UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Austria

Salzburg’s fame is owed to a blend of architectural, artistic, and natural influences: The city’s unique urban charm, the fortunate birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart here in 1756, and the breathtaking beauty of its surroundings.

Centuries of international trade in salt, often called "white gold," brought Salzburg wealth and prosperity. The income from this trade allowed the prince-archbishops to create a splendid Baroque city.

Vienna’s historic centre ranks among the most beautiful city landmarks in Europe. Three eras define the former residence of the Habsburg emperors: The Middle Ages, with the Gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral; the Baroque period, exemplified by the Hofburg Palace; and the late 19th-century Ringstrasse era, featuring grand structures like the State Opera House and the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

The city centre’s many churches, palaces, and parks lend it an imperial flair. Vienna’s historic heart is also deeply intertwined with centuries of musical tradition and world-class collections, as well as the delights of Viennese cuisine, traditional coffee houses, and nostalgic shopping at former imperial suppliers.

Together with Eggenberg Palace, the historic centre of Graz forms a unique ensemble reflecting the city's connections to aristocratic dynasties, particularly the Habsburgs and the Eggenberg family.

The well-preserved old town, nestled between Schlossberg and the Mur River, is rich with Gothic churches, Renaissance courtyards, and Baroque buildings, complementing the grandeur of the Baroque Eggenberg residence. Graz has long served as a cultural crossroads between the Balkans, the Alps, and the Mediterranean. Founded in the 10th century, it became Emperor Frederick III’s preferred residence under the Habsburgs. Built after 1625, Eggenberg Palace is surrounded by an extensive park, which was transformed into a landscaped garden in the 19th century.

Founded around its precious natural healing springs, Baden near Vienna developed a distinctive architecture that still shapes the town’s historic character today. The landscape of the Vienna Woods and the spa gardens add to this picturesque setting.

Baden has long been a place of relaxed lifestyle and modernity, where Emperor Franz Joseph I found summer respite and great artists found inspiration. Ludwig van Beethoven, for instance, enjoyed the spa town’s therapeutic benefits and composed his Ode to Joy here. Recognised as one of Europe’s premier spa towns, Baden has been designated a transnational World Heritage Site under the “Great Spa Towns of Europe” listing.

The towns of Hallstatt, Gosau, Obertraun, and Bad Goisern rest at the foot of the Dachstein in the heart of the striking Salzkammergut region.

This historic cultural landscape holds over 3,500 years of history, with salt mining in the area dating back to the Middle Bronze Age, forming the foundation of its prosperity. The architecture, distinguished by characteristic wooden embellishments, shapes the landscape, while local customs are actively maintained and vary significantly from one town to the next.

It may only be a short stretch of the Danube—36 kilometres out of a total of 2,800—but the Wachau holds immense significance. This historic cultural landscape is exceptionally valuable for its rich natural diversity, cultural landmarks, viticulture, and charming villages.

In the Wachau, natural landscapes like the winding Danube valley, alluvial forests, and rugged rock formations harmoniously blend with human-made elements: From terraced vineyards and traditional villages to striking landforms, abbeys, castles, and ancient ruins.

The Hungarian Puszta and the Austrian reed belt converge at Central Europe’s largest steppe lake. This cross-border region spans from the Pannonian Plain across Lake Neusiedl and its vast reed belt to picturesque villages.

Here, splendid vineyards and expansive pastures are home to grazing grey cattle and white donkeys. Archaeological sites, limestone quarries, ancient sanctuaries, sprawling farmsteads, and castles reflect an impressive history of settlement in the area.

Only a few remnants remain of the beech forests that once blanketed Europe and shaped its landscape after the last Ice Age. Over 5,000 hectares of ancient beech forests in the Kalkalpen National Park in Upper Austria have therefore been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, alongside similar natural areas in 10 other European countries, under the title "Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe."

The most scenic route from Vienna to southern Austria is via the Semmering Railway, leading to the "magic mountain" region of Semmering. In 1841, the then Minister of State, Kübeck, commissioned the construction of a railway line to Trieste.

Under the direction of civil engineer Carl Ritter von Ghega, originally from Venice, the railway was built over the nearly 1,000-metre-high pass (the highest point accessible by rail at the time) beginning in 1848. This engineering marvel was completed in just six years, marking a triumph in both design and construction.

A tour through the castle's court chambers provides a glimpse into the lives of past rulers. The Gloriette offers a truly majestic view over the castle grounds and across Vienna. A highlight within the palace park is the Palm House, home to an exotic collection of plants. Schönbrunn Zoo, one of Europe’s most remarkable zoos, is another standout attraction, combining Baroque pavilions with modern animal enclosures.

Around 5000 BC, people settled in the Alps, constructing pile dwellings that remain Austria’s only underwater World Heritage site. These Neolithic to Iron Age finds, located in wetlands and along shores, offer valuable insights into early societies.

Austria has five such sites, including Lake Attersee, Lake Mondsee, and Lake Keutschach. Discoveries of tools and materials like copper and iron reveal much about trade and technological advancements. The oldest settlement, at Lake Keutschach, dates back to the 4th millennium BC. The Lake Mondsee settlement shows trade connections with Bavaria and northern Italy, while the settlements at Lake Attersee date from 1690 to 1260 BC.

The Danube has long drawn cultures to its banks. For over 450 years, the river—known as Danubius—served as the northern border of the Roman Empire. Though the swampy banks of the Danube were challenging to cross, watchtowers, legionary camps, and forts were built every 14 kilometres to strengthen the border, known as the Limes. The remains of these fortifications, along with civilian settlements, economic hubs, and transportation facilities, stand as remarkable witnesses to history. These sites, located in Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and Vienna along the Danube, were once part of the Roman provinces of Noricum and Pannonia.