Holiday Calendar for Austria

The name Austria derives from a Germanic word ‘austro’, meaning ‘east’. Compromise is a key ingredient in the Austrian lifestyle.

Religious freedom is highly respected in Austria. Catholics and Protestants in Austria are required to pay a membership fee to their church based on their income.
Vienna, the capital of Austria, is home to almost one-quarter of the entire population of the country. One of the must-see museums in Vienna is the famous Mozarthaus.
The Austrian flag is one of the oldest national flags in the world. Founded in 1752, Austria’s zoo is recognized as the oldest zoo in the world. Started in 803, the Haslauer is the world’s oldest inn and restaurant still in operation. One of the oldest amusement parks in the world, the Wurstelprater is located in Vienna, Austria. Austria is regularly named as one of the countries with the highest standard of living in the world. In the annual list of most liveable cities, Vienna is nearly always at the top.
Famous classical music composers Joseph Haydn, Franz Liszt, Johann Strauss, Franz Schubert, and Wolfgang Mozart were all from Austria. Austrians are very proud of being the home of Mozart. Hollywood actor and former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger was originally a citizen of Austria.
Psychiatrist Sigmund Freud, regarded as the founding father of psychoanalysis, was from Vienna. Many of the members of the Rothschild family, known as bankers and investors, were citizens of Austria. Among the long list of famous Austrians is Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the sports car company which bears his name as well as the designer of the Volkswagen. The energy drink “Red Bull” was created in Austria.
The sewing machine was invented by Josef Madersperger, an Austrian. The first postcards used were in Austria. The waltz was born in Austria.
A popular gathering place for Austrians is the Heuriger, a unique kind of wine tavern where even families can come and enjoy a pleasant evening.
Well known for its Alps, Austria boasts 13 peaks which are in excess of 3,000 meters and 34 peaks which exceed 2,000 meters.
The world famous Salzburg Festival began in 1920 and is one of the highlights of summer in Austria.
Every October 26th, Austrians celebrate National Day. This commemorates the passing of the constitutional law regarding permanent neutrality. It was passed in 1955.