, and Bruckner.
A statue of Mozart stands in the Burggarten near the Hofburg Palace (2nd photo), while a statue of Beethoven stands in a small park near the Stadtpark.
The Vienna State Opera (Staatsoper) is one of Europe's three great opera houses (others are in Paris and Milan). It opened in 1869 and is a massive venue with a seating capacity of over 1700. The seating includes central stalls, box seats, and balconies.
I visited the opera house and had the chance to hear a performance by the Vienna Mozart Orchestra. The venue had excellent acoustics.
Concerts are frequently held at the church. I listened to a string quartet performance at St. Peter's Church.
The Musikverein (Society of Friends of Music) is famous as the venue for the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert.
The Konzerthaus is the home base of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (Wiener Symphoniker).
Near the western section of the Ring — the boulevard that encircles the Old Town on the site of the former city walls — stands the Pasqualati House, where Beethoven lived from 1804 to 1815. He composed works such as his Symphony No. 5 there.
Vienna is home to several world-class art museums. The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) is located near the Hofburg Palace and displays masterpieces collected from regions including the Netherlands, Flanders, Germany, Italy, and Spain. These countries were associated with the history of Habsburg rule.
The photo shows Bruegel's “The Tower of Babel”, painted around 1563.
Masterpieces were gathered in the Bruegel room.
Vermeer's “The Art of Painting” was drawn around 1665.
The series of paintings by Velázquez drawing Princess Margarita were also displayed. (Se the 3rd photo)
The Belvedere Palace is famous for its collection of works by Gustav Klimt. It features masterpieces such as “The Kiss” and “Judith I”. (See also the top photo)
The University of Vienna has produced many figures who contributed to the advancement of natural and social sciences. They include Freud, Mendel, and Hayek.
Some point out that cities like New York, Paris, and London now possess greater influence in culture today. Yet, I was strongly impressed by its cultural power in Vienna.
No comments:
Post a Comment