Vienna street scene in the 1890s. The famous Cafe Scheidl, next to the Vienna Opera House. Credit: clu

Vienna in 1900: Glorious and Doomed.

All great cities lay claim to at least one golden moment. While we might quibble over what’s required to earn that label, one thing seems clear: Fabled destiny often coexists with searing contradictions.

Vienna in 1900 was a perfect example.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Vienna was the imperial city of the ruling Hapsburgs and Europe’s cosmopolitan center of music…