RATHAUS
Vienna boasts two town halls; the new and old one. Whenever the local residents talk about their 'Rathaus' or town hall, they generally refer to the new town hall, which is located along the ring. It is not all that new either because it dates back to the end of the 19th century. It is situated in a park and is built in a Flemish Gothic style. This is the home of the mayor of Vienna, and many of the rooms are used for parties and receptions. The Rathauskeller is a restaurant for the masses of tourists. You can take a guided tour around the town hall. The old town hall is in the old town (Wipplingerstrasse) and is now used as an office and shopping complex.
KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM
The Vienna Kunsthistorisches or Art History Museum is the third most important museum in the world. After all, it houses the art collection of the Habsburgs, which can only be exhibited in part. This family ruled Austria for six centuries, when it was still a powerful and very prosperous country. They attracted artists from all over Europe and the East. The building and its interior is magnificent and features large stairwells. You will find all the important painters here, and also the largest Breughel collection in the world, among others. The exhibits include sculptures, and the museum also has a department of Egyptian artefacts.
KAPUZINERKIRCHE - KAISERGRUFT
On the Neuer Markt in the old town there is a small church that you would pass by in a hurry. However, beneath this church lies the imperial vault or Kaisergruft. This is where almost 150 members of the Habsburg family are buried. It features a beautiful tin monumental vault, the entrance to which is from the side.
STEPHANSDOM
The symbol of Vienna is the Stephansdom or St Stephen’s Cathedral, which is located at the centre of the old town, and boasting a tower which stands more than 130 m high. The current church dates back to the 16th century, although it was largely destroyed during the Second World War. It was completely restored in 1952.
The most important things to see are the Baroque main altar, the pulpit, and the many Habsburg vaults. All the cathedral’s treasures are housed in the Dom and Diocesanmuseum immediately opposite.
STADTPARK
Vienna boasts a wealth of city parks, but all are different and definitely worth a visit. This is also the case with the Stadtpark, which features statues of many artists. The most important one is that of Johann Strauss besides those of Stolz, Schubert, and many others.
MUSEUMSQUARTIER
In the city centre, in close vicinity to the famous museums, the Museumsquartier was opened in June 2001. This occupies an area of 45,000 m². From an architectural point of view, it is a fascinating combination of a baroque building (the former stables of the imperial house) and a futuristic building style by the architects Ortner & Ortner. The Museumsquartier offers a unique mix, ranging from the plastic arts, drama and dance, musical events, established art, culture for children to avant-garde.
LEOPOLDMUSEUM
This is without a doubt the principal museum in the new MuseumsQuartier. This is where you will find the largest collection of the works of art of Egon Schiele, and important works by Oskar Kokoschka, Gustav Klimt and other representatives of Austrian modernism. Kindly take note that the museum is closed on Tuesdays.
WIENER SECESSION
This building is the centre of the Viennese Jugendstil or Wiener Sezession. This style dates back to the end of the 19th century and is really quite different. A whole group of artists applied this style of colourful lines and figures on various buildings in the town (See our walks).
Otto Wagner was one of these artists. He was commissioned to design the new urban rail network for the city. The lines ran both above ground and underground, and he designed the new stations in the Viennese Jugendstil. The Karlsplatz station is the most famous.
BELVEDERE PALACES AND PARK
This is one of the most beautiful parks in Vienna. Here you can feel totally at peace because of all the ponds, waterfalls and many romantic nooks and crannies. There are two palaces and the Oberes Belvedere draws our main attention. This beautiful building now houses a number of museums. In the past it has played a major role in Austrian history. You can visit the palace on a guided tour, and this will lead you to the large ballroom where the Austrian State Treaty was signed in 1955 which established the country’s neutrality. Also visit the Austrian Gallery which features works of art from the 19th and 20th century.
SCHÖNBRUNN
The end of the 17th century was an era of grand ideas. A castle was going to be built on the hill behind the present castle. It was going to be much larger than Versailles until the calculations were finalised. Schönbrunn was not built upon the hill and ended up being a lot smaller compared to the initial drawings. However, it was still designed in a very impressive and extremely luxurious style. A guided tour will lead you through the 40 state-rooms which give you some idea of the luxury with which the members of government wanted to outdo their guests. There are a further 1400 rooms.
Although the building worked out smaller than Versailles, here the original interiors have been preserved. The Second World War did not do too much damage. Schönbrunn also boasts a large park with greenhouses and animal park. In the high season, there are always long queues to visit the castle. Book a trip from the centre, as these groups have priority over individual visitors.
HUNDERTWASSERHAUS
This is Vienna’s fourth attraction but it is not open to the public. The architect who worked under the pseudonym of Hundertwasser was commissioned to design a social housing complex. His original design was adapted to make it workable and has resulted in a bright building. The interior and the layout of the apartments are quite ordinary, but the façade is striking. Another building by the same architect is that of KunstHaus Wien.
PRATER PARK AND THE RIESENRAD (GIANT WHEEL)
What the Tivoli is to Copenhagen, Prater is to Vienna. This is a fun park within the city and has been so for more than one hundred years. The Prater Park is very large indeed and its most famous attraction is the Riesenrad or giant wheel. The wheel stands 67 metres high and it affords you a splendid panorama over the city of Vienna.
However, the Prater Park is located in the centre and has been sacrificed bit by bit. It does not have the same impact as the Tivoli in Copenhagen. To see what it used to look like, visit the Pratermuseum, right next to the Planetarium. Prater now also stands for its risqué nightlife and a variety of shows.
KUNSTHAUS WIEN
This is the Mecca of contemporary art where you can admire the works and the controversial, world-wide renowned architecture by Hundertwasser. Besides international travelling exhibitions, there is also a permanent exhibition. The KunstHaus Wien was built on other principles than those of the standards that apply to the average home. It is an adventure of modern times, a trip through the country of creative architecture, a real treat for the feet (waving floors!) and eyes.
DONAUTURM
If the Riesenrad or Giant Wheel is not high enough for you, then you will certainly like the Donauturm which is located a little further on. The tower stands more than 250 metres high and is thus the highest building in Austria. You can take a lift up to the top and enjoy the view and a Viennese coffee.
MAYERLING AND HEILIGENKREUZ
The Wienerwald seems the ideal place to escape a little while from all the hustle and bustle of city life. These extensive woods are hardly 30 km from the city centre and feature two important tourist attractions; the Mayerling and Heiligenkreuz.
The former imperial hunting lodge is situated at Mayerling. It is here that Rudolf, the Crown Prince, and his mistress Maria were found dead on 30th January 1889. They both committed suicide. The castle was subsequently converted into a convent. However, after visiting the city this will probably be a disappointment. Visit Mayerling to find out about for this love story.
Heiligenkreuz boasts a well-known abbey. This is where the Cistercians settled in the 12th centure as a result of a royal donation. It is a simple abbey which you can visit by guided tour. Maria, the forbidden lover, lies buried here in the cemetery. Rudolf was buried in the Kaisergruft.
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