St. Stephens Cathedral
The Stephansdom, or St. Stephen's Cathedral, is an island of Gothic magnificence in a sea of Baroque and 19th Century architecture. Most of the church dates back to the 14th, 15th, and 16th Centuries, with the Romanesque "Giant's Doorway" on the west facade dating back to the early 1200s. The Hochturm or south tower, at 450 feet or 137 meters, is roughly the height of a 45-story office building--yet it was built more than 600 years ago, half a millenium before the invention of the modern skyscraper.
High Mass:
Sun and public holidays: 10:15 a.m.
in July and August: 9:30 a.m.
Guided tours of the Cathedral:
Mon-Sat: 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Sun, public holidays: 3 p.m.
June to September also Sat: 7 p.m.
groups by prior arrangement only: phone 515 52 - 3767
Address: Stephansdom 1., Stephansplatz
U1, U3: Stephansplatz
phone 515 52 - 3526
Schonbrunn Palace
Schonbrunn Palace was generally used as the summer residence of the Habsburgs. Emperor Francis Joseph (ruled 1848-1916), who was born here in 1830, and liked to live the same Spartan life he imposed on the soldiers of his army, spent the last years of his life entirely in Schonbrunn. In 1918, the palace became the property of the new republic. Owing to its historical importance, its beautiful location, its magnificent architecure and the splendid layout of its gardens, this palace is among the very top sights in Vienna.
13., Schonbrunner Schloss-Strasse
U4: Schonbrunn; U4, tram 10, 58, 60: Hietzing
Tel.: 811 13,
April - June, Sept., Oct.: daily 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
July, Aug.: daily 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Park: daily until dusk
City Hall
Friedrich von Schmidt, who had been the architect of the Cathedral of Cologne, designed and built Vienna?s City Hall, the most important secular building in the neo-Gothic style in the city, between 1872 and 1883. The tower measures 321 feet, not including the "Iron Knight of City Hall" (Eiserner Rathausmann) who measures almost 20 feet to the top of his pennant. This knight on top of the tower has become one of the symbols of Vienna.
The City Hall is the seat of the mayor and governor of Vienna (with Vienna being both a city and a state since 1922, these functions are combined in one person), of the City Council and of the Assembly. It also houses the Municipal and State Libraries and Archives which hold many key documents of Vienna?s history and a large collection of local memorabilia.
On both sides of the approach from the Ring ( closed to motor vehicles ), statues honor personalities who left their mark on the history of the city.
1., Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz 1
U2: Rathaus,
tram D, 1, 2:
Rathausplatz/Burgtheater
phone 525 50
The open-air scene
City Hall: The main attraction is the square in front of City Hall. In July and August it stages the Music Film Festival with a plethora of open-air culinary treats; in November and December it is the turn of The Magic of Advent with a traditional Christmas market; and then in January and February comes the "Dream on Ice" with outdoor ice-rink, punch bars and refreshment stalls.
Danube Canal: From May to August the open-air "Summer Stage" festival offers a sophisticated culinary mix along the Danube Canal (U4 Rossauer Lande), accompanied by sport (beach volleyball, Italian bowling), exhibitions and concerts. In the hotter months of the year, the rambling Danube Island is a popular meeting place for young pub crawlers out to party late into the night.
Ankeruhr (Anker clock)
This clock (built 1911 - 1917) was created by the painter and sculptor Franz von Matsch and is a typical Art Nouveau design. It forms a bridge between the two parts of the Anker Insurance Company's building. In the course of 12 hours, twelve historical figures or pairs of figures move across the bridge. Every day at noon, all of the figures parade, each accompanied by music from its era.
Address: Hoher Markt 10-11, 1010 Vienna
Public transport: U1, U3: StephansplatzU1, U4: Schwedenplatz
Aquarium
This aquarium, containing more than 3,000 live marine organisms, was established on private initiative as an instructional display. It is open daily and housed in an enormous World War II anti-aircraft tower. Vienna still has a number of these towers: they were built to withstand direct hits, so demolition by explosives is impossible without jeopardizing the entire neighborhood, and conventional demolition would be prohibitively expensive.
Address: 6, Esterhazypark, U3: Neubaugasse,
Public transport: bus 13A, 14A, 57A: Haus des Meeres
Tel.: 587 14 17
Daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Botanical Gardens
Starting in 1754, medicinal herbs were planted here by order of Empress Maria Theresa. Her personal physician , Gerard van Swieten, suggested the planting of such a garden. A few years later, Nikolaus von Jacquin converted the area into the Botanical Gardens, which Maria Theresa donated to the university in 1757. Thousands of rare plants can be seen in this quiet garden during the summer months ( the gardens are closed during inclement weather ). Admission is free.
3, Mechelgasse 2 oder Landstrasser Gurtel 1
tram O, 71: Rennweg, tram D, O, 18: Sudbahnhof
Tel.: 4277 - 54 190
Easter until end of October, daily 9 a.m. until 1 hour before dusk, closed in rain or strong wind.
Spanish Riding School
It is the oldest and last Riding School in the world where classic dressage is still practised in its purest form. This Institute was founded in 1572 and its very name gives away the fact that the horses were of Spanish origin. The Imperial Court Stud was situated near the village of Lipizza and it was this village which gave the race its name. After the collapse of the Danube Monarchy in 1920 the Austrian Republic became the legal successor and from this time the Lipizzaners have been bred at the federal Stud at Piber in Styria. The Lipizzaner is regarded as the oldest classic horse race in Europe.
Lipizzaner Museum
The history of the Spanish Riding School is shown in the rooms that once housed the court apothecary. From the museum you can take a look into the stables of the worldfamous dancing Lippizaners.
Stallburg, 1., Reitschulgasse 2
U1, U3: Stephansplatz, U3: Herrengasse
phone +43-1-533 78 11
Daily from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Vienna Giant Wheel
The "Riesenrad" (Giant Wheel) is a landmark of the Austrian Capital and a symbol of the world famous Vienna "Prater". In 1896/97 it was built by an English engineer, Walter B. Basset. Similar giant wheels, constructed by the same engineer, were situated in London, Blackpool and Paris, but they were soon dismantled and sold as scrap - not so this Viennese specimen.
Highest elevation of Giant Wheel above ground level is 64,75 metres (209 feet). Diameter of Wheel 61 metres (197 feet). The main axle measures 10,87 metres (35 feet) and has a diameter of 0,50 metres (1 foot 8 in.), weighing 16,3 (metric) tons. The centre of the axle is 34,2 metres (110 feet) above ground level. The supporting structure comprises eight pylons and weighs 165,2 (metric) tons.
Wiener Riesenrad
Dr. Lamac & Co. KG
Falkestrasse 6
A-1010 Wien, Austria
Phone office: (+43 1) 5128314
Phone pay-desk: (+43 1) 7295430
