What does a city in the lowlands have to do with the history of mountaineering? More than you might think. The Danube metropolis lies at the beginning of the Alpine arc and was the gateway for scientists and adventurers to the mountains in the mid-19th century. In 1862, the first Alpine Club in continental Europe was founded in Vienna. This marks the beginning of the remarkable developments in alpinism. The people of Vienna set out to make history on the mountains of the world. Paul Grohmann opens up the Dolomites, Emil Zigmondy becomes the first European climbing star, Fritz Kasparek is part of the first team to climb the north face of the Eiger. These are shining examples of Vienna’s thirst for adventure and alpine prowess.