Vienna was a Roman city, then Gothic, then Habsburgian – featuring an identity that comprises vineyards and waltzes. Vienna is a learned and austere capital. The city is associated with the inflexible Maria Theresa, the enlightened reformers Joseph and Peter Leopold, the magical music of Mozart and Strauss, and the paintings of Gustav Klimt. But it is also the metropolis that hosted the restless beauty of Empress Sissi and the genius of Sigmund Freud. Vienna was lit up by a thousand café-concerts and troubled by its sketchy outskirts frequented by a young bohemian painter named Adolf. This book is about history and legends, miracles and enchantment, wealth and misery, glories and fears. The author provides a guide to churches, museums, theatres, palaces, restaurants, workshops, squares, streets, and alleys, allowing readers to explore an awe-inspiring city.

Franco Cardini is professor emeritus of Medieval History.