VIENNA the capital of the Austrian empire, of the Arch duchy of Austria, and of the Crowoland of Lower Austria, is situated in 48° 12' 35" N. lat., 16° 22' 58" E. long., at an elevation of between 500 and 600 feet above the sea, on the right bank of the Danube, at its confluence with the little river Wien, which flows through the city. Vienna is full two miles from the main stream of the river, which divides above the city into several branches, forming ninny islands, so that only a small branch, which serves as n canal, and is generally called the Danube Canal, passes under the walls. The population exclusive of the military, numbers above 410,000.
Vienna coneists of the interior or old city and the suburbs. The old city is nearly circular, and not above throe miles round. It is surrounded with a broad fosse, and n wall from 40 to 50 feet high, which has ten regular bastions and farina one of the most favourite promenades of Vienna, commanding a very fine view. Beyond the fosse is the glacis, which varies in breadth from 960 to 1500 feet, formerly reserved as a clear space without the walla, but is now laid out in public walks, and extends all round the city, except towards the north-north-east, in which direction the fortifications flank the right bank of the Danube Canal, between the Chain Bridge and the mouth of tho Wien. The Wien, after reaching the glacis on the south side of the city, between the Kerntliner Gate and the Polytechnic school, makes a bend eastward, and runs north by east between the city and its eastern suburbs : between the Stuben Gate and the Invalides Hospital it communicates with the Vienna-Neustadt Canal. The western suburbs are traversed by a small stream called the Aleter.
The city is surrounded by 34 suburbs, two of which are to the north-east, on the island of Leopoldstadt in the Danube, and the 32 others beyond the glacis. These 32 suburbs are surrounded by the Lines, that is, a fume with a avail 12 feet high. From the old city twelve gates lead to the suburbs, the principal of which is the Burg-Thor, or palace gate, which was completed iu 1824, and is n splendid piece of architecture, with five equal archways. From these
gates there are paved streets and avenues to the principal streets in the suburbs, and these are connected by twelve other gates in the Lines, or outer fortifications, with the adjacent country. The extent of the Lines is 12 miles, and the circumference of the two suburbs situated on the island is above 6 miles. The old city occupies about a tenth part of the whole space.
The inner or old city is very irregularly built ; most of the streets are crooked and uarrow. The places, or squares, are '20 iu number, most of them small and irregular ; among the best are—the New Parade, before the imperial palace, the largest square in Vienua, nearly 1000 feet in length and 650 feet in breadth, perfectly regular, sur rounded with avenues of trees, and adorned with grass-plots and flower-beds ; the Hof, 450 feet loug and 300 feet broad ; the Holm Mnrkt, with a beautiful marble temple ; the Josephsplatz, in which there is a colossal equestrian bronze statue of Joseph IL; and the Graben, which is rather a street than a square, 540 feet long and 100 feet broad : it is nearly in the centre of the city, and is a place of fashionable resort, especially for stranger& The streets are well paved, well lighted at night, and cleansed and well drained by capa cious sewers. Differing in this respect from most other European capitals, the old city is the most fashionable ; it contains the palaces of the emperor, of many of the principal nobility, the public offices, the finest churches, and most of the museums and public collections, the colleges, the exchange, and the most splendid shops. The houses, which are in general of brick, are six or seven stories, and very large; most of them are inhabited by several families. There is a commou staircase, and a porter keeps the street-door.