Austria: History of the Country and Catholocism

The country of Austria is a landlocked country located in central Europe, just north of Italy and Slovenia. Austria also borders Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein. In comparison to the United States, Austria is about the size of Maine at 83,870 square kilometers. The terrain includes mountains, or the Alps, in the South and West, and flat land in the North and East (“Austria”). Mountains cover about three-fourths of the country. Austria is also known for its many valleys, lakes, and forests (Beller). The climate is temperate, with moderate summers and cold winters. Both seasons receive regular rain, except for frequent snow in the Alps during winter. The majority of the population lives in the Northeast flatland due to the poor soil and steepness of the mountain region. The Danube River runs through the northern part of the country with the capital, Vienna, on its banks (“Austria”).

People began migrating to the current land of Austria as early as 800 B.C. It was finally a conquered land in 15 B.C. when the Romans gained control of the area south of the Danube. When the western part of the Roman Empire fell in 476, German tribes invaded Austria. At the end of the eighth century, Charlemagne ruled the country. Later, Otto I of Germany governed Austria and became the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, leading Austria to become the most important area in the territory. The Austrian region became a duchy, or a land ruled by a duke, and was controlled by the Habsburg family, who ruled from 1273 until 1919. In 1867, the famous dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary took form. Hungary was in search of greater status, and Austria found the solution by joining with Hungary. The two countries were integrat...

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... some pretty unique attributes to their celebration (“Austrian Traditions”).

Works Cited

“Austria.” Geography.About. About.com, 2011. Web. 6 December 2011.

“Austria: All Dioceses.” Catholic-Hierarchy. David M. Cheney, 1996-2011. Web. 18 December 2011.

“Austrian Traditions.” TourMyCountry. n.p., n.d. Web. 18 December 2011.

Beller, Steven. “Austria.” World Book Student. World Book, 2011. Web. 9 December 2011.

“Saint Florian.” Catholic-Saints. Catholic-Saints.info, 2008. Web. 18 December 2011.

“Sharp decrease in number of Austrians leaving Catholic Church.” NCTimes. North County Times, Escondido, CA, 2011.Web. 18 December 2011.

“St. Severinus of Noricum.” Catholic. Catholic Online, 2011. Web. 18 December 2011.

Wolfsgrüber, Cölestin. “The Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 18 December 2011