Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream

Simon Sebag Montefiore tells the story of Vienna triumphant, after the Ottoman threat receded at the end of the 17th century. The city was rebuilt. No longer an outpost defending the West from Islamic invaders, the Habsburgs vowed their empire and imperial capital would become the most glittering in the world. The Habsburg emperors transformed the city from a fortress into a great cultural capital. Vienna became a city that would define the arts; a magnet for musicians including Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven.