34 



AUSTRIA-IIUNGAEY. 



the Tyrolese passes. Still the commercial importance of Vienna's position was 

 recognised even then, and at Carnuntum, a short distance below the modern town, 

 they constructed a bridge of boats, which facilitated intercourse with the countries 

 in the north as far as the Baltic. Upon Vienna converge the roads from the Adriatic, 

 from Bohemia and Silesia, and for centuries that city was the easternmost outpost 

 of European civilisation. This exposed position no doubt had its disadvantages. 

 Twice — in 1529 and 1683 — Vienna was sorely pressed by the Turks. But Hungary 

 and Turkey having now become members of the European family of nations, 

 Vienna has ceased to be a frontier town, and when the railways which are to 



Fig. 21. — The Gkowth of Vienna. 

 Scale 1 : 74,000. 



l6° zo'E. o1 Gr 



IHU7 



1 Mile. 



Quarters built or ImfhJinrj 



on. nil,- nf . 



ancient fortificatuiM 



connect it with Saloniki and the East generally are completed, it will become the 

 centre of the continent, and deserve the epithet of Weltstadt rather prematurely 

 bestowed upon it. 



Vienna is not only one of the most important and flourishing cities of Europe, it 

 is also one of the most sumptuous. Situated upon a narrow arm of the Danube, 

 at the mouth of the "VVien, and close to the main branch of the river, it spreads 

 over the plain bounded in the east by the wooded heights of the "Wienerwald. 

 The spires and domes of some of its most striking monuments are visible from 



