Vienna

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Vienna (维也纳)
Alias(es)	City of Conferences; Center of European Politics 221
Type	City
Location	Austrian Empire
Affiliation	Austrian Empire; House of Habsburg
Status	Imperial capital and a major Central European metropolis 1 391 1123
First Appearance	Chapter 1: Ruler Across Worlds? 1

History

Early condition

In 1834, Vienna is depicted as a livable but underwhelming imperial capital, with clear river water rather than the smog and black rivers associated with contemporary industrial powers. Its ruling spaces retain Baroque exteriors, Rococo interiors, and collections ranging from Oriental porcelain to Baltic amber. 1

The city initially suffers from weak policing and entrenched patronage. The secret police are reportedly unable to afford professional detectives after budget cuts, while office-seeking depends more on being noticed by the Emperor than on merit. 6 59 Vienna also develops serious gang activity as migration expands, with the Bavarian Gang becoming a semi-militarized force before government action curbs its growth. 106

Diplomatic rise and expansion

Vienna’s successful conferences elevate it above London as a diplomatic venue; it becomes known as both the City of Conferences and the Center of European Politics. 221 By this period, events affecting the fate of Europe are regularly decided in the city. 354

The city expands rapidly as Austria industrializes. Its population rises from fewer than 400,000 to nearly one million, while plans anticipate continued growth into a megacity. 705 Vienna nearly doubles in size; most of its old walls are demolished, leaving only a small memorial section. 839

The 1848 crisis and reconstruction

Vienna suffers repeated disasters during the 1848 rebellions. Franz’s forces suppress the Vienna rebellion through executions and door-to-door purges, restoring Habsburg control. 957

Following Emperor Ferdinand I’s abdication on August 8, 1848, the rebuilt and freshly painted city becomes the setting for Franz Joseph I’s accession. Nobles, wealthy merchants, nationalists, and investors from across Europe gather there despite the continuing civil war. 1123

Cityscape and Infrastructure

• Broad avenues and vertical construction — Old walls and sections of the moat are removed to make way for straight, broad streets. Reinforced concrete enables increasingly tall buildings while major public structures retain Baroque styling. 1684
• Rail and commercial traffic — The train station is crowded with travelers, cargo, porters, and workers. Its steel framework and vast glass windows evoke the Crystal Palace, while a small chapel still distributes flatbread to passersby. 1684
• Bicycle city — Bicycles largely replace horse-drawn carriages, creating demand for repair shops, spare parts, bells, and women’s bicycle designs. Their spread also contributes to shorter skirts and trousers among women of the middle and working classes. 1684
• Waterfront trade — Vienna’s docks handle continuous flows of goods and labor, while residents fish along the riverbanks. 1685
• Pollution controls — Heavily polluting industries are moved outside the city and later relocated to other cities, leaving Vienna notably cleaner than other major urban centers. 1685 1804
• Housing policy — Franz supports standardized housing construction and prohibits subletting in an effort to combat slums and property speculation. 1963
• Sanitation — Foreign visitors note Vienna’s cleanliness and efficient waste-management system. 1187

Notable Locations

Location	Significance
Schönbrunn Palace	Franz’s preferred residence and a major center of court life, political planning, and royal hospitality. 1197
Hofburg Palace	Venue for Franz’s coronation ceremonies, audiences with foreign rulers, and high-level diplomacy. 1124 1187
St. Stephen’s Cathedral	Site of Franz’s baptism ceremony during his coronation entry into Vienna. 1124
Graben Street	One of Austria’s most prosperous streets; Baron Bruck lives in a modest attic there despite his financial rank. 100
Mariahilfer Straße	Transforms from a chaotic, crime-ridden district into a prosperous commercial street. 672
Vienna Trading Center	Financial hub frequented by bankers, speculators, and figures such as Baron Bruck. 101

Society

Vienna is markedly multilingual. German functions as the common language, but regional variants remain so different that speakers often misunderstand one another. Italian, Czech, Croatian, Transylvanian, and numerous other languages and dialects are heard in the city. 1684 1685

The city’s growth relies heavily on newcomers. Migrants, foreigners, artists, merchants, and nobles from across Europe increasingly settle in Vienna, and local residents gradually come to view outsiders as a source of urban vitality rather than merely competition. 1123 1685

Coffeehouses and beer halls are prominent social spaces, though coffee drinkers often regard beer drinkers—commonly wage earners and ordinary soldiers—with contempt. 1684 Vienna’s cafés also serve as venues for public debate, war sentiment, and political rumor. 1820 1822

Culture and Entertainment

Music and performance

Vienna maintains a broad musical culture, from orchestral quartets, waltzes, hymns, and folk music to heavy metal and imported styles. 1685 The city supports both elite opera houses and smaller popular theaters. 1202

Franz’s Darkmoon Theater and Darkmoon Troupe transform Vienna’s entertainment industry by combining drama, dialogue, and dance, including styles modeled on K-pop and otaku dance. The troupe becomes famous across Austria and Europe, attracting visitors and aspiring performers. 438

The imperial family and government provide wandering artists with basic housing and paid commissions, giving performers and creators a degree of material security. 1202

Print, photography, and film

• Rising literacy expands Vienna’s markets for novels and comics. 1685
• Franz introduces four-panel comics and manga-style comics, accelerating the development of Austria’s comics industry. 1685
• Cameras become common in private homes, while hand-cranked projectors are used by the military and specialized departments; Franz plans future film companies. 1685
• Operettas remain more popular than serious spoken dramas, which Viennese audiences consider overly stiff, preachy, and emotionally oppressive. 1913

Food and nightlife

• Almond dumplings are baked annually in remembrance of Ferdinand I. 1685
• Street food includes jianbing guozi, spicy hot pot, oden, and Indian curry. 1685
• Nightlife includes opera houses, dance halls, salons, variety-show night markets, circuses, charity casinos, and Golden Times. 1685
• Vienna’s fondness for sugar becomes conspicuous after trade with Mexico expands; visitors encounter sweet bread, sweet pork chops, sweet wine, sweet salads, and other syrup-covered dishes. 1202

Football

Franz promotes football because it is inexpensive, accessible, and capable of creating collective identity across class, regional, cultural, and ethnic boundaries. 1685

Political and Diplomatic Role

Vienna repeatedly hosts major international negotiations. The first two Vienna peace conferences cost 13 million and 7 million Florins respectively, reflecting the immense expense of hosting delegations, security, transport, entertainment, and gifts. 1202

Austria secures the right to host another major peace conference with Russian support and no serious rival claimant, reinforcing Vienna’s position as the foremost conference city. 1202 Later, thirty-eight major powers—including Austria, Britain, Russia, France, Prussia, Spain, and the United States—sign the Vienna Declaration. 1734

Large diplomatic gatherings also stimulate tourism, consumption, and commerce throughout the city. 2088

Security and Order

Vienna’s political importance makes it a recurring target for conspiracies, nationalist movements, and foreign agents. Its weak early border controls allow spies and anti-Austrian organizations to move through the city with relative ease. 625

After 1848, martial law around Hofburg Palace becomes frequent enough that local residents no longer find it unusual. 1396 During later police reform, rifle-bearing soldiers replace routine patrols, corrupt police chief Kurt is executed, and the government publicly investigates the remaining leadership. 1921

Following the purge of Vienna’s police and prison systems, the city returns to normal operation despite the visible aftermath of the crackdown. 1924

Trivia

• Vienna is described by visitors as more extravagant than Edinburgh, more flamboyant than London, and cleaner than Britain in its air, water, and streets. 847
• The city’s prosperity and artistic atmosphere are strong enough to make visitors lose track of time; Duke Andrei Uvarov finds it difficult to associate Vienna with conventional ideas of majesty or grandeur. 1202
• Foreign observers regard Vienna as unusually clean and orderly for a city of its scale. 1804