The croissant was inspired by the Austrian kipfel

The croissant was inspired by the Austrian kipfel - a crescent-shaped baked good featuring a generous amount of butter or lard.

• The kipfel originated in 1683. The story is that during the Ottomans siege of Vienna, a baker, who rises early to make bread, saved the city when he heard the Turks tunnelling underneath the city and sounded an alarm.
• The curved shape of the kipfel mimics the crescent moon of the Ottoman Flag.