Merian - Vídeň – Eder Christian (2016)

Viennese pastries and sachertortes, Lipizzaners, Viennese charm and coziness: this was all that Europe knew about the Austrian capital – and what millions of tourists loved about it. For nearly fifty years, Vienna was the city at the easternmost edge of the western world. Beyond Vienna lay only the Iron Curtain. Although Vienna was not forgotten, it remained somewhat behind compared to the rhythm of the times, with the fashion trends of the London or New York scene. While other world metropolises became modern cities, Vienna remained old-fashioned and charming, even as it crumbled, rusted, and fell apart in many places. But the Iron Curtain fell. Vienna is no longer on the 'edge of the world'; it has once again become the Danube metropolis in the heart of Europe, transforming into a 'local headquarters of multimillionaires.' Vienna has dressed up, refined itself, and has become a living diva with a frequently discussed cultural program and nightlife that ranks among the most exciting in the Old World. However, it has retained its charisma, perhaps because it is a multicultural city whose Czech, Serbian, Hungarian, and Jewish roots cannot be overlooked. Moreover, it is a melting pot of artistic works of various styles and epochs. In Vienna, various opposites blend harmoniously: a medieval church…