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Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream

Season 1
Vienna - a pivotal city in the story of Europe. Home to the Holy Roman Emperors and target of Ottoman aggression, the city nurtured the architectural style of the Gothic and the music of the Baroque while being coveted, cultured and decadent. From its Roman origins until now, its strategic position has made it witness to war, intrigue and deceit. This is its story.
20163 episodes
TV-PG
Free trial of BBC Select

Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - Episode 1
    December 7, 2016
    49min
    TV-PG
    Charting the foundation of Vienna as a Roman stronghold that then became the base for defending Europe from both the Ottoman Empire and Protestant revolutionaries. These religious conflicts allowed one family, the Hapsburgs, to gain a foothold in the city and transformed Vienna into a multi-national city of music, culture and ideas. Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals how the city came to be.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  2. S1 E2 - Episode 2
    December 14, 2016
    50min
    TV-PG
    Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore tells the story of a Vienna triumphant. As the Ottoman threat receded, the city was rebuilt. When it was no longer an outpost defending the West from Islamic invaders, the ruling Habsburgs vowed their imperial capital would become the most glittering in the world. Vienna became a city that would define the arts; a magnet for musicians such as Mozart and Beethoven.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  3. S1 E3 - Episode 3
    December 21, 2016
    50min
    TV-PG
    Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore follows the Habsburgs to their dramatic demise. While Vienna's ruling family headed for extinction, the city blossomed. As the theories of Freud and the sensuality of artists such as Klimt and Schiele ushered in the modern age, Hitler and Stalin stalked the streets. It was here that World War I was sparked and where World War II was dreamed up.
    Free trial of BBC Select

Details

More info

Audio languages
English
Subtitles
English [CC]
Directors
Dominic Ozanne
Producers
Richard Downes
Starring
Simon Sebag-Montefiore
Studio
BBC
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