Vienna has an incredible architectural legacy. Besides the stunning Art Nouveau (post here) there were several very disparate styles that caught my eye which I’ve collected together in this post. You’ll find my favourite buildings marked on my map.
Karlskirche (Church of St. Charles), was built between 1716 and 1737 by Emperor Charles VI as a symbol of (fading) imperial power. The impressive pillars, inspired by Trajan’s column in Rome, are intended to recall the Pillars of Hercules, and the two columns that stood in front of the Temple in Jerusalem.
I didn’t have time to go into the famous Hofburg Palace (former centre of imperial Habsburg power, now the offices of the republic’s elite). It has several wings. This is the entrance to the St.Michael’s wing, named after the church opposite in Michaelerplatz.
There are two fountains on each side of the facade called Power at Sea by Rudolf Weyr and Power on Land by Edmund Hellmer.
I came across this nice building in the museums quarter at 1b Mariahilfer Strasse.
Right next to it (in the bottom left corner of the photo above) is the lovely Gänsemädchenbrunnen (goose girl fountain).
And there are lots more impressive edifices in the Innere Stadt (the city centre).
Just to the east of the Innere Stadt is the district of Weissgerber.
Most of the neighbourhood consists of bland Neoclassical architecture but there is the odd gem every now and then.
And most surpisingly, two housing developments by the avant garde architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2001). Originally a painter, his architectural work is notable for his love of colour and dislike of the straight line. In his buildings, walls, windows and even floors are irregular and wavy.
The first location is the Hundertwasserhaus apartment complex on Kegelgasse.
There’s a small shopping centre over the road Kegelgasse 37-39, known as the Hundertwasser Village, which is in the same Hansel & Gretel style.
A couple of blocks away at 16 Weißgerberlände is a museum called Kunst Haus Wein which is dedicated to his work. The museum is located on the ground floor of a complex of flats called the Kunsthaus Apartments which have also received the Hundertwasser treatment.
The building opens at 10:00am daily and the museum section closes daily at 7:00pm, but you have to be in the building by 6:30pm to get a ticket. The café stays open until 8:00pm
And no doubt there’s lots more! These were just some places I stumbled across in my wanderings.
A trip to the galleries next!