Reimagining the world with Vienna

Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the Vienna World’s Fair; an event that cemented Austria’s capital as a major global city. It helped Vienna become the city of culture, music, design and urban vision it is today, and in 2023 the destination will celebrate its past, present and future.

RAPID DEVELOPMENT

The World’s Fair saw the birth of modern city tourism in Vienna, as new hotels, coffee houses, rail stations and train lines sprang up. Many are still popular today, including the coffee house institution Cafe Landtmann and the legendary Hotel Imperial.

At the same time, the first Viennese high-source pipeline was installed, bringing crystal-clear spring water from the Alps to the city. The Ringstrasse boulevard continued to take shape, and more train stations and railway lines were built. Vienna’s path to becoming an important city of the industrial age was laid.

Exactly 150 years later, Vienna is undergoing a similar transformation. Its hotel industry is flourishing, the subway system is growing and all of its major train stations were renewed in the 2010s, making it Europe’s most important night train hub. The city is also home to one of Europe’s largest urban development areas, with the Seestadt Aspern district.