UNESCO Heritage Sites in Austria

A listing of Austrian cultural, architectural, and natural treasures

Sep 3, 2007 Henk Bekker

Austria has some fine UNESCO World Heritage sites with architecture, natural beauty, and not surprisingly music confirming the Austrian contribution to world culture

Since 1996, eight Austrian sites have been added to the prestigious UNESCO listing of major contributors to humanity’s common heritage. The Austrian UNESCO World Heritage List sites are:

Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996)

Salzburg, Austria is world-famous as the birthplace of composer and child prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The town is included on the list as an excellent example of a European city-state ruled by a bishop. The compact old town has numerous ecclesiastical and secular buildings from the Middle Ages to the 19th century but is particularly famous for its Baroque edifices. Salzburg is a wonderful vacation destination in all seasons.

Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996)

Baroque Schönbrunn Palace at the western outskirts of Vienna was built to rival Versailles. It is much smaller but as sumptuous with fantastic gardens to stroll in. Schönbrunn served as primary summer residence of the Habsburg family from the 18th century up to 1918. The views of the palace and central Vienna from the Gloriette on the hill at the far end of the gardens are unrivaled.

Hallstatt-Dachstein Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997)

The village of Hallstatt has a superb location at the feet of the Dachstein peak on the banks of the Hallstatt Lake. The main reason for inclusion on the list is the prehistoric Hallstatt civilization and the exploitation of salt, a source of wealth in the Salzkammergut area from the second millennium BC to the mid-20th century. The Alpine landscape is also a major draw.

Semmering Railway (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998)

A superb feat of mid-19th-century engineering, the Simmering 41-km (25-mile) railway line opened isolated Alpine valleys to modern commerce and tourism. Many original viaducts and tunnels are still in daily use.

City of Graz - Historic Centre (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999)

Austria’s second city has an historical town center famous for blending architectural influences from the German-speaking world, Balkans, and Mediterranean. Graz also harmoniously blends styles from the Middle Ages to the present.

Wachau Cultural Landscape (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000)

The Wachau Cultural Landscape incorporates the Danube Valley from Melk to Krems (upstream from Vienna). In addition to the area’s natural beauty, it has numerous interesting towns and architecture, including the famous Baroque monastery Melk.

Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001)

The Neusiedlersee lake is appropriately shared by Austria and Hungary as it has been the meeting place of different cultures for eight thousand years. The area has numerous 18th and 19th-century palaces and unique rural architecture.

Historic Centre of Vienna (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001)

With a history going back to Celtic settlements, the historic center of Vienna City has an interesting blend of architecture with Gothic, Baroque, and 19th-century Gründerzeit buildings particularly prevalent. It has been Europe’s musical capital since the 16th century and musical performances form an integral part of life (and vacations) in this beautiful city.

The copyright of the article UNESCO Heritage Sites in Austria in W Europe Travel is owned by Henk Bekker. Permission to republish UNESCO Heritage Sites in Austria in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Austrian UNESCO Heritage Site: Hallstatt	View of Schönbrunn and Vienna from the Gloriette	Austrian UNESCO World Heritage Site: Melk
Austrian UNESCO World Heritage Site: Salzburg	Vienna Cathedral: Imperial Double-Headed Eagle