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A glimpse into Viennese history: the Ring

The Local Austria
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A glimpse into Viennese history: the Ring
Photo: Opening of the Ringstrasse by Kaiser Franz Joseph on May 1, 1865

Ever wondered what the Ring looked like in the past? This video gives a pretty good idea.

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Emperor Franz Joseph officially opened Vienna's Ringstrasse on May 1, 1865. Vienna is celebrating its 150th birthday in 2015 with numerous events and exhibitions. The most beautiful boulevard in the world not only has a wealth of sights, it also has large parks, important monuments, and much more.

In 2015, the Ringstrasse in Vienna is celebrating a major anniversary: The most beautiful boulevard in the world will turn 150 this year. There are more representative buildings, palaces, and parks along the Vienna Ring than anywhere else.

Emperor Franz Joseph opened the Ringstrasse on May 1, 1865, initiating the greatest municipal building project of the age. In the years to follow, magnificent buildings arose that shape the Vienna Ring to this day.

Imperial commissions led, for example, to the construction of the Vienna State Opera, the Burgtheater, the Neue Burg, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Museum of Natural History. The Parliament, the University and City Hall were a reflection of the new democratic trends.

The wealthy haute bourgeoisie built their prestigious palaces in the spaces in between. All of these buildings are now among the sights on the Ringstrasse.

The street, which is 5.3 kilometers long and 56 meters wide, was an elegant promenade for the upper classes. Today it is open to everyone, as is evident from such annual events as the Vienna City Marathon or the Rainbow Parade. Along the Danube Canal the Vienna Ring is also a hot spot for the youthful urban scene as well as modern architecture.

Historic photographs from the archive of the Film Museum and current images give an exciting insight into life on the Ringstrasse then and now.

Vienna State Opera, Burgtheater, Café Landtmann, Parliament, Stadtpark, Hofburg and many other important buildings on the Ringstrasse have experienced great changes over the course of the past 150 years.

The extraordinary film shows pictures from the 1920s opposite photographs from the present day and impressively shows how the Ringstrasse has changed.

More info about the jubilee on www.ringstrasse2015.info

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