AUSTRIA

Lower Austria, or "Original Austria," is a federal state that was originally created to strengthen Germany's borders and is today a wine-producing center that forms a ring around Vienna.

Upper Austria is located in the north of the country and divided by the Danube. Above all, it boasts magical natural beauty. The coat of arms of Upper Austria is based on the coat of arms of an ancient noble family.

Carinthia, with its great ambitions, required a corresponding coat of arms: three Swabian lions pointed to the ancestors who ruled Southern Germany, and the red and white shield to Ulrich's claim to the Austrian throne.

Salzburg means "salt fortress." The region is world-famous not only for the city of Salzburg, but also for its other attractions and excellent opportunities for Alpine tourism.

When the County of Tyrol became part of Austria, as a reward for its loyalty, the eagle on its coat of arms was crowned with a count's crown and a laurel wreath – a symbol of glory and victory since antiquity.

Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal state at the crossroads of important trade routes. The red ecclesiastical banner, known as the "gonfalon," is the coat of arms of the Counts of Montfort.

Over the course of Austria's long history, the eagle on the coat of arms has endured much: its second head and the symbols of imperial power were taken away, and the hammer and sickle were given in its place. But it still thrives.