AT-386651 The flag and coat of arms of Austria

The flag
The flag of Austria (Flagge Österreichs) has three equal horizontal bands of red, white and red. The Austrian triband is based on the coat of arms of the Babenberg dynasty, recorded in the 13th century.

According to legend however, the flag was invented by Duke Leopold V of Austria as a consequence of his fighting during the Siege of Acre. After a fierce battle, his white surcoat was completely drenched in blood. When he removed his belt, the cloth beneath remained unstained, revealing the combination of red-white-red. So taken was he by this singular sight that he adopted the colours and scheme as his banner.

Coat of arms
The current coat of arms of Austria has been in use, in various forms, by the Republic of Austria since 1919. Between 1934 and the German annexation in 1938 Austria used a different coat of arms, which consisted of a double-headed eagle. The establishment of the Second Republic in 1945 saw the return of the original (First Republic) arms, with broken chains added to symbolise Austria's liberation. (Source: Wikipedia)

This postcard came from Eva of Vienna (Postcrossing, 2 July 2018).

AT-331443 Austrian classic steam locomotive series 52 exiting Weinzettelwand Tunnel

The Semmering railway (Semmeringbahn) in Austria, which starts at Gloggnitz and leads over the Semmering to Mürzzuschlag was the first mountain railway in Europe built with a standard gauge track. It is commonly referred to as the world's first true mountain railway, given the very difficult terrain and the considerable altitude difference that was mastered during its construction. It is still fully functional as a part of the Southern Railway which is operated by the Austrian Federal Railways.Anita, a classic steam locomotive series 52 is seen exiting Weinzettelwand Tunnel.

Anita had taken the trouble to affix a stamp commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Stainzerbahn and a special postmark commemorating the occasion. Many thanks, Anita!

WC 94-531 Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. It is on the banks of the Salzach River, at the northern boundary of the Alps. The mountains to Salzburg's south contrast with the rolling plains to the north. The closest alpine peak, the 1,972‑metre-high Untersberg, is less than 16 kilometres (10 miles) from the city centre.

Salzburg's "Old Town" (Altstadt) is internationally renowned for its baroque architecture and is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Salzburg was the birthplace of 18th-century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In the mid‑20th century, the city was the setting for the musical play and film ‘The Sound of Music’.

This postcard came from Melanie B. (5 August 2015) Swap-bot.

Großglockner- the highest mountain in Austria

The Grossglockner (Großglockner) is situated on the border between two Austrian lander - Carinthia and Tyrol.  It is 3,798 metres (12,461 ft) high and is the highest mountain of Austria and the second highest mountain in the Alps. The Pasterze, Austria's most extended glacier, lies on the Grossglockner's eastern slope.

The characteristically pyramid-shaped peak of the Großglockner actually consists of two pinnacles, the Großglockner and the Kleinglockner (3,770 m (12,370 ft)) separated by a saddle-like formation known as the Glocknerscharte.

There is a summit cross on the Großglockner.  It is 400 kilos in weight. The "Kaiserkreuz" cross (King’s Cross) was set up by alpine guides who dragged it up to the top in October 1880 to mark the silver wedding of Franz Joseph I of Austria and Elisabeth of Bavaria ("Sisi").

This postcard came from Dorit (27 August 2014) Postcrossing Direct Swap.

 

 

Wildspitze - second highest mountain in Austria

Wildspitze is the highest mountain in the Ötztal Alps and in North Tyrol, as well as the second highest mountain in Austria after the Großglockner. The mountain has twin peaks, with a rocky south summit (3774 m) and a firn-covered north summit that is 3,765 m. The mountain is surrounded by glaciers on three sides. The Taschachferner Glacier is the largest. The 50° north face of Wildspitze is popular with ice climbers.  There is easy access to the 2,840 m. station via the Pitztal Express

This postcard sent by Dorit (22 July 2014) Postcrossing shows the cross at the summit of Wildspitze.  The original cross was put up by mountain guides and innkeepers from the Ötztal in 1933. In August 2010 the old cross of Wildspitze summit was replaced by a new one.

Gloriette in the garden of the Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

A gloriette is a building in a garden erected on a site that is higher in elevation than its surroundings.  The most famous of gloriettes is the Gloriette is in the garden of the Schönbrunn Palace located in Vienna, Austria.

Built in 1775 as the last building constructed in the garden, this Gloriette serves as both a focal point and a lookout point for the garden.  It was used as a dining hall and festival hall as well as a breakfast room for emperor Franz Joseph I. Nowadays, the dining hall has a café in it, and on the roof, an observation platform overlooks Vienna. The Gloriette was destroyed in the Second World War, but had already been restored by 1947, and was restored again in 1995.

The Gloriette is dedicated as a Monument to Just War, that which leads to peace. The front face bears the following inscription:

IOSEPHO II. AVGVSTO ET MARIA THERESIA AVGVSTA IMPERANTIB. ERECT. CIƆIƆCCLXXV. ("Erected under the reign of Emperor Joseph II and Empress Maria Theresa, 1775.") The way of writing of the year uses a Latinization of the Greek letter Φ (phi) for 1000.

 

Short notes on the main palace:

Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) is a former imperial 1,441-room Rococo summer residence in Vienna, Austria.  At the end of the 17th century Emperor Leopold I commissioned the gifted Baroque architect Bernhard Fischer von Erlach to built a palatial hunting lodge for the heir to the throne. On the site of the old imperial château de plaisance a splendid edifice was to arise. Half a century later under Maria Theresa, Schönbrunn Palace was to become the magnificent focus of court life. From that time onwards it played host to the leading statesmen of Europe.

This postcard came from Carmen (19 March 2014) Direct Swap Postcrossing.