Austria Hotels - Hotels in Austria
Austria has a well-deserved 'must-see' reputation among travellers from all over the world. Its snow-capped Alpine peaks, its forests, castles and onion-domed churches all go to make up some of the most spectacular scenery in central Europe. Combine that with the country's musical heritage, its great classical and modern composers, and consider Vienna, one of Europe's most charming and intriguing cities, and it's easy to see why Austria has won the hearts of so many.
The ubiquitous Habsburgs seized Austria in 1282 and ruled until the end of the First World War. Their lengthy reign was characterised by intermittent violence with the Ottoman Empire.
Defeat in the Austro-Prussian War led to a decline in Austria's political influence, and by 1867 the Habsburgs were forced to acknowledge the power of the Hungarians, with whom they formed the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary.
By this time, Vienna was the place to be in Europe, home to the great classical composers Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven, Salieri and, later on, Strauss.
Austria's success story faded in the twentieth century as the country fought on the losing side in two World Wars. The assassination of its Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo triggered the First World War, in which Austria fought with the central Axis powers against the British Empire, and Hitler's 1938 Anschluss (annexation) forced the stricken country into a pact with Germany for the Second World War.
After the war, Austria was occupied for 10 years before it regained its independence from the victorious Allied forces. It has made a spectacular economic recovery, and is now stable, progressive and confident. This cosmopolitan country is becoming a leading player in the development of the European Union.
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