Lipizzaner Stallions

The famous Lipizzaner white stallions are trained and housed at the Vienna Spanish Riding School.  What?  Yes, the Spanish Riding School is in Vienna, Austria. The Hapsburg Monarchy imported the horses from Spain over 400 years ago.  Lipizzaner stallions, no mares, are used exclusively at the riding school, which is built on centuries of tradition in …

Vienna Graffiti

  The Danube River flows through the center of Old Vienna and graffiti is prevalent along its banks.  A beautiful city, even in the rain, but why are so many of the old buildings, walkways and retaining walls along the river vandalized with spray paint?  It looks out of place, almost revolting the way the "artists" …

Plague Tower

The Black Death, bubonic plague, swept across Europe several times beginning in the 14th century.  The Great Plague of Vienna in the late 1600's was especially devastating. People were so fearful of the plague that they prayed the disease would pass by their family and community.  They promised to erect a great monument in God's honor …

Schonbrunn Palace

Picture this: 1,441 rooms and no bathrooms!  This is the huge Hapsburg summer palace in Vienna.  The gardens behind it are believed to be more spectacular than the palace, but the rain prevented any views of it. The two at left tried unsuccessfully to sing their way into the palace courtyard. Thought for the Day:  A crown …