Statue of Mozart in Vienna. Image courtesy of Wien Tourismus on Flickr. Vienna’s cultured capital is full of great museums and galleries by day and classical concerts by night. Once you’ve filled your itinerary with major sights, here are 10 things you did not know about Vienna. People in Vienna speak German Vienna is in Austria, not Germany. So why do Austrians speak German? In the 13th century, Austria became part of the German-speaking Habsburg Empire and remained under their rule for 640 years. As part of the empire, the Austrians had to speak German. German did not develop naturally but was standardized from a series of dialects spoken in central Europe. In the 16th century it was the language of Martin Luther’s bible and the leading language of Europe. The difference between Austrian German and the mother tongue is similar to the disparity between American and British English today. Always stand to the right on public transport Always stand on the righ...