The central 1st District, Innere Stadt, is Vienna’s old town, encircled by the grand Ringstrasse boulevard. Gothic St. Stephen’s Cathedral has views of Stephansplatz square from its tower. Upscale shops and cafes line pedestrianized Kärntner Strasse and Graben, with art galleries and restaurants dotting the surrounding streets. Visitors get a glimpse of the Habsburg emperors’ opulent lifestyle at the Hofburg palace.