Austria is an amazing country that amazes with its unique mountain landscapes. In this country, you can relax in body and soul. Next, we suggest reading more interesting and surprising facts about Austria.
1. The name Austria comes from the ancient German word "Ostarrichi" and is translated as "eastern country". This name was first mentioned back in 996 BC.
2. The oldest city in Austria is Litz, which was founded in 15 BC.
3. It is the Austrian flag that is the oldest state flag in the whole world, which appeared in 1191.
4. The capital of Austria - Vienna, according to numerous studies, is considered the best place to live.
5. The music for the Austrian national anthem was borrowed from Mozart's Masonic Cantata.
6. Since 2011, the Austrian anthem has changed slightly, and if earlier there was a line “You are the homeland of great sons”, now the words “and daughters” have been added to this line, which confirms the equality of men and women.
7. Austria is the only member state of the EU, which at the same time is not a member of NATO.
8. The inhabitants of Austria categorically do not support the policy of the European Union, while only two out of five Austrians advocate it.
9. In 1954 Austria joined the UN international organization.
10. More than 90% of Austrians speak German, which is the official language in Austria. But
Hungarian, Croatian and Slovene also have official linguistic status in the Burgenland and Carinthian regions.
11. The most common names in Austria are Julia, Lucas, Sara, Daniel, Lisa and Michael.
12. The majority of the Austrian population (75%) profess Catholicism and are adherents of the Roman Catholic Church.
13. The population of Austria is quite small and amounts to 8.5 million people, of which a quarter live in Vienna, and the area of this amazing mountainous country covers 83.9 thousand km2.
14. It will take less than half a day to drive all of Austria from east to west by car.
15. 62% of Austria's area is occupied by the majestic and mesmerizing Alps, of which the Großglockner Mountain is considered the highest point in the country, reaching 3,798 m.
16. Austria is a real ski resort, therefore it is not surprising that it ranks 3rd in the world in the number of ski lifts, of which there are 3527.
17. Austrian mountaineer Harry Egger set a world ski speed record of 248 km / h.
18. Hochgurl, an Austrian village, is considered to be the settlement that is at the highest altitude in Europe - 2150 meters.
19. The most famous natural landmark of Austria is considered to be the enchanting beauty of Lake Neusiedler, which is the largest natural lake in the country and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
20. A favorite destination for divers in Austria is Lake Gruner, surrounded by mountains on all sides, with a depth of only 2 meters. But when the thaw comes, its depth reaches 12 meters, flooding the nearby park, and then divers dive into Gruner to swim near benches, trees and lawns.
21. It is in Austria that you can visit the highest waterfall in Europe - the Krimml waterfall, whose height reaches 380 meters.
22. Due to the similarity of names, tourists often confuse this European country with the whole mainland - Australia, so the locals have come up with a funny slogan for Austria: “There is no kangaroo here”, which is often used on road signs and souvenirs.
23. Austria has the largest European cemetery, founded in 1874 in Vienna, which looks like a real green park where you can relax, make a date and breathe fresh air. More than 3 million people are buried in this Central Cemetery, the most famous of which are Schubert, Beethoven, Strauss, Brahms.
24. Such famous composers of classical music as Schubert, Bruckner, Mozart, Liszt, Strauss, Mahler and many others were born in Austria, therefore, music festivals and competitions are constantly held here to perpetuate their names, where music lovers from all over the world come together.
25. The world famous Jewish psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud was also born in Austria.
26. The homeland of the most famous "terminator", Hollywood actor and governor of sultry California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is Austria.
27. Austria is the birthplace of another world celebrity, Adolf Hitler, who was born in the small town of Braunau am Inn, which is also famous for the fact that the events of the first volume of Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" take place there.
28. In Austria, a man named Adam Rainer was born and died, who was both a dwarf and a giant, because at 21 his height was only 118 cm, but when he died at the age of 51, his height was already 234 cm.
29. Austria is one of the most musical countries in the world, where composers from all over Europe began to flock back in the 18th-19th centuries for the patronage of the Habsburgs, and there is still not a single theater or concert hall in the whole world that could compare in beauty and greatness with the Vienna Philharmonic or the State Opera.
30. Austria is the birthplace of Mozart, so he is everywhere in this country. Sweets are named after him, in museums and at exhibitions at least one room is dedicated to the outstanding composer, and men dressed in his uniform stand near theaters and concert halls, inviting to the performance.
31. It was at the Vienna State Opera that Placido Domingo's longest applause was thwarted, which lasted more than an hour, and in gratitude for which this opera singer bowed about a hundred times.
32. Music lovers can visit the Vienna Opera for next to nothing by purchasing a standing ticket for as little as 5 euros.
33. Residents of Austria love their museums very much and often go to them, once a year in this amazing country comes the Night of Museums, when you can buy a ticket for 12 euros and use it to visit all the museums that open their doors to tourists and residents of the city.
34. In every region of Austria, you can purchase a seasonal card valid from May to October, which costs 40 euros and allows you to ride the cable car and visit any museums and swimming pools once a season.
35. There is one public toilet in the Austrian capital, where gentle and lyrical classical music is constantly played.
36. To tickle the nerves, tourists visit the Vienna Museum of Paleontology, which is located in a former psychiatric hospital, where you can see the most eerie exhibits in the world.
37. Austria has the very first zoo in the world - Tiergarten Schönbrunn, which was founded in the capital of the country back in 1752.
38. In Austria, you can ride the oldest Ferris wheel in the world, which is located in the Prater amusement park and which was built in the 19th century.
39. Austria is home to the world's first official hotel Haslauer, which was opened in 803 and is still successfully operating.
40. The most famous landmark in Austria, which every tourist should visit, is the Schönburnn Palace, consisting of 1,440 luxurious rooms, which was previously the residence of the Habsburgs.
41. In the Hofburg Palace, which is located in Vienna, there is the imperial treasury, which houses the largest emerald in the whole world, the size of which reaches 2860 carats.
42. In the Austrian town of Innsbruck, the very same Swarovski crystals are produced, which can be bought in many shops at an affordable price.
43. In Innsbruck, you can visit the Swarovski Crystal Museum, which looks like a huge fairyland, consisting of a shop, 13 exhibition halls and a restaurant where you can have a gourmet meal.
44. The world's first railroad crossing the mountains was created in Austria. The construction of the Semmerinsky railway lines began in the middle of the 19th century and continued for a long time, but they function to this day.
45. In 1964, the first Olympic Games were held in Austria, which were equipped with an electronic time-keeping system.
46. In the winter of 2012, the first Youth Olympic Games were held in Austria, in which the national team took the third place.
47. In Austria, bright greeting cards were invented and used for the first time.
48. The world's first sewing machine was invented in 1818 by a resident of Austria, Josef Madersperger.
49. The founder of one of the most famous and prestigious car companies "Porsche" - Ferdinand Porsche was born in Austria.
50. It is Austria that is considered the "Land of Bigfoot", because in 1991 the frozen mummy of a 35-year-old man with a height of 160 cm, who lived more than 5000 years ago, was found there.
51. In Austria, children must attend kindergarten for at least two years. In most regions of the country, these kindergartens are completely free and paid from the treasury.
52. There are no orphanages in Austria, and children from disadvantaged families live in Children's Villages with families - one such family may have "parents" from three to eight children.
53. In educational institutions in Austria there is a five-point system, but here the highest mark is 1.
54. School education in Austria consists of four years of study at a basic school followed by 6 years of study at a secondary school or upper secondary school.
55. Austria is the only EU country whose citizens receive the right to vote at the age of 19, while in all other EU countries this right begins at the age of 18.
56. In Austria, higher education is highly valued and the relationship between students and teachers in universities is very friendly.
57. Austrian universities do not have separate dormitories, but they have one organization that is responsible for all dorms at once.
58. Austria is a country where citizens value their academic degrees very much, which is why they even show it on their passports and driving licenses.
59. The Austrian nation, according to Europeans, is famous for its hospitality, benevolence and tranquility, therefore it is completely unrealistic to make an Austrian lose his temper.
60. Residents of Austria try to smile at every passer-by, even if they have very hard times in their lives.
61. The population of Austria is distinguished by its workaholism, residents of this state work 9 hours a day, and after the end of the working day they often stay at work. This is probably why Austria has the lowest unemployment rate.
62. Until the age of 30, the inhabitants of Austria are only concerned with professional growth, so they get married late and the family, as a rule, is content with the birth of only one child.
63. In all enterprises in Austria, managers always listen to the needs of employees, and employees themselves often participate in solving global issues of companies.
64. Although half of the female population in Austria is employed part-time, nevertheless, one in three women in the country holds a managerial position in companies.
65. Austrians occupy a leading position in flirting in Europe, and men in Austria are generally considered the best sexual partners among the entire male population of the earth.
66. Austria has the lowest obesity rate in Europe - only 8.6%, although at the same time half of the country's men are overweight.
67. One of the earliest countries in the world to switch to more than 50% energy efficient equipment is Austria, which currently receives 65% of its electricity from various renewable sources.
68. In Austria, they are very concerned about the environment, so they always separate garbage and throw it into different containers, and the streets of the country are always tidy and clean due to the fact that there is a litter bin on every street 50-100 meters away.
69. Austria pays only 0.9% of GDP for its defense, which is the lowest in Europe at $ 1.5 billion.
70. Austria is one of the richest countries in the world, because its GDP per capita is as much as 46.3 thousand dollars.
71. Austria is one of the largest railroad countries in Europe, with a total length of 5800 km of railways.
72. In many large cities of Austria there are amazing sobering devices that work on the principle of coffee - just throw a coin into their slot, and the intoxication immediately passes, thanks to the shock jet of ammonia directly in the face.
73. Coffee is simply adored in Austria, which is why there are many cafes (Kaffeehäuser) in this country, where each visitor can drink coffee, choosing from among 100, or even 500 types, to which they will definitely be served a glass of water and a small cake.
74. January-February in Austria is the season of balls, when balls and carnivals are organized, to which everyone is invited.
75. The Viennese Waltz, famous for its beauty and sophistication of movements, was created in Austria, and it was based on music from Austrian folk dance.
76. In addition to traditional holidays, the end of winter is also celebrated in Austria, in honor of which a witch is burned at the stake, and then they walk, have fun, drink schnapps and mulled wine.
77. The main national holiday in Austria is the Day of the Adoption of the Neutrality Act, celebrated on 28 October every year since 1955.
78. The Austrians are very sensitive to the church holiday, therefore no one works in Austria on Christmas for three whole days, even shops and pharmacies are closed at this time.
79. There are no stray animals in Austria, and if there is a stray animal somewhere, then it is immediately delivered to an animal shelter, from where anyone can take it home.
80. The Austrians have to pay a fairly high tax on the maintenance of dogs, but they are allowed with animals to any restaurant, theater, shop or exhibition, the main thing is that he must be on a leash, in a muzzle and with a purchased ticket.
81. Most Austrians have a driving license, and almost every Austrian family has at least one car.
82. Despite the fact that almost all residents of the country ride a car, they can also often be found riding bicycles and scooters.
83. All parking lots in Austria are paid and paid with coupons. If the ticket is missing or the parking time expires, then the driver is issued a fine in the amount of 10 to 60 euros, which then goes to social needs.
84. Bicycle rental is common in Austria, and if you take a bike in one city, you can rent it in another city.
85. Austrians do not suffer from Internet addiction - 70% of Austrians consider social networks a waste of time and prefer “live” communication.
86. According to a public opinion poll in Austria, it was found that health came first among Austrians, followed by work, family, sports, religion and, finally, politics last in decreasing importance.
87. In Austria there are “Women's Houses” where any woman can turn for help if she has problems in her family.
88. In Austria, people with disabilities are very much taken care of, for example, there are special notches on the roads that allow blind people to find the right path.
89. Austrian retirees most often live in nursing homes, where they are cared for, fed and entertained. These houses are paid for by the pensioners themselves, their relatives or even the state, if the pensioner has no money.
90. Every Austrian has health insurance, which can cover any medical expenses, except for visiting a dentist or beautician.
91.When visiting Austria, tourists should definitely try apple pie, strudel, schnitzel, mulled wine and meat on the bone, which are considered the country's culinary attractions.
92. Austrian beer is considered one of the most delicious in the world, therefore, tourists visiting the country always try to try Weizenbier and Stiegelbreu wheat beer.
93. In order to buy beer or wine in Austria, the buyer must be 16 years old, and stronger alcohol is available only to those who have turned 18.
94. The famous Red Bull company was founded in Austria, because here young people love to drink refreshing and invigorating energy drinks in the evenings.
95. Although service is already included in the bill in many Austrian restaurants, hotels and cafes, it is still customary to leave a tip of 5-10% in excess of the bill.
96. Shops in Austria are open from 7-9 am to 6 pm-8 pm, depending on the opening time, and only some shops near the station are open until 21-22 hours.
97. In Austrian shops, no one is in a hurry. And even if a huge queue has accumulated there, the buyer can talk to the seller for as long as he wants, asking about the properties and quality of the goods.
98. In Austria, fish products and chicken are very expensive, but pork can be purchased several times cheaper than in Russia.
99. Every day you can see the latest issue of the newspaper on the shelves of the store thanks to the existence of as many as 20 daily newspapers, the one-time circulation of which is more than 3 million.
100. Despite its small area, Austria is one of the most visited countries by tourists, where everyone will find a vacation to their liking.
