Culture of Austria

Austrian culture is shaped by history and modern influences from the Celtic, Roman, Slavic and Germanic peoples. Austria is famous for its beautiful classical music, lively folk music, stunning baroque architecture, special coffee culture, exciting winter sports, and traditions tied to the Alpine mountains.

Historically, Austria has been a Catholic country, led by the Habsburg monarchy from 1273 to 1918. The main language spoken there is Austrian German.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Austria was an important place for music in Europe, home to the First Viennese School. Today, Austria still has many musicians, composers, opera houses, theatres, and orchestras. The country also has special events like the Vienna New Year's Concert, many festivals, and a fun cabaret scene.

Music

Main article: Music of Austria

See also: List of Austrians in music and Music of Vienna

Vienna, Austria's capital, has been important for music for a long time. Famous composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Johann Strauss, Jr. all worked there. The city became important for music in the 1500s.

In the 1700s, Vienna was a top spot for classical music. Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Joseph Haydn were three important composers.

The Musikverein in Vienna is one of the world's best concert halls. It opened in 1870, and since 1939, the Vienna New Year's Concert has been broadcast from there. The Vienna Philharmonic orchestra, known as one of the best in the world, started in 1842.

Austrian folk music includes styles like Schrammelmusik and yodeling, a special way of singing used in the Alps. Austrian dances include the Schuhplattler, Ländler, Polka, and Waltz.

Main article: Schrammelmusik

Main article: Yodeling

Main article: Austrian folk dance

Main article: Ländler

Main article: Austropop

The Vienna Boys' Choir is famous worldwide. It was started in 1498.

Main article: Vienna Boys' Choir

Modern Austrian pop music includes groups like DJ Ötzi and Bauchklang. Newer styles like the "New Austrian Wave" and Cloud Rap are also becoming popular.

Main article: Vienna State Opera

See also: Vienna Opera Ball

Some people think Austria's music is only like The Sound of Music, but this is not true. The song "Edelweiss" is not Austria's national anthem.

Literature

Main article: Austrian literature

See also: List of Austrian writers

Austrian literature has two main parts: stories from before the mid-20th century and those from after the Austro-Hungarian and German empires ended. Austria changed from a big European power to a smaller country.

Austria has always been a place for talented writers and poets. Famous writers from Austria include Arthur Schnitzler, Stefan Zweig, Thomas Bernhard, and Robert Musil. Well-known poets are Georg Trakl, Franz Werfel, Franz Grillparzer, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Adalbert Stifter. Today, Elfriede Jelinek and Peter Handke are famous playwrights and novelists.

Theatre

Further information: Burgtheater; Volkstheater, Vienna; Theater an der Wien; Raimund Theater; and Bregenzer Festspiele

Architecture

See also: List of Austrian artists and architects

Austria is famous for its beautiful castles, palaces, and buildings. Some well-known castles are Festung Hohensalzburg, Burg Hohenwerfen, Castle Liechtenstein, and the Schloß Artstetten. Many of these were built when the Habsburg rulers were in charge.

The old part of Salzburg was named a special place in 1996 because it has many old buildings from the Middle Ages to the 1800s. Three years later, the old part of Graz was also named special for mixing many different building styles. In 2001, the old part of Vienna joined them, with its old buildings, gardens, and wide streets with grand buildings.

Austria has many important churches. One of the oldest is the Minoritenkirche in Vienna, built in 1224. The Stephansdom in Vienna is one of the tallest churches in the world. The St. Martin's Church in Linz is one of the oldest churches still standing. The New Cathedral in Linz is the biggest church in Austria.

Two famous palaces are the Belvedere and Schönbrunn. The Belvedere palace was built between 1714 and 1723. Schönbrunn palace was built in 1696 and later changed by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

Austria has many famous cemeteries. In Vienna, the Zentralfriedhof is the most well-known. The Imperial Crypt is where the Habsburg family is buried.

Main article: Stift Melk

Stift Melk is a historic abbey in Lower Austria, built in 1089 above the city of Melk.

Main article: Semmering Railway

The Semmering Railway, built between 1848 and 1854, was the first mountain railway in Europe. It is still used today and was named a special place to protect in 1998.

Visual art

See also: List of Austrian artists and architects and List of Austrian women artists

Danube school

Main article: Danube school

Vienna Secession

Main article: Vienna Secession

The Vienna Secession was an art movement around the year 1900. It was part of what is now called Art Nouveau.

Major artists of the Vienna Secession included Otto Wagner, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, and Koloman Moser.

Vienna School of Fantastic Realism

Main article: Vienna School of Fantastic Realism

Viennese Actionism

Main article: Viennese Actionism

Comics

Tobias Seicherl was an early comic strip character. He was drawn by Ladislaus Kmoch, a Viennese artist. The comic strip was popular in Austria between 1930 and 1940.

New Media: Ars Electronica

Main article: Ars Electronica

See also: Prix Ars Electronica

The Prix Ars Electronica is a big award for electronic and digital art. It started in 1987 by Ars Electronica, a center for art and technology in Linz, Austria. The museum connected to it is called the Ars Electronica Center.

Broadcasting and Film

Cinema

Main article: Cinema of Austria

In the early days of movies, Austria made many films. They shared workers with Berlin. One famous director was Fritz Lang. He made the film Metropolis. After 1938, many Austrian filmmakers moved to the United States. Later, new directors like Michael Haneke and Ulrich Seidl emerged.

Vienna International Film Festival

Main article: Vienna International Film Festival

Crossing Europe International Film Festival

Main article: Crossing Europe

Diagonale Film Festival

Main article: Diagonale

Philosophy, science and technology

Main article: Austrian School

Main article: Vienna School of Art History

Main article: Vienna Circle

Further information: Sigmund Freud

Further information: Psychoanalysis

Further information: Anton Zeilinger

Further information: Erwin Schrödinger

Further information: Introduction to quantum mechanics § Schrödinger wave equation

Further information: Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state

Further information: Quantum teleportation

Everyday culture

Main article: Transhumance in the Alps Main article: Pre-Christian Alpine traditions Main article: Media in Austria Main article: Austrian German

Transhumance in the Alps

In Austria, many farms have special areas called pastures in the Alps. Farmers move their cattle between valleys and higher pastures each season.

Pre-Christian Alpine traditions

Some old customs from before Christianity still exist in remote valleys. One example is Perchta, a goddess from old Germanic traditions. Perchta is celebrated during Fastnacht to welcome spring.

Media

Austria has its own media traditions and systems.

Austrian German

Children in Austria learn to read and write in Standard German. At home and in local shops, people speak regional dialects. In Vienna, people speak a special dialect called Viennese. In Vorarlberg, the dialect is more similar to Swiss German.

Official minority languages and their influence

Austria is home to many different groups of people. Besides German, there are small communities that speak other languages. Hungarian, Slovene, Burgenland Croatian, Czech, Slovak, and Romani are also spoken. These languages are protected under minority rights. Austrian German has borrowed some words from Hungarian, Czech, Yiddish, and South Slavic languages.

Food

Main article: Austrian cuisine

Austrian food comes from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. It has been shaped by nearby countries like Hungary, the Czech Republic, Jewish traditions, and Italy. Popular dishes include goulash. Austria is famous for its sweet treats and pastries. There are also more regional dishes that use local ingredients.

Each part of Austria has its own special foods. In Lower Austria, they enjoy poppies. Burgenland is known for polenta, while Styria uses pumpkin. Carinthia has lots of fish from its lakes. In Upper Austria, dumplings are a big part of meals. Salzburg is famous for Salzburger Nockerln, a type of soufflé. Tyrol features tyrolean bacon, and in Vorarlberg, cheese and Swabian Spätzle are popular.

Main article: Viennese cuisine

Vienna has its own special food traditions. Typical meals often include meat, such as Wiener schnitzel and Tafelspitz. Sweet treats like Apfelstrudel and Millirahmstrudel are also very popular. These desserts are often enjoyed with coffee at special cafés.

Main article: Viennese café

Coffee houses are an important part of Austrian culture. Many famous writers and artists used to meet in these cafés. One well-known café is Café Central.

See also: Austrian wine

Austria has a long history of making wine. The country grows many types of grapes, especially Grüner Veltliner.

See also: Austrian beer

Austria has many kinds of beer. One popular brand is Stiegl.

Sports

Main article: Sport in Austria

Austria is famous for its sports, especially football (soccer), skiing, and ice hockey. Because the country is in the Alps, it is a top place for skiing. Austria does very well in the Alpine Skiing World Cup and is also good at many other winter sports like ski jumping. The Austrian ice hockey team is ranked 13th in the world.

Vienna, the capital of Austria, has a long history with football. The Austrian Championship began in 1912, and the Austrian Cup started in 1913. The Austria national football team has been in the FIFA World Cup seven times and joined the European Championship in 2008 tournament with Switzerland. The sport is managed by the Austrian Football Association.

Vienna is also known for the Spanish Riding School, where special Lipizzaner horses perform amazing tricks and dances.

Education

Main article: Education in Austria

Austria has a long history of education. A special ruler, Empress Maria Theresa, started a school system in 1774. Today, children go to school for nine years.

Kids start with four years of elementary school for ages 6 to 10. After that, they can go to different kinds of schools. Some go to a Hauptschule, while others join a Gymnasium if it's available. When students are 14, they choose what they want to study next. They can pick a polytechnic school, a technical college, a business school, or continue at a Gymnasium. Some also choose practical colleges called Fachhochschulen.

All public schools in Austria are free for everyone. The biggest university is the University of Vienna.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Austria

Many people in Austria follow different beliefs. Most people are Roman Catholic, and some are Protestant. There are also people who follow Muslim traditions, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Buddhist teachings, and Jewish traditions.

Some people in Austria do not follow any particular religion or church.

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Austria

Austria is a beautiful country that many people visit. Visitors enjoy its lovely mountains, especially the Alps, and its rich history. Austria is known for its classical music, old buildings, and great coffee. Winter sports like skiing and snowboarding also bring many tourists to the snowy mountains.

Public holidays

Since Roman Catholicism is very important in Austria, many public holidays are based on Catholic traditions. Good Friday is a holiday for everyone in Austria, not just for Catholics.

These holidays come from different rules. Some are set by federal labour law (Arbeitsruhegesetz). Others come from special agreements called collective contracts (see: Austria's "social partnership"). These contracts are like laws for everyone, not just union members.

Each state in Austria can also have its own holidays. Some holidays only apply to certain groups, like followers of the Reformed churches, Lutheran Church, Old Catholic Church, or the Methodist Church. The number of holidays can vary, usually between 12 and 13 days a year.