In 1440, Vienna, Austria became the resident city of the Habsburg dynasty. It eventually grew to become the de facto capital of the Holy Roman Empire (1483-1806) and a cultural centre for arts and science, music and fine cuisine. Musical luminaries including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler, Robert Stolz, and Arnold Schoenberg have worked there.

St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom)

St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna. Although the first structure was completed in 1160, major reconstruction and expansion lasted until 1511 and restoration projects continue today. In 1258, a great fire destroyed much of the original building, and a larger replacement structure, reusing the two towers, was constructed over the ruins of the old church and consecrated in 1263. St. Stephen's Cathedral's massive south tower is its highest point and a dominant feature of the Vienna skyline. Its construction lasted 65 years, from 1368 to 1433.

St. Charles Church (Karlskirche)

Karlskirche (St. Charles's Church) is a baroque church dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo and cared for by the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star. Construction began in 1716 and was completed in 1737. Karlskirche is known for its dome, in the form of an elongated ellipsoid, and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. The dome fresco displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary.

Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) is a former imperial summer residence. The 1,441-room Baroque palace is one of the most important monuments in the country and since the mid-1950s it has been a major tourist attraction (2,600,000 visitors in 2010). The Schönbrunn Palace in its present form was built and remodelled in 1740-50s during the reign of empress Maria Theresa who received the estate as a wedding gift. The garden axis points towards a 60-metre-high hill (200 ft), which since 1775 has been crowned by the Gloriette structure.

Belvedere Palace

The Belvedere is an historic building complex in Vienna, consisting of two Baroque palaces (the Upper and Lower Belvedere), the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. The Baroque palace complex was built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy. The construction of the Upper Belvedere began as early as 1717 and the decoration of the interior started as early as 1718. The building was completed in 1723.

Krems and Melk Abbey

Krems (Krems an der Donau) is the fifth-largest city of Lower Austria, at the confluence of the Krems and Danube Rivers. The city maintains the Steiner Tor, a preserved medieval gate erected in 1480. The towers flanking both sides date from the late Middle Ages. The tower building itself dates to the Baroque period during the reign of Maria Theresa. Nearby is Melk Abbey.

Melk Abbey is a Benedictine abbey above the town of Melk, Austria, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube River. The abbey contains the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and the remains of several members of the House of Babenberg. The abbey was founded in 1089 when Leopold II gave one of his castles to the Benedictine monks. Today's Baroque abbey was built between 1702 and 1736. Particularly noteworthy are the abbey church with frescos by Johann Michael Rottmayr and the library with countless medieval manuscripts.

Kreuzenstein Castle

Kreuzenstein Castle (Burg Kreuzenstein) is a castle near Leobendorf, Austria. It was constructed on the remains of an early medieval castle out of sections of medieval structures purchased by the Wilczek family from all over Europe to form an authentic-looking castle. The origins of Burg Kreuzenstein date back to the 12th century. Today the castle is a tourist destination and museum. The 2014 TV series The Quest was filmed at Burg Kreuzenstein.