Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Leading northwest from Stock-im-Eisen-Platz is the broad pedestrian thoroughfare of plush shopping street
Graben
. It's dominated by the knobbly outline of the
Pestsäule
, completed in 1693 to commemorate the
75,000 victims of the Black Death. Turn left into Kohlmarkt and the arresting sight of
Michaelertor
, the
Hofburg's northeastern gate, comes into view.
At Michaelerplatz, look out for the
Loos Haus
, a perfect example of the clean lines of Loos' work. Franz
Josef hated it and described the windows, which lack lintels, as 'windows without eyebrows'.
Michael-
erkirche
on the square portrays 500 years of architectural styles.
Pass through the imposing Michaelertor and past the
Schweizertor
to Heldenplatz and the impressive
Neue Burg
(
Click here
). Continue, noting the Gothic spire of the Rathaus to the right. On the far side of the
Ring stand rival identical twins the
Naturhistorisches Museum
(
Click here
) and the
Kunsthistorisches
Museum
(
Click here
); between them is a
statue of Maria Theresia
.
Turn left onto the Ring and, once past the Neue Burg, turn left again into the peaceful
Burggarten
(
Click
here
), formerly reserved for the imperial family and high-ranking officials. It contains
statues of Mozart
and
Franz Josef
and cafe-bar
Palmenhaus
(
Click here
). Not far down Philharmonikerstrasse is the grand
Staatsoper
(
Click here
) and
Hotel Sacher
(
Click here
)
, a perfect spot to rest those weary legs.
Ringstrasse
Emperor Franz Josef was largely responsible for the monumental architecture around the
Ringstrasse, a wide, tree-lined boulevard encircling much of the Innere Stadt. In 1857 he
decided to tear down the redundant military fortifications and exercise grounds and re-
place them with grandiose public buildings in a variety of historical styles. Work began
the following year and reached a peak in the 1870s. The stock-market crash in 1873 put a
major dampener on plans, and other grand schemes were shelved due to lack of money
and the outbreak of WWI. The Ring is easily explored on foot or bicycle; if you've not
the time, jump on tram 1 or 2, both of which run sections of the boulevard and offer a
snapshot of the impressive architecture.
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.bundesgaerten.at
;
01, Burgring;
6am-10pm Apr-Oct, 6.30am-7pm Nov-Mar;
Museum-
squartier,
D, 1, 2, 71, 46, 49 Burgring)
(
www.bundesgaerten.at
;
Dr-Karl-Renner-Ring;
6am-10pm Apr-Oct, 6.30am-7pm Nov-Mar;
Volkstheater,
are both good places to chill out, and
Herrengasse,
D, 1, 2, 71, 46, 49 Dr-Karl-Renner-Ring)
has a gold statue
Stadtpark,
2 Weihburggasse)
of Johann Strauss.
