Vienna

From Imakoopedia

Vienna (German: Wien) is the capital and largest city of Austria.

Table of contents

1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By plane 2.2 By train 2.3 By car 2.4 By bus 2.5 By boat 3 Get around 3.1 By train and bus 3.2 By foot 3.3 By bike 3.4 By car 4 See 4.1 Museums 4.2 Other Attractions 5 Do 5.1 Christmas Markets 6 Eat 6.1 Fast Food and Snacks 6.2 Budget 6.3 Mid-range 6.4 Splurge 7 Drink 8 Sleep 8.1 Budget 8.2 Mid-range 8.3 Splurge 9 Contact 10 Stay safe 11 Cope 12 Radio 13 Get Out 14 Links

Understand

Vienna has never forgotten it was the capital of a large and influential empire. Its residents act as if it still were - the small doses of courtliness, the extremely polite forms of address long-forgotten in other German-speaking countries, the formal mode of dress. Vienna is a city both modern and extremely old-fashioned all at once. Like Munich, its residents are formal, but Viennese formality is an entirely different animal. Waiters address you with honorifics, a man who bumps into you on the street is half-likely to implore your pardon with a small bow, you are treated as if you were a long-lost prince or princess returning home. If you can handle this kind of luxurious treatment, Vienna is for you.

The Viennese have a particular fascination with death, hence the popularity of the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) as a strolling location and of "Schrammelmusik" - highly sentimental music often performed in wine taverns with lyrics relating to death. Old-fashioned Sterbevereine (funeral insurance societies) provide members with the opportunity to save up for a huge sendoff over the course of their lives. This isn’t just to save their children the bother and expense - it's considered absolutely essential to have a funeral filled with pomp and circumstance, with as many pallbearers and participants as a wedding would have elsewhere. Vienna even has a museum devoted to coffins and mortuary science (the Bestattungsmuseum)! The country’s odd obsession even gives it a higher suicide rate than comparably-sized countries, which is unusual given its widespread, intense Catholicism.

You'd have to visit the city yourself to decide if these stereotypes still apply for today's Vienna. The traditional Vienna is just one of the many faces of this city. Vienna is also a dynamic young city famous for it's (electronic) music szene with indie-labels, somewhat occult record stores and a lot of cool clubs to go. And a bureaucratic nightmare with government that seems obsessed with complicated forms and documents if you live there.

Not to forget about the coffee! Vienna is famous for it's coffee-culture. Althought Starbucks and Italian-style espresso bars start taking over there are still enough Kaffeehäuser left, the traditionale place to drink your coffee, to read the newspaper, to meet friends or to fall in love. "Let's have a coffee," is a common phrase. If you want a date, to meet your best friend or somebody you haven't seen for years - more often than not you'd say "Let's have a coffee."

Get in

By plane

The City airport train (CAT) takes you directly from airport to city centre in 16 minutes. The return ticket costs 15 eur. Do not take the CAT unless you are in a great hurry. It's a rip-off. Though not advertised, the normal S-Bahn (regional train) is also direct, just 10 minutes slower and much, much cheaper.

Vienna airport is poorly served by budget airlines. At the moment the only budget airline connection is to London Stansted by Air Berlin. Sometimes it works out cheaper to fly to a nearby city and connect by train or bus. Ryanair flies to Linz (1.5 hours by train) and Sky Europe flies to Bratislava (1 hour by bus)

By train

Vienna is a railroad hub, easily accessible from other major European cities. Overnight trains from places like Berlin and Venice. The train from Prague takes less than 5 hours.

Deutsche Bahn offers budget night train tickets from major German cities called SparNight. They normally need to be booked at least 1 week in advance. The cheapest return fare is 60 EUR.

By car

Most Austrian highways ("Autobahn") terminate/originate in Vienna.

Please bear in mind that, unlike in Germany, there is a speed limit on highways (130 km/h) which is very strictly enforced.

Also bear in mind that parking is restricted to 2 hours everywhere in the inner districts unless you are a resident. If you wish to leave your car in Vienna for the period of your stay you must therefore either book a hotel that offers parking or leave it at a commercial car park (Parkhaus, Parkgarage). They can be very expensive. A cheaper option is park and ride. They are normally located on U Bahn stations in the city periphery.

Avoid the Suedosttangente at rush hour. Traffic jams are almost guaranteed here.

By bus

Eurolines (http://www.eurolines.at) is a relatively cheap way to reach Vienna from big european cities. Buses usually stop at subway station Erdberg.

By boat

Riverboats on the Danube include one from Budapest.

Get around

By train and bus

Vienna has an excellent public transit system, which includes commuter rail, underground, trams (trolleys), and buses. Within Vienna itself, you can get a single trip ticket for any of these for EUR 1.50, or a 24-hour ticket for EUR 5. Tickets can be bought at machines in or near stations and major stops. They can also be bought from a bus driver, or on a commuter train, for an additional charge.

Stamp your ticket at the start of its first use (there are stamping machines on the buses and trams or near the entrances to the stations). Payment is by the honor system; normally, you don't have to show the ticket, or stamp it again, when you board, but occasionally inspectors check for valid tickets. If you don't have one, it's an instant EUR 50 fine (plus the fare you were supposed to have paid).

If you're staying for a few days, and hope to do some sight-seeing or shopping, the Vienna Card (Wien Karte) is a good deal. It costs EUR 16.90 and is good both for 72 hours of unlimited public transit within Vienna, but also for discounts to many shops and attractions. You can buy it at the airport, or at many hotels and underground stops. Other options for longer stays, or for multiple people, include 8 person-day passes (i.e. good for 1 person for 8 days, or 2 people for 4 days, or 4 people for 2 days), and weekly and monthly passes.

Rail trips to the outskirts of Vienna may require additional fare. For example, a trip to or from the airport on the S7 line is a two-zone ride, requiring either a EUR 3 advance purchase, or a single zone (1.50) ticket supplement to one of the timed-use Vienna tickets.

Taking into consideration that Vienna is one of those cities that never sleep, a dense network of night buses is available for those who have a rather nocturnal approach on tourism. Since 2002, regular tickets may be used on these buses. Most terminate at "Kärntner Ring, Oper", which allows for easy interchange. Intervals are usually no less than 30 minutes, with some busier lines going every ten minutes.

By foot

It is also very pleasant just to walk. The inner Ring is quite compact, with lots of pleasant cobblestoned and paved streets, and can be crossed in about 20 minutes.

By bike

Bicycling is another popular option, as there are many bike paths and lanes along major streets, in parks, and by the rivers. Vienna's compact size makes cycling attractive. On a bike you can reach most places of interest within half an hour. If your destination is located in the outer suburbs you may consider taking your bike on the U-Bahn or S-Bahn. A company called PedalPower offers guided bike tours, or bike rental deliveries to your hotel (or you can pick them up at the Prater for a discount). The city also offers free or low-cost short-term "CityBike" rentals at various fixed locations near the central city. (Use requires a deposit, though, and a fee past the first hour. There's a touch-screen system for getting a bike; the instructions are only in German, however.)

By car

Don't try to drive a car within the central Ring if you can help it. While cars are allowed on many of the streets there, the streets are narrow, mostly one-way, and can be confusing for a visitor, and parking is extremely limited (and restricted during the day). Because of the comprehensiveness of the transit system, you're unlikely to need a car within Vienna, except for excursions elsewhere.

Furthermore, it might be a good idea to leave your car at home during rush hours. Vienna's streets can become a little clogged in the morning and in the early evening and the drivers are not really known as the most polite and friendly.

See

Museums

• Belvedere - Austrian Gallery. Military leader Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736), known as one of the best military strategists of his time, commissioned this palace from architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. It was meant to function as a summer residence, and was located outside the city walls. Art historians know the Belvedere as on of the finest Baroque structures in the world. Its two palace segments, the Upper and Lower Belvedere, later became the permanent home of the Austrian Gallery. The Oberes Belvedere (Upper) contains recent Austrian and international art from the past two centuries. Viennese art from the early twentieth century is well-represented in the permanent collection “Vienna around 1900 and the Art of the Classical Modern.‿ Gustav Klimt, master of a particularly Viennese form of Art Nouveau called Jugendstil, or sometimes Viennese Secession, has several world-renowned paintings in the Belvedere. Judith and The Kiss are his best-known. Covered in gilt, broken up into hundreds of small color panels (almost Impressionistic, in a way), the tall, thin figures in Klimt’s paintings are uniquely his own. Egon Schiele, another Viennese artist working at the same time as Klimt, would utilize such singularly thin and ultimately recognizable figures in his own work. The days of strict realism were over, and fantasy was afoot. Schiele is well-represented in the Belvedere as well. http://www.belvedere.at/en/index.htm

• The New Palace (Neue Burg). The New Palace is the newest and largest section of the Imperial Palace. It contains the Ethnological Museum and three branches of the Museum of Fine Arts. The Ephesus Museum contains classical art from Asia Minor, the Collection of Historical Musical Instruments is self-explanatory, but the jewel of the New Palace is the Collection of Arms. This collection, second largest in the world, houses an immense and exhaustive representation of weaponry from past centuries.

• Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury). Located in the Neue Burg, the Schatzkammer (also known as the Secular and Ecclesiastical Treasures) is the best part of the Hofburg, and an absolute must on any tour of Vienna. Second only to a tour of the Kunsthistorisches Museum itself, of which the Schatzkammer is officially a part, there are 20 rooms of priceless treasures that give a fairly accurate feel for Habsburg court life over the centuries.

• Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts), Picture Gallery daily except Monday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Thu 10 a.m.- 9 p.m., U2: Babenbergerstrasse, U3: Volkstheater, tram D, J, 1, 2, bus 57A: Burgring Maria-Theresien-Platz (entrance), phone 525 24 0. One of the world's great art museums, in a palace that's a work of art itself. Like the Louvre, serious art fans may wish to devote more than a day to its treasures. The mother of all Austrian museums. There is no other word to describe the Kunsthistorisches other than mind boggling. It’s at the very least a full day’s worth of sightseeing if you intend to go through it thoroughly and attempt ponder the importance of each “major‿ work. With such a whirlwind of masterworks, though, it’s possible for even the most dedicated art lover to experience extreme overkill. The better approach here is to break up sections of the museum and visit them over a series of days, or if that’s not an option, pick one section and concentrate on it alone. The Picture Gallery is a likely choice as a “best-of‿. Something to keep in mind is that the Picture Gallery is kept open until 9:00 p.m. on Thursdays. Beginning with another section of the museum, it’s possible to have a lunch or light dinner in the café and then continue through the Picture Gallery until close. The Museum has an excellent collection of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art. The coin & medals collection is also exhaustive in its scope. The Museum cafe is a bit pricy but good and in a beautiful setting.

• KunstHausWien, Untere Weißgerberstrasse 13, open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Every Monday the regular admission fee in all exhibitions is reduced 50%), Tel: 43-1-712 04 91. Even an avowed hater of modern art can appreciate the KunstHausWien, Hundertwasser’s (born Friedrich Stowasser in 1928) major contribution to the Viennese art world. In a time when artists often try to shock the public (think Damien Hurst’s sawed-in half cow “sculptures‿) or merely impress other members of the rarefied gallery subculture, Hundertwasser’s manifesto rings out as an utterly reasonable plea: The architecture of KunstHausWien would be a bastion against the dictatorship of the straight line, the ruler and T-square, a bridgehead against the grid system and the chaos of the absurd. Starting with the façade of the building, adapted from its prior life as a furniture factory, there is a Gaudi-in-Barcelona feel to the place. Windows peek out like eyes from curvy, rounded plaster and colorful paint. It’s a Disneyland for grownups! http://www.kunsthauswien.com/english/mainindex.htm

• MuseumsQuartier. The MuseumsQuartier (MQ) is the new cultural district of vienna since the year 2001. A lot of museums and cultural institutions are situated there, but it's not only a place for art, it's a urban living space and people go there to spend some nice time, sitting in one of the cafés or perhaps playing boccia. The Leopold Museum (http://www.leopoldmuseum.at/index_e.html) and the MUMOK (http://www.mumok.at) are situated there and you can use the free and anonymous Wireless LAN provided by Quintessenz (http://www.quintessenz.at/). http://www.mqw.at

• Pathologisch-anatomisches Bundesmuseum Wien, W 3PM-6PM, Th 8AM-11AM. Housed in a squat tower which once housed an insane asylum (the “Narrenturm‿ or “Idiots’ Tower‿), this museum houses some dustier corners of the annals of medicine. You'll find preserved hydrocephalic infants, wax castings of tertiary syphilis, antique medical devices and even a laryngeal tuberculous ulcer. The gift shop sells postcards depicting the best of these. Note: on top of restricted hours, the Narrenturm can be hard to find. Use the web site’s handy map. http://www.pathomus.or.at/

Other Attractions

• Augustinian Friars’ Church (Augustinerkirche), Josefsplatz 1. Facing the sculpture in the center of the square, the entrance is small and easy to miss – it’s on the left hand wall of the square. Yet another example of the gruesome divide-and-conquer burial strategy of the Habsburg dynasty. It’s said that other dynasties waged countless wars to acquire new lands, but “you, happy Austria, marry.‿ Even in death the Habsburgs placated three different churches with the honor of caring for their remains. The best known, the Kapuzinergruft, contain their actual bodies. St Stephens holds their innards (intestines and other parts taken out during the preservation process). But the Augustinerkirche holds, in the Herzgruft (Heart Crypt), all the Habsburgs’ hearts. Tours of the Herzgruft are available Monday through Friday at 11 and 3:00. It was renovated 1996-99 and just reopened. The tradition began in 1627 with Emperor Ferdinand IV, who wanted to “lay his heart at the feet of the Mother of God.‿ Literally. His hearts, and those of his descendants, are preserved in silver jars which are carefully cared for by the Augustinian friars who run the church. When the renovation was underway it was found that the preservative in some of the caskets had evaporated over the years, leaving nothing but a dried-out, mummified heart.

• Austrian National Library - Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Josefsplatz 1, 01/53410-348. Card catalogs may be an anachronism in today’s digitized world, but the Austrian National Library had the first one in existence, invented by the Habsburg court librarian. Unlike the printed library catalogs of the past, bound into book form, the card catalog could be rapidly updated and the library kept up-to-date. This well-ordered reader’s paradise has a collection that outshines many museums, thanks to its long association with the Habsburg imperial family. It gained an impressive collection when Emperor Josef II dissolved all the empire's monasteries – 300 manuscripts, 3000 printed books and 5000 diplomata. Today, the main collections consist of the Department of Broadsheets, Posters and Exlibris (including a giant collection of Austrian and international film posters), the Department of Manuscripts, Autographs and Closed Collections, the International Esperanto Museum and Department of Artificial Languages, the Department of Maps and Globe Museum, the Austrian Literary Archives, the Department of Papyri and Papyrus Museum, the Department of Incunabula, Old and Rare Books and the Austrian Folk Song Institute, among other sections and rotating exhibits. The library’s collection is approximately six million items strong and is the largest in Austria. It is a pioneer in digitalizing and placing its collection online. The oldest book in the collection is a fifteenth century Holy Gospels manuscript with scenes representing the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) containing the coats of arms of the House of Austria, Styria, Tirol and Carinthia, then ruled by Albrecht III, the book’s owner. Emperor Frederick III (1415-1493) made an effort to gather all the various Habsburg manuscript collections into one place. After the 1848 revolutions, during which the library was placed immediately in the line of fire (some faithful librarians remained behind and managed to save the books as the imperial palace caught fire), Emperor Franz Josef I agreed to open the library to the public and even keep the library open into the evening hours. Ernst Ritter von Birk, head of the Court Library and one of the library’s saviors during the uprising, may have been forced to accept these liberal business hours to appease the Emperor, but he still had the right to restrict the public’s access to the holdings. Renamed the National Library in 1920 (much to the objection of some library committee members, who argued that an Austrian “nation,‿ as such, did not exist), the Library has since served the public in a much less strict fashion than in the good old days under von Birk. http://www.onb.ac.at

• Hofburg Palace. This immense palace complex grew into a large, unwieldy series of buildings over the years, and was the imperial residence of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. What began as a medieval castle (whose chapel is the only original element of that building to survive) was expanded, redecorated and redone as the Habsburgs’ power increased correspondingly. The Palace Stables and Amalia’s Wing were added in the sixteenth century, the Imperial Chancery Wing, Court Library and Spanish Riding School in the eighteenth. In the last century St Michael’s Wing was tacked on, and then around 1900 the New Palace was completed. Such a conglomeration of buildings cannot help but have stylistic differences, but the exterior is of no concern. The contents of each separate building contain so many treasures that the time spent moving from one to another is like opening box after box of fabulous jewels – it’s difficult to know when to stop, and tempting to rush through them all at once. The Imperial Palace itself now houses the offices of the Austrian President, a convention center, the home of the Vienna Boys’ Choir and infamous Lipizzaner stallions, and of course several museums which are open to the public. Walking towards the Hofburg in spring, the allee is resplendent with pale purple lilacs which draw one’s eye towards the immense equestrian statues centered there. Exiting the D tram at the Burgring stop, with the Kunsthistorisches Museum and Maria Theresa statue to the left, enter Heldenplatz (Heroe’s Square) under the large white gate. Alternatively, go one stop further on the tram and get off at Parliament. The giant white Grecian style parliament building faces the Volksgarten, a pleasant park one can walk through that also leads to the palace.

• Chapel of the Imperial Palace (Burgkapelle). The original chapel of the Palace, built in Gothic style 1447-1449, was made over in Baroque style. On Sundays and Catholic holidays (of which the Austrians celebrate many), the Court Musicians perform here. This group is made up of members from the Vienna Boys’ Choir, as well as performers from the orchestra and choir of the Vienna State Opera.

• Hotel Sacher. This hotel is best known as the place where Sachertorte (cake) was invented. The dry, slightly bitter chocolate cake with apricot jam between multiple thin layers is best consumed with a rich, milky cup of Viennese coffee – perhaps a Melange, the most popular variant. The elegant drawing room is a popular place to gather after a performance at the Opera, and the waiters treat each guest royally.

• Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Pavilion. This city tram stop, designed by Otto Wagner, is located near the Secession Building and Naschmarkt. It is a good example of functional turn of the century architecture – ornate, yet useful. Wagner was one of the most influential architects in Vienna and his style was widely copied.

• Naschmarkt flea market, Linken Weinzeile (U4 stop Kettenbrückengasse). Need used lederhosen? How about a doner kebab, or an Austrian war bond from the first World War? This is the place to go. The Naschmarkt is primarily a flea market, though some stalls sell new items such as handwoven wicker baskets or food (any of the Turkish stalls are wonderful!) Pick through the detritus of an imperial society - you never know what you’ll find hidden under that stack of terrible fuzzy sweaters. Couture gowns, Communist medals from all the former Eastern Bloc countries, tobacco pipes, broken pocketwatches: the Naschmarkt is worth at least a full afternoon of your time. Flea markets are the best possible blend of high and low culture, and a way to truly get to know a city. In the same way Americans go to real estate open houses to check out the interiors of their neighbors’ houses, you can sift through the past hundred years of peoples’ lives at the market. It’s like cleaning your grandmother’s attic! (if she happened to be a 65-year-old Viennese Frau). Walk all the way from the flea market end of the Naschmarkt (the flea market is only open Saturdays) through the food stall end to arrive at the Secession building, located on the left close to the Karlsplatz metro stop.

• Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper). Probably the most-beloved symbol of Viennese arts, and one of the first buildings to be rebuilt in the postwar era, as a show of pride, the Opera has had a fascinating history. It was built 1861-1869 under the direction of architects were Eduard van der Nüll and August von Siccardsburg for then-emperor Franz Josef I. The first performance, 25 May 1869, was Austrian native Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni. Though now as well-loved as any member of the family, the architecture of the Opera was barely tolerated by the picky Viennese when it opened. Van der Nüll did not take these criticisms of his work lightly – he committed suicide. A few weeks later, von Siccardsburg died of a heart attack. Doubly cursed, the Opera building succumbed to bombs less than 100 years later, during WWII. After ten years of Allied control after the end of the war, many cultural institutions reopened to celebrate the birth of the new Austrian state. This time the Opera opened with an adopted son of Vienna’s work: Beethoven’s Fidelio. The lush curtains, the elegance of even the nosebleed seats (so steeply pitched and close to the ceiling a nosebleed becomes a distinct possibility) contribute to the overall atmosphere of the Opera. Post-performance, have some torte at the nearby Sacher Hotel (see entry). http://www.wiener-staatsoper.at

• Paternoster elevator at the University of Vienna. If you happen to go to the university mensa (cafeteria) on the top floor, make a point to find this particular elevator! It’s almost as hair-raising as an amusement park ride, and a true rarity (most other paternoster elevators have long since been replaced). Paternoster (Latin for “Our Father,‿ or what’s likely to issue from passengers’ mouths -- although in reality named because one can go around and around like on a rosary) elevators consist of several elevator cars which have two open doors on each floor. The cars travel up on left side and down on the right. Even though it’s forbidden, the daring have been known to ride it up and over the top. There’re no buttons to push – just jump in and out at the appropriate floor. Note that you won't find this in the main university building on Ringstrasse. You are instead looking for the Neues Institutsgebaeude behind the main university, Universitaetsstrasse 7. There is a second Paternoster elevator in Vienna in the building of the Industriellenvereinigung, the powerful lobby of austrian economical and industrial forces, at Schwarzenbergplatz. But this one isn't publically accessible.

• Prater (Park) including the Giant Ferris Wheel, phone 729 54 30, U1, tram O, 5, 21: Praterstern, S1-S3, S7, S15: Wien Nord , May - September: 9 a.m. - midnight. An English engineering firm (Walter Basset) built the Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) 1896-97. Others of the same era, built for world exhibitions and other parks in Chicago, London, Paris etc. have long since been torn down. The Riesenrad has become a well-known symbol of Vienna, featured in many movies (Before Sunrise, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy’s tacky teen Eurolove-drama, is the most recent) and picture postcards. It has 15 gondolas, some of which are incredibly ornate and large enough to host an extended family inside, offering a spectacular panorama of the city. The Prater Park began its life, as so many European parks did, as a carriage-riding area for the nobility. It is still a popular place to spend a weekend afternoon with the family.

• Schloss Schönbrunn, U4 stop Schönbrunn. The former summer palace of the Habsburg family, Schönbrunn is the ultimate palace experience in Vienna. Its gardens and zoo (the oldest in the world, built for Maria Theresa’s husband in 1752) alone are worth a lengthy visit, not to mention the palace, which has seen its fair share of excitement over the years, including a meeting between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khruschchev at the height of the Cold War. There are two possible tours available without a guide (though guides are available), one including 22 rooms and one including 40. The price of admission includes an audio guide.

• Secession Building, Friedrichstraße 12 (U-Bahn U1, U2, U4 (Karlsplatz)), Tel. 587 53 07-0, Tu-Fr 10-18, Sat, Sun 10-16. Architect Josef Maria Olbrich built this Jugendstil (German-style Art Nouveau) building 1897-98 as a display space for artists working in the new Secession artistic movement. It is topped by a giant, frothy golden ball, lovingly called “Krauthappel‿ by the Viennese, but the building was definitely not loved when it first opened. Notice a reactionary Viennese pattern here? The Opera building too was hated at first, but at least it wasn’t called a “temple for bullfrogs‿ or “a bastard begot of temple and warehouse,‿ as the Secession building was. The entryway features the motto of the Secessionist movement: Der Zeit ihre Kunst, der Kunst ihre Freiheit (To the time, its art, to the art, its freedom). Olbrich’s mentor Otto Wagner, and also Gustav Klimt, whose astounding Beethoven Frieze is partially preserved in the basement, inspired the building’s design. The ceremonial front entrance is separate from the functional glass and steel exhibit hall in back. http://buchverlag.dumont.de/dumont/reise/wien/wien0112.htm

• Spanish Riding School. First mentioned in a document dated 1572, the Spanish Riding School is the only equestrian institute in the world which follows a Renaissance model of classical schooling. Eleves, or students, begin their training immediately after completion of Austrian primary education (age 15 or 16), and are expected to be both sporty and clever. The school takes its name from a Spanish breed of horse first mentioned in Roman writings. In 1562 Emperor Maximilian II brought some of these Spanish horses to Austria to found a royal stud farm in Kladrub (Bohemia), housing them for a time in the “Stallburg‿ (oldest section of the Imperial Palace). The present school location was built in 1572. In 1580, Maximilian’s brother, Archduke Karl, founded the stud farm in Lipizza near Trieste (now Slovenia). Interest in elegant riding had been growing for about fifty years at that point. During Renaissance times, powerful gentlemen who had already conquered the worlds of finance and politics looked to the writings of antiquity for new learning and an educated lifestyle to which they could aspire. Horsemanship which followed the ancient models described by Socrates and others became the fashion. Xenophon (430 – 354 BC) wrote “Men who understand the art of horsemanship, in truth, look magnificent.‿ Who wouldn’t want that? In the new Winter Riding School (built 1729-35), tournaments, masked balls and other entertainment was held, but this would soon draw to a close – the royal stud farms at Lipizza were threatened by Napoleon several times and twice the precious stud horses were evacuated to Hungary. http://www.spanische-reitschule.com

• St Stephen's Cathedral, Stephansplatz (U1, U3: Stephansplatz), phone 515 52-3526, High Mass: Sun and public holidays 10:15 a.m., in July and August 9:30 a.m., Guided tours of the Cathedral in English: Mon-Sat 3:45 p.m. Catacombs (only with guided tours): Mon-Sat 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 16:30 p.m., Sun, public holidays 1:30 p.m. - 16:30 p.m. North Tower (great bell): Nov-March 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., April-June, Sept, Oct 9 a.m.-6 p.m., July and August 9 a.m. - 18:30 p.m. South Tower: daily 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Yet another patchwork of architectural styles, but predominantly Gothic, St Stephen’s begins its history in the twelfth century. None of that original construction remains – the oldest extant sections are the thirteenth century Giant Gate (Riesentor) and Towers of the Heathens (Heidentürme), both of which are Romanesque. The main two-aisled Gothic nave was established by Habsburg Duke Rudolf IV in 1359, and then quickly added onto. The 448-ft South Tower (Südturm), often known by its Viennese diminutive Steffl (also a nickname for the entire cathedral), was finished in 1433. This is where the Pummerin, a huge bell cast from melted-down Turkish cannons, hangs. Steffl’s intended twin, the North Tower (Nordturm) was never finished. Gothic architecture was out of fashion, and in 1511 building in that particular style ceased. Almost a century later, in 1579, a Renaissance spire was added to the Nordturm to make it look less like the builders had stormed off the job. Here’s a complete shock for the reader who has been faithfully reading through all the Central European sections of this book – during the eighteenth century the church décor was “Baroquified.‿ The main altar has a Baroque panel showing St Stephen, Christianity’s first martyr. The organized tour is worth it, since some of the finest works of art in the cathedral can only be seen with a guide, such as Emperor Frederick III’s red marble sepulchre (painstakingly carved 1467-1513 by Niclas Gerhaert van Leyden), the pulpit by Anton Pilgram (1514-1515, signed with a carved portrait of the artist) and the immense Gothic carved Altar of Wiener Neustadt. The aborted North Tower has an observation deck with an amazing view of downtown Vienna that makes those afraid of heights tremble just looking at the elevator. Nearby is the entrance to the catacombs, where legions of bishops and Habsburg pieces parts are buried (the intestines, specifically. The Kapuzinergruft across town contains other Habsburg bits in separate burial vaults, including Maria Theresa’s immense pewter sarcophagus). Those expecting a fabulous display of stained glass will be disappointed here. The fanciest glass is situated behind the altar and at the very tops of the windows lining the naves. Nearly 45% of the Cathedral was destroyed in a disastrous fire 11-12 April 1945 during the final days of World War II. Fortunately several irreplaceable treasures such as the cathedral pulpit were walled in at the beginning of the war, so they survived. The glass, however, did not. St Stephen’s gets darker as one walks toward the altar, almost as if one were walking into a cave. But the details make the difference here, and new vistas are always appearing to the viewer as they move in, out and around the cathedral. It is so large it cannot be taken in entirely from any angle, and even numerically it is planned down to the smallest detail. Numbers which represent God, the Trinity, the “earthly number‿ four (since things on earth like the season, elements and directions of the compass come in fours) and other significant figures can be manipulated to determine the dimensions of the cathedral. For more details on how these numbers work out, see page 16 of the English-language Cathedral guide.

• The Ring. The Ringstrasse, or Ring Street, circles the very heart of Vienna. Built on the location of the original city walls, its size is a good indication of how much the city has expanded since medieval times, but more importantly it is the most posh area of downtown. Elegant individuals stroll down the street (there really is no other way to move when walking along the Ring) and play the fashion-do/fashion don’t game under their breath before pausing at one of the innumerable cafes lining the way. A traditional Jause (morning coffee break, around 10:00 a.m.) and then back to the business at hand, seeing and being seen: Vienna’s favorite pastime.

• Vienna Boy’s Choir – Wiener Sängerknaben.The Choir was founded at the pleasure of the Habsburgs. 20 July 1498 Emperor Maximilian I decided to hire six singing boys, the first permanent boy’s choir attached to the court. He also made arrangements for their education – fringe benefits that are difficult to get from a modern employer, let alone a Renaissance one! The choir served the monarchy until its demise at the beginning of the first World War. The last Imperial Chaplain, Monsignor Josef Schnitt reestablished the Boy’s Choir as the “Vienna Boy’s Choir‿ in 1924 as a private institution. To earn money, the Choir began to perform outside the Imperial Chapel. Even though they are a not-for-profit organization, the rising costs of educating the choristers from a very young age as well as providing music and all the other variables required made establishing the Verein Wiener Sängerknaben necessary

• Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery), Simmeringer Hauptstrasse 234, phone 760 41. Graves of honor of Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Strauss, Schönberg and others. Nov-Feb 8 a.m.-5 p.m., March, April, Sept, Oct 7 a.m.-6 p.m., May-Aug 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tram 71, 72: Zentralfriedhof. Mozart, Beethoven and other luminaries of the musical world (Schubert, Brahms, Strauss) are buried, or at least memorialized here. No one actually knows where Mozart’s body ended up – he was such a spendthrift, and his wife no wizard of household finance, that he was buried in a mass pauper’s grave – but his memorial is located with the others. The cemetery has served as a giant park for weekend ramblings since its creation. There are immense monuments shaped like 10-ft-tall iron canopy beds (within eyeshot of the musicians’ memorial) and other unique shapes. Though it takes some time to get out to the Zentralfriedhof, it is worth the trip.

Do

Wuk.at (http://wuk.at) is a former squat and offers dance nights, mass accommodation and more.

Wiener Metropol (http://www.wiener-metropol.at) is a beautiful little theatre in the heart of "Hernals", mostly frequented by Viennese themselves.

In summer, quell your anxieties and jump from the [http://www.wien.gv.at/ma29/donaubr/reichsbr/images/reich7.jpg| Reichsbruecke].

Visit the Naschmarkt, which is right at the U4 subway station "Kettenbrueckengasse". Its one of Vienna's 22 market places. Its the biggest and you will get unique blend of typical Vienna contumely and orientalic flair. Strall throught the market and be part of the amazing ambiente.

Christmas Markets

For most Viennese Christmas Markets are not so much for shopping as for drinking. From mid day until the late hours of the night people gather at christmas markets to drink mulled wine and chat to strangers.

• Rathaus - Vienna's largest and noisiest Christmas market. More a fairground than a Christmas market

• Spittelberg - Probably the most funky Christmas market in Vienna. It is set in two attractive medieval alleys. Some of the stalls are extensions of shops and the bars of this popular going-out area.

• Schoenbrunn - No the most lively Christmas market, but set in one of Vienna's must picturesque spots, in front of Schoenbrunn castle. Specialises on food.

• Resselpark - A small, alternative Christmas market in front of Carlskirche.

• Freyung - Very small market in the 1st district frequented by professionals in their lunchbreak and shoppers. Few tourists.

Eat

White wine, white beer, marzipan, Wiener schnitzel, Sacher torte (multilayered chocolate cake with apricot jam), Frittatensuppe (a clear chicken or beef broth with chives and thin crepes shredded into noodles), various foods from the area once controlled by the Austrian Empire such as Hungarian goulash and palatscinta (german: Palatschinken) - crepes filled with fruit or jam and sometimes covered with whipped cream.

Fast Food and Snacks

The traditonal Viennese fast food is sausage. You can buy hot sausages an hot dogs at snack bars called "Würstelstand" all over the town. A relative new addition to the local snack culture is döner kebap, sandwiches with rosted meat, salad and yoghurt sauce of turkish origin. Places that sell kebap often sell take away pizza too. Some conservatives are afraid that kebap gains more popularity than saucages, and maybe they are right. Good kebaps can be bought at the Naschmarkt. The lower end of the Naschmarkt (furtherst away from Karlsplatz or city centre) is cheaper than the upper end.

By far the cheapest way to get a fast food meal in Austria (and probably the only meal available for under 1 euro) is buying an austrian sandwich (bread roll + ham/cheese + gherkin) from a supermarket. Most supermarkets will prepare sandwiches to take away at the deli counter (Feinkostabteilung) for no extra charge. You only pay for the bread and the ham. There is usually a large selection of meat products, cheese and bread rolls available. You point at the combination you want and then pay at the check out till. Freshness and quality are normally better than at a sandwich stand on the street.

As everywhere you can find McDonalds in Vienna, the one in Mariahilferstraße (there are three of them in this street) closest to the Wesbahnhof stinks and only tourists who don't know that the next one is only a few hundred meters away happen to eat there. The McDonalds close to the subway station Alserstraße is is open nearly all night long.

You can buy excellent ice cream at a number of places, maybe the most popular is the Eissalon am Schwedenplatz (http://www.gelato.at/molin-pradel/) where you can choose from a lot of different flavours, but it's always crowed and you have to stand in a row for long minutes to get your ice cream.

Budget

• Centimeter IV, Zieglergasse 42, 526411, M-F 10-2AM, Sa 11-5AM, So 11AM-12PM. Cheap, boring and big portions of meat, fries and other unhealthy food. The right place if you are really hungry and want to eat something that an Austrian would regard as traditional - not exactly the same stuff that's sold as traditional austrian food to tourists. http://www.centimeter.at/

Mid-range

• Figlmüller, Wollzeile 5, 512 61 77, daily 11AM-10:30PM. Famous for Wienerschnitzel. http://www.figlmueller.at/

Splurge

Drink

New wine from the Grinzing area of the Vienna suburbs, usually enjoyed at a Heurigen (wine bar licensed to sell the new vintage). Austria in general, but especially the area around Vienna, produces quite a large amount of wine each year. It’s not often exported, and white is more common than red. Grüner Veltliner is a common white wine served almost everywhere. Officially the new wine season begins 11 November, St Martin’s Day, but as early as September some partially-fermented new wine (called “Sturm,‿ which is cloudy because it has not been strained) is available around town in 2-liter green bottles (try the Naschmarkt – sometimes the vendors will have samples). Taverns can call themselves Heurigers whether the wine they serve is their own or not – for genuine in-house product, look for a Buschenschank. This is a particularly Viennese Heuriger which can only be open 300 days per year or until their supply of house-made wine runs out. If any of the year’s vintage lasts until next year, it officially becomes Alte (old) wine on the next St Martin’s Day.fruit and covered with whipped cream).

After a long day, the perfect place to relax among Viennese are the Heurigen in the suburbs. Somewhat akin to a beer garden, except with wine, these tiny treasures are the only places authorized to serve new wine. New wine is made from the first pressing of the grape, and can appear a little cloudy. Be careful! It’s stronger than you might think! This is why it’s served in very small glasses, .25 liters and up. Some Heurigen serve food, either elaborate Viennese specialties or very simple bread and cheese platters. No matter which one you choose, you’re guaranteed to enjoy yourself. Just hop on a convenient outbound tramline, take it to the very last stop and look for buildings with large, evergreen foliage hung over the doors. Each one is unique, but all are a good bargain. Locals invariably have a favorite: ask around.

• Chelsea, Lerchenfelderguertel, U-Bahnboegen 29-31 (between the U6 underground stations Thaliastrasse and Josefstaedterstrasse), 407 93 09, chelsea@sil.at. Daily 6PM-4AM, Su 4PM-3AM. If concerts 9PM, starting at 10PM. A wide range of international beers, often full house and dense. Prices okay, half litre beer 3.1 Euro. http://www.chelsea.co.at

• Siebenstern (7 Stars) Siebensterngasse, no. unknown (sorry, it's been years since I was in Vienna). An excellent Biergarten a few blocks East of Mariahilferstr. They serve their own brews, which are all excellent. The usual assortment of bar food, friendly staff, and outdoor seating underneath an old Linden tree in the middle of a hidden courtyard. Move indoors well before 23:00, though -- a local noise ordinance requires them to shut down the patio and interior tables fill up quickly (even more so than usual).

• Flex, Donaukanal (U2 or U4 Schottenring, Abgang Augartenbrücke), 533 75 25, office@flex.at. You haven't been to Vienna if you haven't been at the Flex - particularly if you are younger than thirty. Situated next to the "Donaukanal", a part of the Danube, it's the meeting point of the off-mainstream, bohemian, artsy people or those who belive they are. In summer, at night, when it's warm outside there are alway a lot of people sitting on benches outside the club, drinking beer they brought from home because it's cheaper than buying it at the location, talking and sometimes smoking weed. It's easy to get to talk with people. Inside the club you can enjoy bands and DJs. http://www.flex.at

• Schweizerhaus, Prater 116, 7280152 13, March 15 - October 31 11AM-11PM. Large beer garden in the Prater, some say they have the best beer in Vienna and beside traditional austrian dishes at moderate prices. http://www.schweizerhaus.at

• Shiraz, Stadtbahnbogen 168, 1090 Vienna. Phone: +43.664.3355555, info@shiraz.at. Small and pretty comfortable, rustic-style bar in the "city railway bows". You can smoke waterpipes and listen to "chill out" music. The owner himself of Shiraz, a Persian, is very involved and a "waterpiping crackerjack". Everything is worth it's price and you can really feel that this bar is something special. Its a good place to relax. http://www.shiraz.at.

• Stiegl´s Ambulanz, Altes AKH Hof 1 Alserstraße 4, 1090 Vienna. (subway station U6, Alserstraße). +43.1.40211500, ambulanz@stiegl.at. The Stieglambulanz is a good bar run by the stiegl brewery where you can enjoy Stiegl's beers. Stiegl is one of austria's best common beer sorts. The Ambulanz is visited by many students, modern furnished and another good place to relax. If you ever get there try the "Paracelsus" which you only get in Stiegl breweries and, in my opionion, its the best sort of Stiegl. http://www.stiegl.at/ambulanz/

• ra'an, Währingerstrasse 6-8, 1090 Vienna (subway station U2, Schottentor.). +43.1.3193563, office@raan.at. Monday-Sunday 08:00 - 1:00. As you can see on the pictures at their homepage, the ra'an is a very special place to go. Never seen a bar like this one before. It's split up into two parts - the ra'an restaurant and the bar. In the restaurant you can eat Japanse and Taiwanese food, nothing Viennese still worth a visit ;). The bar, which is downstairs offers a great ambiente. You listen to electronic music like Drum'n'Base, Trance, 80's style Techno, etc. Many young people around there. http://www.raan.at

Sleep

Budget

• Youth Hoste Vienna-Myrthengasse, Myrthengasse 7, 523 63 16, hostel@chello.at. Hostel close to the center of Vienna. About 18€ per night incl. breakfast and sheets. http://www.oejhv.or.at/quartier/1070/1070.htm

• Pension Esterhazy, Nelkengasse 3 (close to U3 Neubaugasse), 587 51 49. Clean basic rooms, prices reach from 26€ (singleroom, shower and toilet outside) to 69€ (2bedroom with shower and toilet). http://members.chello.at/pensionesterhazy/

Mid-range

• Hotel Nordbahn. Good Hotel, close to center, friendly atmosphere

http://www.hotel-nordbahn.at

Splurge

• Hotel Schoenbrunn. Luxury hotel in Vienna, very expensive, but located uptown near "Schloss Schoenbrunn" and about 20-30 Minutes away from Vienna's uptown.

Contact

Stay safe

Vienna is a very safe city, there are no slums or districts you should avoid. In general you can visit any part of the city at any time of the day without taking much risks. Just use your common sense.

Cope

Radio

A part of the program of the radio station FM4 (http://www.fm4.at) (103,8 MHz) is in english, the most part of news is in english, but they even report in french or german. The station is defenitly worth listening, it's somewhat different from usual radio stations.

Get Out

• While in Vienna, why not travel east to lovely Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, which is only 50 kms (50 minutes) from Vienna. You will enjoy it for sure and don't be surprised to find that prices are sometimes five times lower.

• Gyor, Hungary, is a gateway city for Vienna, located half way between Budapest and Vienna.
• Sopron is a historic town, in the part of Hungary closest to Vienna.

You can hitchhike to Brno: take the tram to street Brunner Strasse. There is main road from Vienna to Brno, so thumbing there should be very easy. There is also enough space for sleeping.

Links

• http://www.wien.at Official Web-Site of Vienna
• http://wien.freikarte.at What´s going on in Vienna?
• http://www.helge.at/wlan Free WLAN hotspots in Vienna