Final answer:
Klemens von Metternich from Austria was the dominant figure at the Congress of Vienna, where he successfully restored pre-Napoleonic monarchies and re-established a balance of power in Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The dominant personality or leader at the Congress of Vienna was Austrian Klemens von Metternich. He was the architect behind the restoration of traditional Europe and aimed to uphold the conservative social order against revolutionary and nationalistic currents. Metternich's strategy focused on legitimizing overthrown monarchs and reducing the influence of democratic principles established during the French Revolution.
At the Congress, which lasted from November 1814 through June 1815, the old ruling families and major powers of Europe, including the Austrian Empire, Great Britain, Prussia, Russia, and France, sought to restore pre-Napoleonic territories and social structures. The result was a redrawing of Europe's political map, aimed at creating a balance of power that would prevent any single nation, particularly France, from dominating the continent. Notable figures like Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Charles Maurice de Talleyrand of France also played significant roles, but it was Metternich's vision of a conservative, stable Europe that left a lasting impact.