History of Vienna

Founded around 500 BC Vienna was originally a Celtic settlement: “Uindobona” ‘Fair Bottomland’.

In 15 BC, Vienna became a Roman frontier city ("Vindobona") guarding the Roman Empire against German tribes to the north. During the Middle Ages, Vienna was home of the Babenberg Dynasty and in 1440 became residence city of the Habsburg Dynasties from where Vienna eventually grew to become the secret capital of the Holy Roman Empire and a cultural center for arts and science, music and fine cuisine. The Ottoman-Turkish invasions of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries were stopped twice just outside Vienna. See the Siege of Vienna (1529) and the Battle of Vienna (1683).

In 1804 Vienna became capital of the Austrian Empire - the later Austro-Hungarian Empire, both played a major role in European and World politics. (See Congress of Vienna, 1815)

In 1918 after World War I Vienna became capital of the First Austrian Republic. After 1945 Vienna and neutral Austria was a hotbed for international espionage between the Western and Eastern blocs (Cold War). Since the end of the Cold War the city of Vienna is actively rebuilding ties with its Eastern neighbors.

Historical population

Due to the industrialization and immigration from other parts of the Empire, the population of Vienna increased sharply during its time as capital of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918). However, after World War I, many Czechs and Hungarians returned to their ancestral countries, which resulted in a decline in the population. Following the immigration at that time, about one third of the population of Vienna were of Slavic or Hungarian decent.

inhabitants according to official census figures:

1800: 231,900; 1830: 338,700; 1850: 446,400; 1880: 724,800; 1900: 1,769,137; 1910: 2,083,630; 1923: 1,918,720; 1934: 1,935,881; 1939: 1,770,938; 1951: 1,616,125; 1961: 1,627,566; 1971: 1,619,885; 1981: 1,531,346; 1991: 1,539,848; 2001: 1,550,123; 2005: 1,631,082