10 interesting facts about Austria – a country with a rich history

Austria is a state in Central Europe with a large population (for 2019, the population is 8.822.267 people.) First of all, Austria attracts immigrants with high-quality and affordable education, wages – by the way, they are high there.

Another important thing is safety. Women are not afraid to walk alone at night, thinking they will be molested (which is a big problem in many other countries).

Well, how not to mention the Austrian cuisine?! The dishes here are absolutely simple and satisfying. What does it mean? There is always meat on the tables of the Austrians – this people loves to eat heartily. The most famous dish is the Wiener schnitzel. For the sake of it, it is necessary to go to the restaurant for everyone who travels to these places.

If you are a fan of this beautiful country or just learn new things, we suggest you read some interesting facts about Austria.

10 The music for the national anthem is borrowed from Mozart

The last work of the “Masonic Cantata”, which was written by the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, became the national anthem of Austria as early as 1946. The composition was arranged by the composer Max Schönherr.

Mozart completed his work 19 days before his death in 1791. But musicologists believe that it was not Mozart who became the author of this music at all, but his brother in the Masonic lodge, Johann Holzer.

9. The only EU member state that is not a member of NATO

Not all European countries are members of NATO, this also applies to Austria. The country’s legislation has a law on neutrality, which prohibits it from participating in international blocs.

With the end of World War II, Austria was recognized as the first victim of Nazism – statehood is completely built on this concept. After gaining independence, the state began to join international organizations. As for NATO, in the early 90s, Austrian troops became participants in military operations, for example, in Kosovo. And in the 2000s, the Social Democrats protested against this. As a result, Austria remains neutral, but in fact is a member of NATO operations.

As for the EU, Austria joined the European Union in 1995.

8. 75% of Austrians are Catholics

In Austria, the predominant religion is Catholicism, 75% of the country’s inhabitants are Catholics. There are beautiful churches, monasteries, luxurious shrines everywhere. The most beautiful can be called St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which is located in Vienna.

According to Austrian law, every person has the right to choose a religion upon reaching the age of 14. In schools, religious teaching is not limited to Catholicism alone.

Despite the fact that most people adhere to Catholicism, in everyday life the influence of the church is still declining. Austrians find spiritual guidance in other faiths.

7. Ranks 3rd in the world in terms of the number of ski lifts

What could be more beautiful than extreme entertainment? In each of us at least once, there was a desire to climb Elbrus, ride a motorcycle or jump with a parachute!

If you are looking for vivid impressions, then you will definitely find them in Austria, because the country ranks 3rd in terms of the number of ski lifts. Here you can ride until you lose strength, in one day you never repeat the same descent. In Austria, there are trails of different difficulty levels, in addition, all resorts are different and do not look alike.

The Mayrhofen resort is the most popular among Russian tourists – 4 mugs of beer are poured here in a record 11 seconds, and funny discos are held in Snowbombing.

6. Tourists often confuse Austria with Australia.

And not only tourists, but also you and me, when we hear about these two states in passing. It’s funny, but it seems that people do not hear the end of the words of these two countries. Well, what can you do – the names are very similar, but the countries are strikingly different.

Due to the fact that tourists often confuse Austria with Australia, the country even has a slogan: “There are no kangaroos in Austria!» These marsupials are known to live in Australia. The Austrians are already used to explaining to visitors that they will not be able to see these exotic animals in their country, so it was decided to launch a line of funny t-shirts that flaunt this slogan.

5. Arnold Schwarzenegger was born in Austria

We all know the actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who mostly starred in action films. But few people know where he was born. А this wonderful actor was born in the Austrian village of Thal, which is located near the city of Graz. Translated from German Tal translated as “valley”, i.e. the valley of Saint James.

The presence of the Church of St. James here is quite understandable. In the village there is Lake Thaler – the network even has a photo of the young Arnold Schwarzenegger on its shore. In addition, in the village there is the Schwarzenegger Museum, where tourists enjoy looking at various exhibits relating to the life and career of the famous actor and bodybuilder.

4. Austrians love coffee.

Oh coffee! This is a healing drink that lifts us up in the morning and allows us to stay alert throughout the day! Austrians love their coffee houses, they love to drink coffee, as well as everything connected with it..

The inhabitants of Austria never mind organizing gatherings over a fragrant cup of coffee. Visiting coffee houses, where the tourist will be offered a variety of rich drinks, is indicative. Thus, the gastronomic richness of the country is demonstrated to the tourist.

The first “coffee houses” appeared thanks to the Cossack Kulchitsky, who presented the Austrians with bags of coffee beans. They were left as a gift during the retreat of the Turks.

Poets, writers, famous musicians, artists, etc. met in coffee houses. Today, cafes in Austria are places where you can have a good time and chat with friends in a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

3. Is one of the richest countries in the world

Austria is one of the most developed countries, and is considered one of the richest countries in the world.. Hence the problems – Austrian men and women, according to the data, are overweight (20% of the inhabitants are obese).

A quarter of the Austrian population lives in the capital, Vienna. The very first official hotel appeared in Austria. By the way, in this country there are very specific places to live.

2. Has one of the longest railways in Europe

The most convenient way to travel around Austria is by rail. By the way, the Austrians do not like to stay at home, they prefer to travel and learn about the world around them. Perhaps this is due to the high standard of living, because the whole nation did not need to survive and make ends meet, over the past decades.

Austria is a small country, in size it can be compared with the Leningrad region, but the length of the railway tracks in it is almost 5000 km. Austrian trains are considered the most reliable and comfortable in Europe.

1. The most famous attraction is Schönburn Palace.

Schönburn Palace – the summer castle of the Habsburg royal dynasty. It is located in Vienna, and today it is one of the most important cultural monuments and a famous landmark of Austria.

The castle consists of 1141 rooms represented by halls, galleries and offices. Schönburnn consists not only of a palace, but also a large-scale park, which includes a botanical garden, enchanting labyrinths and elegant fountains. Here is the oldest zoo in Europe.