Vienna’s Ringstrasse or "Ring," was originally the city wall. Constructed in the mid 19th century to protect Vienna from outside threats, it now surrounds the Old City. This 2 1/2 miles long and 187 feed wide Boulevard today encircles many of the city’s main sights. We found it easy to walk the Ringstrasse since most of the area is a pedestrian zone and traffic is limited. With 3 underground U-Bahn stations along the Ring (U1, U2, and U4), if you get tired, just hop the U-Bahn on and head home.
Here are some of the significant sights that we visited along the "Ring":
Stephansdom - St Stephen’s Cathedral with its 450 ft high spire is a major sight and symbol of Vienna. The Cathedral received significant damage during the Second World War, but reconstruction was completed in 1962. Work continues on the painstaking cleaning of the exterior of the church. Tours of the Cathedral are given Mon - Sat at 10:30am and 3:00pm.
The Spanish Riding School and Lipizzaner Museum - Tickets for performances at the Spanish Riding School are extremely difficult to obtain. It is wise to obtain them over the internet BEFORE your arrival in Vienna. Visitors can watch the horses at their morning practice and the horses can also be viewed thru windows from the Lipizzaner Museum. The Museum is open daily from 9am to 6pm and admission is about $5 US for adults, $3.50 for children.
The Karnter Strasse is a paradise for shoppers. Streets fan out from the Stephansplatz. and provide a broad pedestrian area lined with lime trees, street side cafes, elegant boutiques and fashionable shopping arcades. Shops with such famous names as Christian Dior, Pierre Cardin, Burberrys, Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Emanuel Ungaro are all represented. There are enough shops here to make any American husband cry!
We found the Albertinaplatz Memorial quite moving. The Monument against war and fascism dominates the square. Erected in 1988-1991, it commemorates the victims of the Nazi regime and those killed in the air raids of the Second World War. Its "Gateway of Violence" is a symbolic reminder of the terror of the war. We were particularly impressed by the small sculpture known as "The Kneeling Jew". The sculpture depicts a Jew scrubbing the pavement--a reminder that after the annexation of Austria by the Nazis, Jewish citizens were forced to scrub pro-Austrian slogans from the streets.
There is also a multitude of statues, fountains, Palaces and Markets within the area. Be sure to visit one of the coffeehouses during your visit. The coffeehouses witness political intrigue, clandestine romances and philosophical debates. The poet Alfred Polgar observed that coffeehouses are "the prefect place for people who want to be alone, but who need company for solitude".