Habsburg monarchy

When one speaks of the Vienna Danube one cannot, of course, omit to mention the Blue Danube waltz, Austria’s secret national anthem. Johann Strauss the Younger composed it in 1867, but with the refrain: Wiener seids froh! Oho, wieso? (Viennese, be blithe! ’Oy – tell us why?), which was meant to be a parody. In 1890, the text was changed to Donau, so blau …, from which the German title An der schönen blauen Donau derives. However, it was the instrumental version which first achieved world fame.

In 1867, the Hungarian portion of the Empire gained autonomy. That same year saw the dedication of the monumental basilica in Esztergom, the seat of the primate, the Archbishop. It is still the largest church building in the world. Buda and Pest were united in 1872 to become the capital city Budapest. Hősök ter, or Heroes’ Square, the Parliament building on the bank of the Danube and the playful Fisherman’s Bastion testify to the brief Belle Époque of the Hungarian monarchy. Empress Elisabeth of Austria cherished a special affection for the Hungarians – after all, she also wore the crown of Hungary. She often stayed at Gödöllő Palace on the bend of the Danube: a visit there is a must for modern-day “Sisi” fans. Of course, the restless Empress often travelled on the Danube and the Route of Emperors and Kings. Her bridal journey as a Bavarian princess, from Passau to Vienna in April 1854, was already a major social event. Incidentally, only family members were allowed to call her “Sisi”! The Sisi Museum in Vienna’s Hofburg provides many insights into her eventful life. In July 1914, the assassination in Sarajevo in 1914 caused the world of the monarchies to collapse. The Habsburg Museum in Artstetten near Maria-Taferl pays tribute to the memory of the murdered heir to the throne, Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie.

During the First World War, the 86-year-old Emperor Franz Joseph died on 21 November 1916, after a reign of 70 years. For large portions of the imperial and royal citizenry, the passing away of the old Emperor also signified the final passing from the political stage of a supranational institution and a unifying symbol of sovereignty. Broad sections of the public, of no matter which nation, had been able to identify with him. His demise was felt to mark the natural end, as it were, of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy. Then, the conclusion of the First World War in 1918 also brought to an end the Bavarian monarchy of the Wittelsbach family, which had been closely connected to the Danube since time immemorial. The Age of Emperors and Kings had finally come to an end!

• Auto route: Habsburgs/the Baroque
• Cycle route: Habsburgs/the Baroque