Vienna is located in eastern Austria, bordering Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. The city is situated on a plain near the Donau river. The river was originally not navigable upstream of the city, but river traffic is now possible. With a major airport, the city is an important railroad hub and the center of the Austrian road network.
The Vienna area has been inhabited for more than two millennia. Recorded history begins with the Romans, who established the city of Vindobona as a garrisoned outpost towards the Germanic tribes of current Germany and Slovakia.
The city was first mentioned in an official document in 1147. In 1156, it became the residence of the dukes of Austria, and as they rose to power as the Habsburg emperors, it was first the capital of the Holy Roman empire, then the Austrian Empire. After World War I, the Austrian republic was established, still with Vienna as the capital.
Vienna has a number of tourist attractions, most associated with the Habsburg empire. The Hofburg, which was the residence of the emperors and still is home to many imperial institutions, including the Spanish riding school, is a major tourist attraction today. During the Habsburg reign, the Hofburg attracted travelers from all over Europe.
Until World War I, tourism in Austria was associated with the emperor and the aristocracy. Visitors came to participate in the rich cultural life associated with the Habsburg court and to see the imperial buildings. Tourists were initially mostly aristocrats, but as the railway network made travel affordable, inter-imperial tourism became possible also for ordinary citizens.
After World War I, the Habsburg empire ceased to exist. The buildings and culture still remained, as did the railway network. Vienna remained a major tourist destination in Europe, although Austria as well as its neighboring countries were hit by the Great Depression.
After World War II, the Vienna also attracted tourists from other parts of the world, in particular Americans. Russians became a major tourist group, as well as other travelers from the former Soviet Union.
