Sights in Vienna
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Tiergarten
Founded in 1752 as a menagerie by Franz Stephan, the Schönbrunn Tiergarten is the oldest zoo in the world. It houses some 750 animals of all shapes and sizes, including giant pandas that arrived in 2003. A batch of emus, armadillos and baby Siberian tigers joined them in 2006. Thankfully most of the original cramped cages have been updated and improved. The zoo’s layout is reminiscent of a bicycle wheel, with pathways as spokes and an octagonal pavilion at its centre. The pavilion dates from 1759 and was used as the imperial breakfast room. Feeding times are staggered throughout the day – maps on display tell you who’s dining when.
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Schloss Schönbrunn Gardens
The beautifully tended formal gardens of the palace, arranged in the French style, are a symphony of colour in summer and a combination of greys and browns in winter; all seasons are appealing in their own right. The grounds, which were opened to the public by Joseph II in 1779, hide a number of attractions in the tree-lined avenues (arranged according to a grid and star-shaped system between 1750 and 1755). From 1772 to 1780 Ferdinand Hetzendorf added some of the final touches to the park under the instructions of Joseph II: fake Roman ruins in 1778; the Neptunbrunnen (Neptune Fountain), a riotous ensemble from Greek mythology, in 1781; and the crowning glory, the …
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MuseumsQuartier
The MuseumsQuartier is a remarkable ensemble of museums, cafés, restaurants and bars inside former imperial stables designed by Fischer von Erlach. This breeding ground of Viennese cultural life is the perfect place to hang out and watch or meet people on warm evenings. With over 60,000 sq metres of exhibition space, the complex is one of the world’s most ambitious cultural spaces. Of the combined tickets on offer, the MQ Kombi Ticket (€25) includes entry into every museum (Zoom only has a reduction) and a 30% discount on performances in the TanzQuartier Wien; MQ Art Ticket (€21.50) gives admission into the Leopold Museum, MUMOK, Kunsthalle and reduced entry into Zoom,…
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Sigmund Freud Museum
Sigmund Freud is a bit like the telephone – once it happened, there was no going back. The apartment where he lived and worked from 1891 till his forced departure from Vienna with the arrival of the Nazis in 1938 is now a museum devoted to the father of psychoanalysis. It contains a number of his possessions, and Freud’s obsessions – travelling, smoking and collecting ancient art – are well represented; Egyptian and Buddhist statues are everywhere. Notes (in English) illuminate the offerings and audio guides (€2) are available at the ticket desk. The 2nd floor is used for temporary exhibitions.
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Leopold Museum
This museum is named after Rudolf Leopold, a Viennese ophthalmologist who, on buying his first Egon Schiele (1890–1918) for a song as a young student in 1950, started to amass a huge private collection of mainly 19th-century and modernist Austrian artworks. In 1994 he sold the lot – 5266 paintings – to the Austrian government for €160 million (sold individually, the paintings would have made him €574 million), and the Leopold Museum was born. The building has a white, limestone exterior, open space (the 21m-high glass-covered atrium is lovely) and natural light flooding most rooms. Considering Rudolf Leopold’s love of Schiele, it’s no surprise the museum contains the…
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MUMOK
The dark basalt edifice and sharp corners of the Museum moderner Kunst (Museum of Modern Art) are a complete contrast to the MuseumsQuartier’s historical sleeve. Inside, MUMOK is crawling with Vienna’s finest collection of 20th-century art, centred on fluxus, nouveau realism, pop art and photo-realism. The best of expressionism, cubism, minimal art and Viennese Actionism is represented in a collection of 9000 works that are rotated and exhibited by theme – but take note that sometimes all this Actionism is packed away to make room for temporary exhibitions. On any visit you might glimpse: wearily slumped attendant (not part of any exhibit), photos of horribly deformed…
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Mozarthaus Vienna
Mozarthaus Vienna, the residence where the great composer spent two and a half happy and productive years, is now the city’s premiere Mozart attraction. The museum was revamped a few years ago and is well worth a visit for an insight into the life and times of Mozart in Vienna (a total of 10 years). One floor deals with the society of the late 18th century, providing asides into prominent figures in the court and Mozart’s life, such as the Freemasons to whom he dedicated a number of pieces. Mozart’s vices – his womanising, gambling and ability to waste excessive amounts of money – lend a spicy edge (you can look through some peepholes). Another floor concentrates on…
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Otto Wagner Buildings
Something of a problem zone due to flooding, the Wien River needed regulating in the late 19th century. It would be more accurate to say that its last semblance of being a natural river was utterly and completely obliterated. At the same time, Otto Wagner had visions of turning the area between Karlsplatz and Schönbrunn into a magnificent boulevard. The vision blurred and the reality is a gushing, concrete-bottomed creek (a shocking eyesore designed by Wagner) and a couple of attractive Wagner houses on the Linke Wienzeile. Majolika-Haus at No 40 (1899) is the prettiest as it’s completely covered in glazed ceramic to create flowing floral motifs on the facade. The second…
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Haus der Musik
The Haus der Musik is one of Vienna’s more unusual museums. Although some of the activities and exhibits could be a little more user-friendly, it manages to explain sound in an amusing and interactive way (in English and German) for both children and adults.
The 1st floor hosts historical archives of the Vienna Philharmonic. Here you can listen to a shortened version of the world-famous New Year’s concert, and a bizarre interactive tool allows you to compose your own waltz with the roll of a die. The 2nd floor, called the Sonosphere, is where you can delve into the mechanics of sound. This features plenty of engaging instruments, interactive toys and touch screens. Here…
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Nationalbibliothek
Austria’s flagship library, the Nationalbibliothek contains an astounding collection of literature, maps, globes of the world and other cultural relics; its highlight, though, is the Prunksaal (Grand Hall), a majestic baroque hall built between 1723 and 1726. Commissioned by Karl VI (whose statue is under the central dome), it holds some 200,000 leather-bound scholarly tomes. Rare volumes (mostly 15th century) are stored within glass cabinets, with books opened to beautifully illustrated pages of text. The central fresco, by Daniel Gran, depicts the emperor’s apotheosis.
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Schatzkammer
The Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) contains secular and ecclesiastical treasures of priceless value and splendour – the sheer wealth of this collection of crown jewels is staggering. As you walk through the rooms you see magnificent treasures such as a golden rose, diamond studded Turkish sabres, a 2680-carat Colombian emerald and, the highlight of the treasury, the imperial crown. The wood-panelled Sacred Treasury has a collection of rare religious relics, some of which can be taken with a grain of salt: fragments of the True Cross, one of the nails from the Crucifixion, a thorn from Christ’s crown and a piece of tablecloth from the Last Supper. Audio guides in German,…
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Kirche am Steinhof
Situated in the grounds of the Psychiatric Hospital of the City of Vienna, Kirche am Steinhof, built from 1904 to 1907, is the remarkable achievement of Otto Wagner. Kolo Moser chipped in with the mosaic windows, and the roof is topped by a copper-covered dome that earned the nickname Limoniberg (Lemon Mountain) from its original golden colour. It’s a bold statement in an asylum that has other art-nouveau buildings, and it could only be pushed through by Wagner because the grounds were far from the public gaze.
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Postsparkasse
The celebrated Post Office Savings Bank building is the work of Otto Wagner, who oversaw its construction between 1904 and 1906, and again from 1910 to 1912. The Jugendstil design and choice of materials were innovative for the time, with the grey marble facade held together by 17,000 metal nails, and an interior filled with sci-fi aluminium heating ducts and naked stanchions. The small museum at the back of the main savings hall hosts temporary exhibitions focusing on design – anything from office buildings to nifty kitchenware.
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Palais Liechtenstein
Until 1938, the royal family of Liechtenstein resided in Vienna, but after the Anschluss they bid a hasty retreat to their small country squeezed between Austria and Switzerland. They didn’t manage to take everything with them, and it was only near the end of WWII that they transferred their collection of baroque masterpieces to Vaduz.
After many years collecting dust in depot vaults, this private collection of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein is now on display, with around 200 paintings and 50 sculptures dating from 1500 to 1700.
This was built as a palace, not a museum, so orientation is the key. On the ground floor near the western staircase (left as you enter), is…
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Neue Burg Museums
An ensemble of three museums occupies part of the Neue Burg. The Sammlung Alter Musik Instrumente (Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments) is the best of the bunch and contains instruments in all shapes, sizes and tones. The Ephesos Museum features artefacts from Ephesus and Samothrace donated (some say ‘lifted’) by the sultan in 1900 after a team of Austrian archaeologists excavated Ephesus in Turkey. Last but not least is the Hofjägd und Rüstkammer (Arms and Armour) museum, with a fine collection of ancient armour dating mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries.
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Palais Epstein
Designed by Theophil von Hansen, the same architect who created the plans for Austria’s national Parlament, Palais Epstein started life as home to the prominent Jewish Epstein family before being sold in 1873 to plug financial problems. It later became the infamous Soviet Union headquarters during the ‘four men in a jeep’ period after WWII – nicknamed the ‘Gateway to Siberia’ because around 1000 Austrians passed through its doorways on their deportation route to Siberia. Today it houses part of the Austrian national parliament and you can take tours – the only way to see inside – through its hallowed halls (the glass atrium rises an impressive four floors) and visit its…
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TheaterMuseum
The baroque Lobkowitz palace, which houses the Theatermuseum, is as much a delight to see as the museum itself. Built between 1691 and 1694, it was at the cutting edge of the baroque movement and took its name from the noble family who occupied the esteemed halls from 1753 onwards. The Eroicasaal, with frescos dating from 1724–29, is its decorative highlight; the banquet hall is where Beethoven conducted the first performance of his Third Symphony.
The palace has temporary and permanent exhibitions on the history of Austrian theatre, but a little German is needed to fully appreciate it. The permanent collection is devoted to Gustav Mahler and regularly changes themes. A…
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Akademie der Bildenden Künste
The Akademie der bildenden Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) is an often underrated art space. Its gallery concentrates on the classic Flemish, Dutch and German painters, and includes important figures such as Hieronymus Bosch, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Rubens, Titian, Francesco Guardi and Cranach the Elde, to mention a handful. The supreme highlight is Bosch’s impressive and gruesome Triptych of the Last Judgement altarpiece (1504–08), with the banishment of Adam and Eve on the left panel and the horror of Hell in the middle and right panels. The building itself has an attractive facade and was designed by Theophil Hansen (1813–91), of Parlament fame. It still operates as an…
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Secession
In 1897, 19 progressive artists broke away from the Künstlerhaus and the conservative artistic establishment it represented and formed the Vienna Secession (Sezession). Their aim was to present current trends in contemporary art and shake off historicism. Among their number were Klimt, Josef Hoffman, Kolo Moser and Joseph M Olbrich (a former student of Wagner). Olbrich was given the honour of designing the new exhibition centre of the Secessionists. It was erected just a year later and combined sparse functionality with stylistic motifs.
The building is certainly a move away from the Ringstrasse architectural throwbacks. Its most striking feature is a delicate golden dome…
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Augustinerkirche
The Augustinerkirche (Augustinian Church) dates from the 14th century and is one of the older parts of the Hofburg. The vaulted ceiling testifies to its unmistakably Gothic origins, and the sparse interior was converted to baroque in the 17th century before being restored to original Gothic in 1784. The stone high altar is neo-Gothic, dating from 1870. On the right as you enter is a pyramid-shaped tomb containing Maria Theresia’s daughter Archduchess Maria Christina, designed by Antonio Canova (of Theseus and the Minotaur fame). The Augustinerkirche, however, is most famous for being where the hearts of 54 Habsburg rulers are kept. The urns containing them can be viewed…
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Stift Klosterneuburg
This large Augustinian abbey dominates the small town of Klosterneuburg. Founded in 1114, the abbey's baroque face-lift didn't begin until 1730 and wasn't completed until 1842. The plans actually called for something far grander, but fortunately these were not realised, leaving large sections in their original medieval style. The abbey's museum is an eclectic mix of religious art from the Middle Ages to the present day. If you've ventured this far, however, you're better off including a guided tour on your itinerary, which takes in the cloister and the church (tours in English require advanced notice). The tour's highlight is the Verdun Altar in St Leopold's Chapel, an…
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Hofburg
Nothing symbolises the culture and heritage of Austria more than its Hofburg (Imperial Palace). The Habsburgs were based here for over six centuries, from the first emperor (Rudolf I in 1273) to the last (Karl I in 1918). The Hofburg owes its size and architectural diversity to plain old one-upmanship; new sections were added by the new rulers, including the early baroque Leopold Wing , the 18th-century Imperial Chancery Wing, the 16th-century Amalia Wing and the Gothic Burgkapelle (Royal Chapel). The oldest section is the 13th-century Schweizerhof (Swiss Courtyard), named after the Swiss guards who used to protect its precincts. The Renaissance Swiss gate dates from…
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Karlskirche
Karlskirche (Church of St Charles Borromeo) rises at the southeast corner of Resselpark and is the finest of Vienna’s baroque churches. This dramatic structure was built between 1716 and 1739, after a vow by Karl VI at the end of the 1713 plague. It was designed and commenced by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and completed by his son Joseph. The enormous twin columns at the front are modelled on Trajan’s Column in Rome and show scenes from the life of St Charles Borromeo (who helped plague victims in Italy), to whom the church is dedicated. The huge oval dome reaches 72m. The highlight is the lift to the dome for a close-up view of the intricate frescos by Johann…
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Hofmobiliendepot
Ostensibly, the Hofmobiliendepot is storage space for furniture not displayed in the Hofburg, Schönbrunn, Schloss Belvedere and other Habsburg residences, plus a smattering of late-20th-century furniture thrown in. Covering four floors, the collection is a highlight for those whose first love is furniture design; for the rest of us it’s very interesting and worthwhile. Biedermeier aficionados will gravitate to the 3rd floor, where over a dozen rooms are beautifully laid out in the early 19th-century style, and a few dozen chairs from the era can be tested by visitors. In all, it’s the most comprehensive collection of Biedermeier furniture in the world. The 4th floor…
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Schwarzenbergplatz
Forming a square that crosses the Ringstrasse and spills into the Landstrasse district, Schwarzenbergplatz is dominated in the north by a statue of Karl von Schwarzenberg, leader of the Austrian and Bohemian troops in the Battle of Leipzig (1813). The southern stretch of the square sports the stony fountain Hochstrahlbrunnen and behind this is the Russisches Heldendenkmal (Russian Heroes’ Monument). The fountain was commissioned in 1873 to commemorate Vienna’s first water mains; a dedication in Russian on the monument reads: ‘Eternal glory to the heroes of the Red Army who fell in battle for the freedom and independence of the people of Europe against German-Fascist…
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