VIENNA, the capital of the Austrian empire, is situated in the circle of Austria, on the right bank of the Danube. It is denominated \Vienne in Ger man, from a small stream of that name, which, running through it, falls into the Danube. This lat ter river, though rapid in its course both above and below, is here extremely slow, and is studded with a number of beautiful islands; and it is on a branch of it, formed by these islands, and not on the main stream, that the capital stands. This branch, though small, is sufficiently large for the purposes of inland navigation. The \Vienne, instead of being an orna ment or conducive to cleanliness, has, on account of its smallness, a contrary tendency, being filled with the accumulated refuse of the city. Vienna is built on a plain, only 460 feet above the level of the sea.
Vienna stands on the site of the ancient T in do bona, a fortified station situated in the ancient Pan nonia. It at length shared the fate of the Roman empire. Charlemagne added it to his dominions; at which time, and for several centuries afterwards,' it was of very inconsiderable extent; the church of St. Stephen, now nearly in the centre, was, when built in 1144, outside the walls. Few capitals have undergone so many sieges, or have been so often taken; events of which it is not at present necessary to give an account. The most celebrated siege was In 1683 by the Turks under the command of Mus tapha, son-in-law of Alahomet IV. who, when on the verge of being master of the city, was nobly repulsed by John Sobieski, king' of Poland; and thus not only Vienna, but Christendom, were saved from the imminent danger that threatened them. (See the article POLAND.) This capital was taken by Bonaparte both in 1805 and 1809. The Con gress held here by the allied sovereigns, on the downfall of that illustrious conqueror, is well known.
This city is singularly built. "It forms," says Dr. Walsh, "three concentrical circles; the first is the old city, surrounded by its wall and rampart; the next is a plain called the Glacis, which forms a circle of gardens and pleasure grounds; and the third is the suburbs, an immense circle of houses enclosing within it the other two." (Journey from Constantinople, 382.) The old city does not extend above three miles in circumference. It can boast
of no fewer than 18 squares, and it contains 120 streets; all of which, though narrow and crooked, are clean, well paved, and well lighted; and com mon sewers abound. The pavement, however, is so little elevated above the causeway, that the pe destrian is not sufficiently protected. Nor is this the only inconvenience to which such persons are exposed. A great part, often the half of the street, is rendered useless by heaps of wood, the fuel of the inhabitants. This wood, being brought into the city in logs from three to four feet long, is laid down on the street to be cut into smaller pieces, before it is deposited in the cellar. In this way, it not unfrequently happens that from the piling up of such wood on both sides of the street, nothing remains free but the centre; a state of things most unfavourable to the foot passenger, but the difficul ties of which the Austrian coachmen avoid with a dexterity peculiar to themselves. The houses are in general built of brick, and roofed with slate. They are of great height, and, like those of Edin burgh and Paris, enter by a common stair. Seve ral families, accordingly, live under the same roof, the number of inhabitants to each house averaging forty. The most of the squares are adorned with fountains or other monuments, though not always very elegantly executed. The statue of Joseph II. decorates a square which bears his name. The Graben's square, about the centre of the city, is a more fashionable resort than any other: in it are situated the principal shops and warehouses, as also in the Kohlmark, a large and well-built street that leads to it. Among all the statues and sculptured embellishments with which Austria abounds, the want of memorials in honour of great men is much felt; no such memorials occur, except that of Jo seph II. The city, it may here be mentioned, is, or rather was, encompassed by ditches and ram parts, and communicated with the suburbs by 12 gates. Promenading is the only purpose to which these fortifications are now applied; a purpose for which, from their breadth and elevation, they are well adapted. Together with the Glacis, which we now proceed to describe, they form the great scene of recreation and amusement, abounding with coffee-houses and other places of entertain ment.