Educational and Cultural Institutions of Vienna

Vienna has long been known for its cultural and educational institutions.

During the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, it was the musical capital of the world, the home of many famous composers and musicians, including Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, and Alban Berg.

Franz von Suppé supplied early models for Viennese operetta, and Johann Strauss the Younger brought the form to a high romantic level in Die Fledermaus (The Bat; 1874).

Other composers of operettas include Karl Millöcker, Franz Lehár, Robert Stolz, Oscar Straus, and Emmerich Kalman.

Vienna remains a city of strong musical heritage and is the seat of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna State Opera, and a music conservatory.

Among Vienna’s many major halls are the famous Musikvereinssaal (Society of Music), the home of the Vienna Philharmonic; the Theater an der Wien (built 1788); the State Opera House; and the Volksoper.

Also notable are the Burgtheater, home of the national theater, and the Theater an der Josefstadt.

The most outstanding of Vienna’s many schools and scientific organizations is Vienna University (1365) with its many institutes; it is known throughout the world, particularly for its medical school, and has a large percentage of foreign students.

Other schools include the Vienna Technical University (1815), the Vienna University of Commerce (1898), the Academy of Fine Arts (1692), and veterinarian and agricultural colleges.

Vienna is a city of numerous museums and art galleries.

Among the most prominent are the Albertina, the Museum of the 20th Century, the Natural History Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts.