Cultural Curiosities of Vienna
Famous and Not-so-Famous Must-Sees of the Austrian Capital
© Ja Woolf
For centuries Vienna was one of the cultural capitals of Europe. There's far too much to see in just one day in Vienna, but if you only have a day, then these suggestions will offer a taste of the immense richness of the city's heritage.
Stunning Settings For Great Art
The huge and ornate Kunsthistorisches Museum faces its not-quite identical twin, the Naturhistorisches Museum, across the topiary gardens of Maria-Theresien-Platz. The interior décor is elaborate, yet harmonious, with multi-coloured marble, gilding, friezes, ceiling paintings and fine mosaics by Gustav Klimt. The museum is renowned for its eye-popping collection of Breugels, many works by Rubens, several Rembrandts, plus Vermeer’s intriguing “The Art Lesson”.
Nearby, the Austrian National Library is situated in Burggarten, where von Erlach’s colourful 1735 painted ceiling (modestly entitled “The Apotheosis of Karl IV”) is peopled by robed intellectuals leaning precariously backwards over painted balustrades. There are more statues, more gilding, and original Mozart manuscripts to be found here.
Take A Break
Julius Meinl for coffee. This posh food hall in the Graben, Vienna’s Bond Street, is always a delight. The boxes of miniature chocolates they sell are just enough for a taste but not enough to sin: they’re up the main staircase past the store’s trademark African boy figure sitting on a newel-post and drinking coffee. Meinl’s also sells a big selection of the imaginative fair-trade “Zotter” chocolate bars, in flavours like hempseed and mocha, cranberry and thyme, or mustard and almond… the gastronomically curious will be tempted.
Musical Interludes
Vienna’s collection of ancient musical instruments (a department of the Kunsthistorisches Museum) is at the Heldenplatz. More grand marble halls here, these ones containing a fabulous collection of instrumental curiosities. There are weird varieties of keyboard, plus a stringed Baryton, for which Haydn composed more than 100 works, and green-and-gold carnival shawms resembling dragons. There's also a lira da braccio with two heads and a pair of nipples on the front! A free audio guide contains some excellent performances on many of the instruments.
Finally, Haus der Musik is open every night till 10 pm. Mahler, Schubert, Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart and Strauss also merit multi-media display areas in this large, unusual “aural museum” of Vienna. Its four floors cover subjects as diverse as the Vienna Philharmonic, the principles of acoustics, the weird Brain Opera which uses your body to create sounds, art installations and a CD mixer for recording environmental music. With the virtual conductor you “conduct” an orchestra in a piece of your choice.
Or, you can go for a night out in one of Vienna's stunning musical venues instead, if you still have the energy - but that's another story!
For more travel ideas in Austria, take a look at Austria's National Parks.
Kunsthistorisches Museum is at Maria Theresien-Platz. Tel.525 24- 0..Cost 10 Euros. Wed-Mon 10 am - 6 pm
Musical instrument section is at the Heldenplatz, Schweizerhof . Tel 525 24- 0. Cost 10 Euros. Wed-Mon 10 am - 6 pm.
Austrian National Library is at 1, Josefsplatz, Tel. 534 10-0. Cost 5 Euros. Tue - Sun 10a.m. - 6p.m., Thu 10a.m. - 9p.m.
Julius Meinl is at Am Graben 19, Tel 532 3334. Open Monday to Saturday.
Haus Der Musik is at Seilerstätte 30. Tel 516 48. 10 Euro. Daily 10am-10pm
