I would generally consider myself unfortunately naive when it comes to knowledge of cultures and life outside of the tiny bubble that I've lived in for most of my life within Washington. Since this is my first time outside of the continental US, everything is so new that it is really inspiring and at times overwhelming to take it all in.
Upon my arrival I generally thought that Vienna would look a lot like Seattle just with more cobblestone streets and monuments. Everytime that I explore the city I am floored at how ornate and embellished the architecture of the buildings is. Whether I am walking in the Naschmarkt, by the Rathaus, or around IKI there seems to be an almost inexhaustible supply of incredible architecture and art that I can immerse myself in. The analogy that first came to mind for me, was that it felt like taking my favorite parts of campus at UW and stretching them out to create an entire city.
The experience that stands out the most to me would be when Ryan, Mac, and I explored the Museums Quarter friday afternoon. The museums surrounding the statue of Maria Theresa were so ornate and regal that they seemed to be museums in their own right. My advice for travellers that want to experience the architecture of Vienna in one walk would be to go from Karlsplatz to the Hofburg Palace. The views that you get of the Operahouse, St. Stephens Cathedral, and the Hofburg Palace is absolutely phenomenal.
I totally agree about the architecture here. The best way to experience the city is to walk around and take in the surroundings. What I really like about Wien is that it has architecture that spans from gothic to post modern. Literally in Stephensplatz there is the gothic Stephonddome (From the 12th Century) right across from the modern Haas-Haus (from the 20th century). It works though, in my opinion, and I'm no architecture critique, the striking contrast of the city's buildings don't overpower or compete with one another but rather they complement each other. I have loved walking around, exploring, and experiencing Wien.
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