VIENNA, AUSTRIA

The history of Vienna has been closely related to the Danube river since the beginning of its history. The city traces back to a Roman military camp called “Vindobona” which was situated at the riverbank of that time, when the Danube formed the border of the empire. Since then, Vienna has grown into a city with European significance, as the capital of the Danubian Monarchy and - especially after the dissolution of the former eastern bloc - it has regained its role as a major place for exchange between countries, cultures and languages.

The Danube itself also had a strong impact on forming the physical structure of the city. Initially a meandering riparian zone, in the 19th century the city controlled the flow of the river, which allowed physical developments on former swamps and marshlands. Another major intervention was the creation of the “Donauinsel” (“Danube Island”), which nowadays serves as a major recreation zone for the Viennese. Today, the river continues being in the focus of urban planners, with many development projects (most notably the “Seestadt Aspern”) situated at or near to the left bank of the river, which provides spatial reserves for the demands of the growing city.