Note: The following article was written by Adam Jagdeo, Year 9
Austria, home to Kaiserschmarrn, golden historical palaces and a festival where celebrity artists gather in 1 place and you can witness them. In this blog, I am going to explore the festive and scenic culture of Austria, from the origins of its famous food and festivals to must see destinations if visiting.
Kaiserschmarrn
Kaiserschmarrn has no exact origin but many believe it was created in either Vienna or the Alpine region of Austria during the year 1854. Kaiserschmarrn are thick fluffy pancakes which are shredded and served with a plum compote. It is typically served in winter as a dessert or afternoon tea. A royal chef (often named Leopold) tried to make a delicate pancake for Empress Elisabeth but the pancake tore while flipping and so save the dish, the chef shredded it into pieces, caramelised it with sugar, and covered it in powdered sugar, creating a dish which literally translates as ‘a scrambled dish’ and known as ‘Emperor’s Mess’.
The Schönbrunn Palace
The Schönbrunn Palace is a public museum in Vienna but it used to be a summer home for Austrian emperors. This palace was built during the Baroque Period, and has a total of 1,441 rooms. For those interested in music, you should know Mozart performed here when he was around 6 years old. The gardens were actually inspired by ‘The Palace of Versailles’ with long avenues, fountains and sculptures. If you’re interested in photography or overall wonderful landscapes, the Gloriette (pavilion) has the best shots of Vienna. In addition, for those interested in zoology, the Schönbrunn zoo is the oldest operating zoo in the world, which over 700 different species such as pandas, Siberian tigers and elephants call home.
If visiting the palace, I recommend exploring in style with palace tours where you are given a phone which tells you about the history of the estate, garden walks in the Palm house with around 4,500 different plant species filled with colour and love, Gloriette climb for marvelous views, classical concerts and zoo visits.
Salzburg Festival
The ‘Salzburg Festival’ is the largest and most famous festival of opera, music, and theater in the world, held annually during the summer for 5-6 weeks. It is celebrated with dramatic plays, traditional Austrian clothing, music ensembles and great food.
The Salzburg Festival started back in August 1920 after many were injured and killed during World War I. However, it really honours the influence of Mozart through a mix of opera, theatre, and classical concerts. Audiences gather in different venues like the Großes Festspielhaus and Haus für Mozart, to attend opera performances, theatre productions, and orchestra concerts. The main performance is the play ‘Jedermann’, famously staged in Cathedral Square. Because it is such a big event, global icons, celebrities, famous songwriters, and bands from all over the world travel here to experience it.
To summarise, Austria’s culture is a living work of art created by a variety of food, history and festivals. Whether you’re tasting Kaiserschmarrn, wandering through Schönbrunn Palace, or witnessing the Salzburg Festival first hand, each experience reveals more about Austria as a whole. It’s a place where the more you explore, the more questions emerge. No matter if you're visiting for the first time or you've lived here for years, there's an elegant rhythm and flow to Austria that you never really forget.
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