Vienna Journal2016

VIENNA’SFAIRYTALE PALACES

A SLICE OFVIENNESE TRADITION

BEST OFCONTEMPORARY VIENNA

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Schönbrunn Palace

Dear reader,

The way that Vienna brings together imperial and contemporary ele-ments is unparalleled. When Emperor Franz Joseph died in 1916, Viennawas a truly global city. A century down the line, the city is a moderncenter of contemporary art and has lost none of its former imperial lustre.Come with us on a journey back in time taking in Vienna’s fairytale pal-aces, and experience the contemporary interpretation of a bygone ViennaGloriosa in the MuseumsQuartier of today – a fascinating confluence ofBaroque and avant-garde.

In the Best of contemporary Vienna section (pages 12/13) we invite you toexplore the capital’s contemporary art, music and design scene with us.Swedish illustrator Dennis Eriksson, whose client list includes Spotify,Citroën and Swedish television, takes a humorous look at some of themain highlights for you. In 2014 he caused a sensation in Vienna at a livesketching event.

Our article on the latest generation of fashion designers reveals wherecontemporary design is created in classic settings. We also tell you whereto find classic design inmodern exhibition spaces. Elsewhere, theViennaSymphonic Library shows how the world capital of music continues tostrike the right note far beyond national borders. For more than 15 yearsnow, a group of experts has been adding individual notes and sequencesplayed on classical and rare instruments to this gigantic database ofsound. Grammy award winner James Newton Howard (composer of TheDark Knight soundtrack) reveals in an exclusive interview that a numberof Hollywood greats are blown away by the Vienna sound.

Anyone who lives their life by the motto of “every day is a party day”willlove our tips. At the 60th Eurovision Song Contest in May 2015 Viennaonce again confirmed its status as a cosmopolitan and highly tolerantcapital. Our picture gallery captures some of the highlights of the event.Each year around three million people show the world how to party atthe Danube Island Festival. This issue of the Vienna Journal covers thisand various other festivals in the capital, as well as the perfect places totake a stroll, from the city’s parks and gardens to pedestrianized zonesand street markets. Like the capital’s coffeehouses, where classic cakesand pastries await, they are the ideal places to treat yourself to an authen-tic taste of Vienna. I wish you an enjoyable read!

Norbert KettnerManaging Director, Vienna Tourist Board

Published by: Vienna Tourist Board, Invalidenstrasse 6, 1030 Vienna, www.vienna.info · Concept & editor in chief: Vienna Tourist Board, Andrea Kostner · Project coordinator: Paul Daniel · Texts: Susanna Burger, Paul Daniel, Elisabeth Freundlinger, SusanneKapeller, Andrea Kostner, Angelika Öttl, Martina Polzer, Robert Seydel · Translation: Rob Perry · Edited by: Renate Hofbauer · Picture editor: Anna-Elisabeth Menz · Photo researcher: Elisabeth Freundlinger · Layout: Kreativ · Mag. Evelyne Sacher-Toporek ·Creative direction: Jung vonMatt/Donau · Printed in Austria by Berger · 2855/15/100

No liability accepted for errors or omissions. Content subject to change without notice.

Picture creditsCover image: Schönbrunn: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud · Page 2:Norbert Kettner: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud; Pineapple damask illustration: MiriamWanzenböck · Page 3: See corresponding page for credits. · Page 4: Schönbrunn: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud; SchlossWilhelminenberg:© Austria Trend Hotels; Geymüllerschlössel: Geymüllerschlössel MAK satellite, external view© Peter Kainz /MAK; Hermesvilla: ©WienMuseum / Hertha Hurnaus; Schloss Neugebäude: Harald Jahn / picturedesk.com · Page 5:Winterhalter: Franz XaverWinterhalter, 1865, MD 042822 / 000, GG.007098 © Bundesmobilien-verwaltung / Photo: Gerald Schedy; Conchita at the Imperial Burial Vault: © www.rainerstudio.com; Franz Josephmonument: © Schaub-Walzer / PID · Pages 6/7:Konzerthaus: © VSL; Heckelphone: © VSL; Glass harmonica: © VSL; James Newton Howard: ©Wim Lippens; RSO: ©Hollywood in Vienna; Grubinger: © ChristianSchneider; Konzerthaus, main staircase: © Tali Amitai-Tabib; Theater an derWien: © Rupert Steiner; Mozart: ©Mozarthaus Vienna / David Peters; City Hall: © Vienna Tourist Board / Karl Thomas · Pages 8/9: Bradaric Ohmae: © NicoleMariaWinkler; Ferrari-Zöchling: © Severin Koller; FemmeMaison: © FemmeMaison; Meshit:© Photo: Matthias Aschauer; Josef Hoffmann: © Peter Kainz / MAK; Kitchen: SWKitchen, Vienna around 1960; © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, Photo: Lois Lammerhuber; Miss Lillys Hats: ©miss lillys hats, Jürgen Hammerschmid; Mühlbauer: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud · Pages 10/11: Sacher Torte: © Hotel SacherVienna; Imperial Torte: © Hotel Imperial / imperialvienna.com; Cakes: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud; Demel: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud; Supersense: © Gebhard Sengmüller; Phil: © David Auner; Marco Simonis: ©www.photo-simonis.at; Cobenzl wine estate: ©Weingut Cobenzl / Golser; Liesenpfenning:©WienWein;WienWein Schönbrunn: © Herbert Lehmann · Pages 12/13: Illustration: Dennis Eriksson · Pages 14/15:Giant FerrisWheel: © Vienna Tourist Board / Christian Stemper; Stadtpark: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud; Augarten: © Austrian Federal Gardens; Oberlaa: © Norbert Stöckl; Bonsai: © Austrian FederalGardens; Lemons: © Austrian Federal Gardens;Wild boar: ©MA 49 - Pieper; Danube Island: © Vienna Tourist Board / Christian Stemper · Pages 16/17:Danube Island Festival: © Vienna Tourist Board / Karl Thomas; Gürtel Nightwalk: © Vienna Tourist Board / Hertha Hurnaus; Danube Island: © Vienna Tourist Board / ChristianStemper; Muse: © Travis Shinn; Donaukanaltreiben: © Vienna Tourist Board / Bernd Preiml; Melody Gardot: © Universal Music; The Visit: © VBW; Vienna State Opera: © Vienna Jazz Festival Archive; Popfest: © Simon Brugner / Theyshootmusic.com; Sigrid Hauser & Ephraim: © VolksoperWien · Pages 18/19:Markt: © ViennaTourist Board / Peter Rigaud; Stall holder: Brasch Dieter / Gusto / picturedesk.com; Brunnenmarkt 1950: ©MA59-MarktamtsmuseumWien;Window shopping: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud; Graben: © Vienna Tourist Board / GerhardWeinkirn; Lichterloh: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud · Page 20: Danube techno:©Benjamin Fehringer; Sass: © David Auner; Volksgarten: © Gregor Lechner · Page 21:Mans Zelmerlöw: © ORF /Milenko Badzic; City Hall: Thomas Unterberger; Traffic light couple: Thomas Unterberger; Stage show: ©ORF / Thomas Ramstorfer; Party mood on Rathausplatz: Thomas Unterberger; Hug: Thomas Unterberger;Swedish fans: Thomas Unterberger; Golden boys: Thomas Unterberger; Fans in front of the Stadthalle: Thomas Unterberger; Waterloo & Robinson: Thomas Unterberger; UK fans: Thomas Unterberger; Conchita: © ORF /Milenko Badzic · Page 22: Tourist Info Albertinaplatz: © Hertha Hurnaus; Smartphone: © tina vienna · Page 23:NewYear’s Concert: © Vienna Tourist Board / Lois Lammerhuber; Vienna IceWorld: © Vienna Tourist Board / Lois Lammerhuber; Ball season: © Vienna Tourist Board / Peter Rigaud; Marathon: © Vienna Tourist Board /Wolfgang Simlinger; Vienna Festival: © ReinhardWerner / Burgtheater; f.l.t.r. Birgit Minichmayr (GunhildBorkman), Max Rothbart (Erhart Borkman); Life Ball: Life Ball © Harald Klemm; GalleryWeekend: © Feiersinger / Janda; Summer Night’s Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic: © PH / Photo: Richard Schuster; Culinary Festival: © PID-Votava; Vienna Pride: HosiWien © Dominik Steinmair; ImPulsTanz: © KarolinaMiernik; Operlive am Platz: © Vienna State Opera / Michael Pöhn;WienerWiesn: © Roland Rudolph; Christmasmarkets: © Vienna Tourist Board / Christian Stemper; NewYear’s Eve Trail: © Vienna Tourist Board / Karl Thomas

The Imperial Damask – here with a contemporary twist – is a fabric showinga stylized pineapple. It was exclusively used at the Viennese Court.

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Vienna is home to 27 palaces –from picture postcard hideaways todreamy love nests and the monu-mental Schönbrunn Palace, formerHabsburg summer residence andthe place where Emperor Franz Josefpassed away 100 years ago. Just oneof numerous places in the city thatprovide a reminder of the legendaryruler.

VIENNA’SFAIRYTALEPALACES

A new generation of Austrian de-signers is breathing fresh life into theVienna fashion scene, having longsince established a name for them-selves on the international stage. Andthe same goes for the capital’s crea-tive hatmakers. Whatever the sartori-al focus, they all dovetail seamlesslywith Vienna’s vibrant design tradi-tion, which provides a focus at someof the city’s top museums.

Many of Vienna’s big name tradi-tional coffeehouses serve incrediblecakes named after their own estab-lishments. Bon vivants also love thecity because so many of its storesdouble up as bars and restaurants –and due to the fact that wine is sohighly prized in the capital.

NEW FACES OFFASHION

BEST OF CON-TEMPORARYVIENNA

As popular among the likes of Gram-my Award winner James NewtonHoward as it is among amateur com-posers: it’s impossible to imagineHollywood film music without thespecial sounds of the Vienna Sym-phonic Library. A flagship export ofthe world capital of music – wherethe Konzerthaus keeps audiences ontheir toes, and a number of musicalanniversaries will be celebrated thisyear.

LIBRARY OFSOUND

Visitors to the city will find an im-pressive range of contemporary artin Vienna. At museums, art festivalsand in public spaces, in music andeven on restaurant ceilings. And thisedition of the Vienna Journal con-tains some too, in the shape of DennisEriksson’s humorous illustrations.

A SLICE OFVIENNESETRADITION

The numbers speak for them-selves: 850 parks and green spaces,100,000 trees lining the streets and1.2 million flowers in summer – no-where else is close when it comes topublic recreation areas. Nature fansare in their element, with everythingfrom Alpine gardens to Japaneseparks to draw inspiration from. Thecapital is also a runner’s paradisethanks to events such as the ViennaCity Marathon and the Night Run.

GREEN,GREENER,VIENNA Every year the Danube Island, the

Danube Canal and Gürtel are trans-formed into festival sites with numer-ous stages. Concerts, DJ sets and finefood await. Europe’s largest open-airparty, the Danube Island Festival fol-lows a similar blueprint. And it goeswithout saying that Vienna also hasno endof treats in store for jazz aficio-nados and musical fans.

FESTIVALSGALORE

Laden with delicious fresh produce,Vienna’s markets are a treasure troveof new culinary experiences. Fromthe Brunnenmarkt, the longest per-manent street market in Europe, toniche deli markets. Offering seem-ingly endless choice, Vienna’s pe-destrianized areas are the perfectplace to see and be seen.

MARKETS,MARKETSEVERYWHERE There’s always a party going on

somewhere in Vienna and no endof reasons to pack a party outfit.In May 2015, thousands of peopleflocked to the Wiener Stadthalle andfan zones including the EurovisionVillage on Rathausplatz during theEurovision Song Contest. As our pho-to album shows, the whole town wasgripped with party fever.

PARTY TIME,ALL THE TIME

We have put together some basicinformation for travelers to make iteven easier for you to find out whereto book hotels, how to get your handson the Vienna Card, obtain a free mapof the city or connect to the capital’sfree WiFi networks. And there arealso a few tips on some of Vienna’stop attractions.

FIND OUTMORE ABOUTVIENNA

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Schönbrunn is one of the mostbeautiful palaces in the whole ofEurope, and its grounds are home tothe world’s oldest surviving zoo.

In the Geymüllerschlössel (l) the wallsare lined with historic clocks. The

Hermesvilla (m) was given to EmpressSisi as a gift by Franz Joseph.

VIENNA’SFAIRYTALE PALACESThere are 27 palaces in Vienna, from magnificent Habsburgresidences to hidden artists’ hideaways.

The days of emperors, dukes and counts are long gone. But theirpalaces live on. An absolute must on any traveler’s itinerary isthe 1,441-room Schönbrunn Palace with its manicured grounds,where Empress Sisi and Emperor Franz Joseph would go fora stroll. Another highlight is the Belvedere. Once the summerresidence of a young prince (Eugene) looking to make his markon the world, it now contains a priceless art collection. Andthen there is the Hofburg. The building that started out as a55 by 55 meter medieval fortress would go on to become oneof the largest imperial residences in Europe by the time theAustro-Hungarian monarchy fell in 1918. Schloss Neugebäude,commissionedbyEmperorMaximilian II (1527-1576),wasneverfully completed, but still makes its mark with a Renaissancegarden where wild animals once roamed free. Today it hosts anopen air cinema in the summer.

Love nestsAlthough slightly smaller, Schloss Wilhelminenberg wasactually completed. Today it is a hotel with a café and restau-rant terrace commanding breathtaking views of the citybelow. Count Moritz von Montléart acquired the palace onthe Gallitzinberg hill and gave it to his wife Wilhelmine in1866. And to top it off, the hill was popularly referred to as theWilhelminenberg from then on. Sisi was the lucky recipientof a similar gift: Emperor Franz Joseph had the Hermesvillain the Lainz Game Reserve built specially for her, in the vainhope that his restless spouse would feel at home there. Despitethe fact that the eccentric empress’s private chambers were

decorated by the likes of Gustav Klimt, Sisi would never spendmore than a few days of the year here.

A short distance from Sisi’s residence is Schloss Ober St. Veit,the earliest historical mention of which was in 1394. It evenbelonged to Empress Maria Theresa for a short time, but forthe rest of its history was used by the bishops and archbishopsof Vienna for their summer vacations. Created by JohannNepomuk Bergl, the intricate interiors depicting a variety oflandscape scenes, animals and people are well worth a look.While time appears to have stayed still in this ecclesiasticalretreat, the clocks seem to have kept very good time at thesecular Geymüllerschlössel: this branch of the Museum ofApplied Arts/Contemporary Art – MAK, was built in 1808as the summer residence of a banker, and contains 160 oldViennese clocks dating from between 1760 and the secondhalf of the nineteenth century. The Biedermeier era furniture isanother highlight.

Artists’ retreatsA number of artists have also taken up residence in Vienna’spalaces over the years: 1901 Hugo von Hofmannsthal movedinto the Maria-Theresien-Schlössel in what is now the 23rd dis-trict, where he lived until his death in 1929. Today it is knownas the Hofmannsthal-Schlössl. Two musicians owned the sameBaroque palace in the 19th district: Emanuel Schikaneder,librettist of Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute, lived here be-tween 1802 and 1812, and operetta composer Franz Lehárcalled it home from 1932 to 1944. Lehár wrote Giuditta at theproperty. Somewhat unsurprisingly, it is now known as theLehár-Schikaneder-Schlössl.

The Springer-Schlössl, right next door to Schönbrunn, wasbuilt in 1887 by the industrialist Gustav Freiherr von Springer.The plot it stands on once belonged to another nobleman, theFreiherr von Hügel who was master of the imperial gardens atSchönbrunn. The 170 natural monuments in the giant park pro-vide a living reminder of von Hügel’s horticultural artistry. Theemperor and his gardener as neighbors – only in Vienna.

The views of Vienna from SchlossWilhelminenberg are a sight to behold.

Schloss Neugebäude was never fully completed.

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Franz Joseph came to symbolize the old monarchy due to hisomnipresence over his long reign, his personal tragedies and the

economic and cultural advances made during the time that people associatewith him – even though he was only partially responsible for them. That said,it should not be forgotten that the early part of his reign was rocked by seriousunrest in Hungary which led to his assertion of absolutist rule. Many of thenational and social issues of the day remained unsolved, which went a longway towards sealing the fate of the Dual Monarchy.”Karl Vocelka, historian and author of „Franz Joseph I. 1830-1916. Kaiser von Österreich und Königvon Ungarn. Eine Biographie“

Based on anecdotal evidence from people who knew theemperor personally, I will always think of him as a man

of great wit. However, this is one aspect of his character that islittle-known to the public. It is certainly true though that he was ahighly principled person with a strong sense of honor, and this wasreflected in his politics.”Karl Habsburg-Lothringen, great-great-great nephew of Emperor Franz Joseph

A REIGN TO END ALLREIGNS!Emperor Franz Joseph died 100 years ago at Schönbrunn Palace. To this day,countless locations in the city provide a reminder of the legendary ruler.

With the passage of time Franz Joseph has taken his place in history as abenevolent old gentleman in his uniform with mutton-chop whiskers and thedevoted spouse of Empress Elisabeth. The longest ruling Habsburg emperor, hedied 100 years ago on November 21, 1916, after an incredible 68 years on thethrone. To mark this momentous occasion, Schönbrunn Palace and the ImperialFurniture Collection, the Imperial Carriage Museum and Schloss Niederweidenin Lower Austria will be hosting a series of exhibitions (Mar 16-Nov 27, 2016)looking at various aspects of the monarch’s rule – from the construction of theRingstrasse, and the return of absolutism to the Austro-Hungarian Compromiseand the outbreak of the First World War (see the quotations by the two leadingFranz Joseph experts below).

Visitors will find echoes of Franz Joseph all over Vienna. And not just in the formof the dedications adorning numerous buildings along the Ringstrasse – he canalso be found in the Burggarten where the city’s only statue of the emperor waserected in 1957. Before then it was tucked away out of the public eye at the mili-tary academy in Breitensee. Franz Joseph, who was nominated for the Nobel PeacePrize three times, was laid to rest in the Imperial Burial vault between EmpressElisabeth and their son Rudolph. The Imperial Apartments at the Hofburg givea fascinating insight into the private life of the monarch, who was rumored tohave fathered several illegitimate children with his lover Anna Nahowski. His re-lationship with his long-term companion Katharina Schratt, however, was strictlyplatonic.

Franz Joseph had 15 legitimate grandchildren and 55 great-grandchildren.When the emperor passed away in 1916 at the ripe old age of 86, the future ofthe Habsburg-Lothringen dynasty appeared secure. But just two years later theAustro-Hungarian monarchy came to an abrupt end and the First Republic wasdeclared. However, the image of the loveable old man with side whiskers liveson to this day.

Franz Joseph monument in the Burggarten

Emperor Franz Joseph, (shown here in aportrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter thathangs in the Imperial Apartments) ruledfor 68 years.

Franz Joseph was laid to restin the Imperial Burial Vault,with his wife Elisabeth to theleft. Conchita Wurst paid theimperial couple a visit.

Text: Robert Seydel

LIBRARYOF SOUNDThe Vienna Symphonic Library, a huge audio sample library,has revolutionized music making in recent years, and filmmusic in particular. While prominent users include the likesof Grammy awardwinning composer James NewtonHoward,its endless possibilities are just as likely to be exploited byamateur musicians running it on their PCs at home.

Vienna Symphonic Library founder Herbert Tucmandl is atrained musician whose career highlights include playing cellofor the Vienna Philharmonic and working as cameraman, direc-tor and composer. In 2000 Tucmandl embarked upon his questto record the sounds of the entire orchestra – individual notesas well as sequences – from solo violins to whole double basssections and grand pianos to heckelphones (a rare instrumentrelated to the oboe). Even sounds such as voices and whistlinghave been digitized in all manner of variations. Currently thecollection consists of two million audio samples, which are allavailable for download. It is by far the largest sample library ofits kind and has become the market leader.

Hollywood, pop and EurovisionUsing specialist computer programs, the individual samplescan be sequenced into realistic sounding orchestral scores, andthe technology has become an integral part of modern musicproduction. Around the globe over 40,000 musicians, com-posers, arrangers and producers use the Vienna SymphonicLibrary to produce music for TV series such as the Mentalist,CSI: Miami and Tatort, as well as international advertising cam-paigns and musicals.

Top musicians, often members ofthe Vienna Philharmonic or Wiener

Symphoniker orchestras, workfor months on end to perform

endless variations of notes andsequences for inclusion in the

Vienna Symphonic Library. And onthe heckelphone too.

The Vienna Symphonic Libraryeven includes unusual instruments

like the glass harmonica.

Famous Hollywood film composers including Danny Elfman,Alan Silvestri, James Newton Howard and Oscar winnersAlexandre Desplat (2015 for The Grand Budapest Hotel) andA. R. Rahman (2009 for Slumdog Millionaire) all use the musicsoftware, as do celebrated artists such as Herbie Hancock, LennyKravitz, Beyoncé, Céline Dion and Massive Attack. Many of theorchestral sequences created for the annual Eurovision SongContest – hosted in flamboyant style by Vienna in 2015 – werecrafted with the help of the Vienna Symphonic Library.

Film music made in ViennaRight now, a lot of work is going on to establish Vienna as aleading center of international music production. The ViennaSymphonic Library has converted the 1940s sound stage atRosenhügel film studios into the Synchron Stage Vienna, whichit wants to establish as one of the world’s leading facilities es-pecially for hybrid productions, a genre which combines liveperformance with computer sequenced tracks. The exceptionalacoustics put it on a par with today’s top film music studios inLos Angeles, London and Berlin. At the same time, a filmmusicsession orchestra with the necessary skills to meet the exactingstandards of the studios and leading music producers is beingput together.

James Newton Howard on the Vienna Symphonic Library

He is one of Hollywood’s mostrespected composers, who togetherwith Hans Zimmer won the 2009Grammy film music award for theirscore for The Dark Knight. Howardis at home in a variety of genresincluding romantic comedy (FrenchKiss and One Fine Day), action (TheFugitive and Vertical Limit), thriller(Primal Fear and The Interpreter) anddrama (Snow Falling on Cedars). Healso penned the theme tune to the hitUS TV series ER.

The Vienna Symphonic Library plays akey role in Howard’s work:“For me, Vienna has always been the center ofthe musical universe. The Vienna SymphonicLibrary has been a pivotal part of my composingtemplate for many years now. Many of the SpecialEditions are remarkable, and Vienna EnsemblePro has had a significant impact on my studio’sefficiency and my composing as a whole.”

James Newton Howard was award-ed the 2015 Max Steiner Film MusicAchievement Award. The prize is givenat the annual Hollywood in Vienna

film music gala at the Wiener Konzerthaus, aglittering occasion involving the prestigiousVienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, which istelevized in 35 countries.

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Text: Susanna Burger

The Mozarthaus Vienna opened in 2006 to coincide with the 250th anniversaryof Mozart’s birth. The museum includes his original living quarters, exhibitions,installations and event space.

Join percussionist Martin Grubinger on June 25, 2016, for a salsa party at the WienerKonzerthaus with music by various artists including James Ellis and Joe Zawinul.

The Wiener Konzerthaus program makes room for aneclectic variety of genres.

The innovative productions at theTheater an der Wien cover everythingfrom the works of Mozart to Baroqueand contemporary operas.

THE ALL-ENCOMPASSINGWIENER KONZERTHAUSThe Wiener Konzerthaus is one of Vienna’s most musically diverse venueswith an ever-growing range of cultural events and new festivals finding theirway onto the program all the time.

It is a natural home for music, and not just for classical pieces. The 800 con-certs hosted there annually encompass almost every musical genre: jazz, worldmusic, Wienerlied, musical comedy, film music and readings take their placealongside early, orchestral, vocal and chamber music as well as profiles ofindividual artists. The Konzerthaus is a place where musicians from all overthe world come to impress audiences with captivating virtuoso performances.Up-and-coming song writer Der Nino aus Wien, the Vienna Philharmonic, jazztrumpeter Wynton Marsalis, violinist Hilary Hahn, percussionist Martin Gru-binger, baritone Thomas Hampson, the comedy duo Igudesman and Joo, andactors Cornelius Obonya and Sophie Rois are just some of the recent highlights.

Two festivals that celebrated their debut inthe 2014/15 season are set to return during the2015/16 season. In May the Gemischter Satzfestival will be back with a blend of music, lit-erature, theater, visual arts and Viennese winetasting sessions. A month later, the Bridgescontemporary music festival in June will ex-plore the underlying theme of the building ofbridges in 21st-century Europe. Music fansshould also sign up for one of the regular guid-ed tours of theKonzerthaus, amagnificentArtNouveau building opened by Emperor FranzJoseph I in 1913.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!There are plenty of reasons to celebrate in 2016: Mozart’sbirthday comes around for the 260th time and two of Vienna’smusical institutions mark their 10th anniversaries.

The musical prodigy Wolfgang AmadeusMozart was born on January 27, 1756.During his most productive years he livedat Domgasse 5, where his apartment nowforms part of the Mozarthaus Vienna. Themuseum has various highlights in storeto mark its 10th anniversary including anew Marriage of Figaro multimedia in-stallation, concerts featuring artists suchas mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirchschlagerandvariousnewexhibitions, includingoneon Falco’s global hit Rock Me Amadeus,which was released 30 years ago.

Built by Mozart’s librettist EmanuelSchikaneder in 1801 and worthy of thegreat composer himself, the Theater ander Wien is today the home of a first-classinnovative opera company. Since 2006Theater an der Wien has staged over80 new opera productions. In Januarythe 10th anniversary will be marked by the premiere of KeithWarner’s interpretation of Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera(with Tobias Moretti, Angelika Kirchschlager, Anne Sofie vonOtter and Florian Boesch), a concert performance of Beethoven’sFidelio conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Mozart’sIdomeneo featuring René Jacobs.

In summer Rathausplatz is one of thecity’s favorite places to meet in theevening: at the Music Film Festivalfrom July 2 to September 4, 2016, musiclovers will once again be able to enjoy

operas and classical and pop concerts onthe giant outdoor screen. And there’s also an

impressive range of international cuisine on offer atthe dozens of food stands.

TIPEvent

Cool silhouettes define the elegantcollections from Femme Maison.

The prints used in Ferrari Zöchling’sdesigns are developed incollaboration with artists.

The Meshit design duo createeffortless looks.

NEWFACES OFFASHION

• Bradaric Ohmae:available at Song (Praterstrasse 11-13, 1020 Vienna)

• FemmeMaison:available at the Femme Maison Atelier,by appointment only (Hahngasse 15, 1090 Vienna)

•Meshit:available in the Meshit Store(Westbahnstrasse 25, 1070 Vienna),Firis (Bauernmarkt 9, 1010 Vienna),S/GHT (Kirchengasse 24, 1070 Vienna), andGlanz & Gloria (Schottenfeldgasse 77, 1070 Vienna)

• GON:available at Park (Mondscheingasse 20, 1070 Vienna)

• Ferrari Zöchling:available at Runway Vienna(Goldschmiedgasse 10, 1010 Vienna)

Unique bags by Bradaric Ohmae featuringclassic Viennese wickerwork

A new generation of Austrian designers is breathing new life into the Vienna fashion scene anddrawing international attention to the process.

Young and full of ideas, in recent years a number of newcomers have made their mark on the fashionworld with labels launched right out of fashion school. And some of whom have since gone on tocrack the international market. Bradaric Ohmae, the label from designer duo Tanja Bradaric and TaroOhmae, has even graced the pages of style bibles such as Vogue and Elle. Both designers experimentwith tradition, flirt with cliché and combine handcraftsmanship with innovative technology. Theirbags in particular carry a distinctive design signature. The trademark wickerwork pattern of the clas-sic Thonet chair (also known as Viennese wickerwork) forms a central element of the designs.

Femme Maison is another designer team well worth looking out for: Franziska Fürpass and SiaKermani are inspired by a kind of flamboyant, self-confident everywoman with those all-importantrough edges, for whom they design luxurious feminine fashion. They use the very best hand-selectedmaterials, including traditional Austrian Loden. Special prints and elegant minimalism define thelabel’s distinctive style.

From Vienna to LondonIda Steixner and Lena Krampf pulled off an impressive coup right at start of their careers withtheir label, Meshit, when items from their first collection were snapped up by British high streetfashion chain Topshop in 2011. Their creationswere initially influenced by pop and youth culture.Since then the collections have evolved to incorporate classic style, but with wearability still verymuch a priority. The Meshit look is cool and effortless. The label opened its own store in Vienna’sseventh district in 2014.

Unusual printsGON, established in 2011 by Christina Steiner, is a label with high potential. The designs are char-acterized by gentle, flowing silhouettes. Steiner’s patterns and prints reflect her unique design sig-nature. Clothing from Ferrari Zöchling also features unique silkscreen prints. The label is run byRomana Zöchling, who works with a range of different artists to create eye-catching prints based ondistinctively clean designs.

Exporting creativityIt isn’t only in Vienna that Austrian designers are taking the fashion world by storm: Viennese designerArthur Arbesser now lives in Milan, where he launched a label bearing his name in 2012. Today heis the new darling of the international fashion scene. Meanwhile, in Berlin Marina Hörmanseder ismaking waves with her corsets and leather fashion – Lady Gaga is among the clients who have wornthe rising star’s edgy creations.

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Text: Susanne Kapeller

Celebrities like Brad Pitt and Madonna wear fashionable headgearfrom Mühlbauer Hutmanufaktur.

Designs by theWiener Werkstätteand its co-founder,Josef Hoffmann, are acentral focus at MAK.

The Imperial Furniture Collection also gives pride of place to 20th-century design.

The artistic creations byMiss Lillys Hats are made

from vintage materials.

EXHIBITING DESIGNDesign has a long tradition in Vienna. A number of Vienna’s museumsoffer an overview of design past and present.

When they cross the threshold of the attractive red-brick building onVienna’s Ringstrasse, visitors enter a world of furniture, textiles, carpets,wood and metal designs, glass and ceramics. The MAK – Museumof Applied Arts/Contemporary Art is the first port of call for designcollections in Vienna. Founded in 1863 as the Imperial Royal AustrianMuseum of Art and Industry, the MAK’s permanent collection stillbrings together applied arts, design, architecture and contemporary art –bridging antiquity and the present day, from Asian art to the WienerWerkstätte (established in 1903 by Josef Hoffmann andKolomanMoser).The MAK has the largest collection of items produced by WienerWerkstätte in the world.

The new MAK Design Lab is also well worth a visit, presenting designaround everyday themes such as cooking, eating and drinking, seatingand decorating, as it has changed over time. One area displays exhibitsfrom the archive of Helmut Lang, who was born in Austria and is one ofthe most influential fashion designers of the last 30 years.

Meanwhile, at the Hofmobiliendepot Imperial Furniture Collection fur-niture takes center stage, as the name suggests. The former imperial androyal furniture depot was entrusted with looking after the furnishingsused in the various Habsburg households. With a focus on Biedermeierand Historicist styles, the museum provides a fascinating insight intointerior design culture over the centuries, taking in everything from animperial wheelchair to Empress Elisabeth’s bed chamber in the Hungari-an town of Gödöllö to distinctive Thonet bentwood furniture.

The Augarten Porcelain Museum walks visitors through the histo-ry of porcelain making in Vienna from its inception right through to

the present day. And atthe Designforum in theMuseumsQuartier, thefocus is on the creativeindustries and contempo-rary design, with regularexhibitions showcasinggraphic design, multi-media work and productdesign.

HATS OFF TO VIENNESECRAFTSMANSHIPVienna’s hatmakers produce a truly diverse range of headwear. A briefportrait of three unusual businesses.

It speaks volumes that a global celebrity like Brad Pitt makes regular ordersat Vienna’s Mühlbauer Hutmanufaktur. For over 100 years, Mühlbauerhas produced hand-made hats, caps, headbands and other smart headgear.The company has transformed itself from an old, traditional business intoa must-have brand, with stylish shops in the first and seventh districts.

The world of Shmuel Shapira could not be more differ-ent. The hatmaker, from Jerusalem, took over 150-year-old company Szaszi-Hüte a few years ago, including itsoriginal Biedermeier workshop. Located in a courtyardbehind busy Mariahilfer Strasse, the workshop doublesup as a museum – but master craftsman Shapira stillsees customers here and creates individually tailoredgentleman’s hats.

Miss Lillys Hats are special works of art. Designer NikiOsl crafts hats, tiaras, and other elegant headpieces outof high quality vintage flowers, buds, and leaves madefrom velvet, paper, silk and leather. Stars includingLana del Ray and Georgia May Jagger have been spot-ted wearing the Viennese designer’s elegant creations.Her handmade, one-off pieces are stocked by LenaHoschek, Sisi Vienna, Gössl, and the Steffl departmentstore, and are also available from the Miss Lillys Hatsstudio, by appointment.

Vienna Design Week willcelebrate its tenth anniversaryin fall 2016, with around150 separate events exploringdesign from every angle.TIP

Event

Vienna is famed for its coffeehouses and confectioners. Thepopularity of the capital’s best-known coffeehouses is not onlydue to their unique ambiance; the signature cakes are also amajor attraction.

As far as profiles go, the Sacher Torte easily tops the leaderboard,and the best place to enjoy this chocolatey indulgence is whereit is baked using the original recipe: the grand Hotel Sacher inVienna. 360,000 pieces of hand-made Original Sacher Torte areproduced every year and, of these, around a third are polishedoff in the Sacher hotel café. The recipe was dreamt up in 1832by Franz Sacher, while he was working as a kitchen hand at thetender age of 16.

The Hotel Imperial is another establishment with an exclu-sive cake all of its own. Legend has it that the Imperial Tortewas specially made in honor of Emperor Franz Joseph I tomark the hotel’s grand opening in 1873. Strictly speaking, it

is more of a baker’s con-fection than a cake. Butwhatever category it fallsunder, it is best enjoyedat the Café Imperial.

The Imperial Torte: alternating layers of cocoa cream and almond wafer,wrapped in marzipan and chocolate.

Vienna is renowned for itsconfectionery tradition, exemplifiedby the wonderful selection ofcakes on offer.

The emperor's confectionersThe Demel Torte, baked by the court confectioner K. u. K. Hof-zuckerbäcker Demel, is a walnut and chocolate cake toppedwith candied violets made to a special house recipe. Candiedviolets, another Demel specialty, were empress Elisabeth’s fa-vorite. The coffeehouse is renowned for its all-female staff of“Demelerinnen” dressed in black uniforms, who abide by the200-year-old tradition of only addressing the customers indi-rectly: “Is madam ready to order?”

Gerstner K. u. K. Hoflieferanten in Palais Todesco on KärntnerStrasse also has a history dating back to imperial times. AntonGerstner had the idea for the café’s Gerstner Torte following avisit to the 1867 International Exposition in Paris. So it is nosurprise that the cake features a classic French ganache glaze.

Café Central in Palais Ferstel (designed by Heinrich Ferstel) isworth a visit for its Venetian and Florentine architecture alone.At the turn of the twentieth century it was known as a meet-ing place of novelists and playwrights, with regulars includingFranz Kafka, Arthur Schnitzler and Peter Altenberg. However,they wouldn’t have been able to order a slice of Café CentralTorte since it wasn’t until 2000 that the chocolate and marzi-pan cake with bittersweet orange essence was first added tothe menu.

Café Sperl is a byword for Viennese coffeehouse culture withlovingly preserved original nineteenth-century interiors, includ-ing billiard tables. Its delicious Sperl Torte has a special choco-late and almond frangipane containing vanilla and cinnamon.The patisserie and café Kurkonditorei Oberlaa is a relative new-comer, but multiple locations ensure that Oberlaa Kurbad Tortecan be enjoyed throughout the city. The cake is constructed fromalternating thin layers of nut and chocolate cream.

Chic treatsCafé Landtmann opened on the Ringstrasse in 1873. It is oneof the few remaining original Ringstrasse coffeehouses, and aliving reminder of the grand boulevard’s golden age. Locatedclose to the Parliament building, City Hall and the Burgtheater,it counts politicians and actors among its regulars. A specialtyof the house is Landtmann’s elegant cake with orange marzipan,nougat and a hazelnut base. It also has its own range of celebra-tion cakes in contemporary designs: the Landtmann collection,created by Viennese design studio Lucy.D, and winner of the2015 Wallpaper Design Award.

Coffee and cake fit for an emperor at thecoffeehouse of court confectioner Demel

A SLICE OF VIENNESETRADITION

Only a handful of employees are entrustedwith the secret recipe for the Original Sacher

Torte. Head confectioner Alfred Buxbaumis one of the chosen few: “One of the big

secrets is the combination of differentchocolates that we use for the icing.”

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Text: Susanne Kapeller

EMPORIUMS WITHEATERIESMany of Vienna’s stores have their own restaurants, cafés or bars where shopped-outcustomers can take a break and relax.

Some of the restaurants in Vienna’s most exclusive supermarkets have excellent repu-tations. Once one of the best in town, Meinl am Graben’s restaurant is well on its wayto returning to its former glory. The Merkur on Hoher Markt has engaged top chef KimSohyi, and serves up first-rate Asian cuisine. Hansen, in the Stock Exchange, shares thebasement floor with the luxury florists Lederleitner, who ensure that the restaurant hasa ready supply of eye-catching floral arrangements. Deli-cum-design showroom MarcoSimonis Bastei 10 is also a lovely place to have a bite to eat or glass of wine.

Located in a beautiful nineteenth century mansion house, the spectacularly designedconcept store and cafe-bar Supersense sells analogue photography products and lovinglymade delicacies from artisanal producers. At das Möbel, all of the beautifully designedfurniture is for sale, and the café’s customers can try out the chairs and tables over coffeeand cake. Similarly, the laid-back café Phil is also a functioning showroom for its retrofurniture, and sells books, records and DVDs. Guests eating at specialist cookery bookshopBabette’s sit amongst the books and spice racks.

Rock fans love Addicted to Rock, where they can also sample local craft beer once theyhave found some outfit matching the motto of the shop. Burggasse 24 offers a stylish mix-ture of second-hand store and café culture. Sneak-In, another popular hipster haunt, is acombination of hippy streetwear fashion store and trendy café. Meanwhile, at Radlagerguests can check out the vintage bicycles on sale while enjoying first-class coffee, snacksand cocktails.

VIENNA’SVINEYARDSVienna is the only major world capital with an extensive winegrowingindustry operating within its city limits. Around 700 hectares of vine-yards shape the cityscape, among which there are a few very specialones.

Vienna’s smallest vineyard, measuring just a few square meters, can befound right in the heart of the city at Schwarzenbergplatz 2. Every year,the mayor of Vienna harvests the grapes in person. The 50 or so bottles ofWiener Gemischter Satz field blend in each vintage are auctioned off forcharity.BackwhenSchönbrunnPalacebelongedtoempressMariaTheresathe grounds of the park were used to produce wine. Inspired by this tradi-

tion, the modern day winemakers of the WienWein group decidedto revive the custom a few years ago with their Liesenpfennig, aWiener Gemischter Satz named after the grape varieties grown in

the historic vineyard. It’s not easy to come by and each year’s vin-tage is sold at an online auction. The City even operates its own

60-hectare winery, Weingut Cobenzl, which is one of Vienna’stop producers. The Vienna Woods are also well-known for

excellent wines. In 2005 the woods were declared a bio-sphere reserve by UNESCO, a title given to outstand-

ing cultural and natural landscapes. The year’sbest wines are awarded the BiosphärenparkWein label.

Wonderful views from the Weingut Cobenzl winery,which is operated by the City of Vienna.

Marco Simonis has transformed an oldprintworks at Dominikanerbastei into acafé with a deli and design store.

The Gemischter Satz DAC Liesenpfennig from the Schönbrunn Palacevineyard is something of a rarity.

Enjoy a coffee or browse thebooks in Phil’s laid-back livingroom atmosphere.

Supersense is an interesting mix of café and store, sellinghandcrafted products such as visiting cards and analoguetechnology including instant cameras and old printing presses.

Wiener Gemischter Satz named after the grape varieties grown in the historic vineyard. It’s not easy to come by and each year’s vin-tage is sold at an online auction. The City even operates its own

60-hectare winery, Weingut Cobenzl, which is one of Vienna’s top producers. The Vienna Woods are also well-known for

excellent wines. In 2005 the woods were declared a bio-sphere reserve by UNESCO, a title given to outstand-

ing cultural and natural landscapes. The year’s best wines are awarded the BiosphärenparkWein label.

the grounds of the park were used to produce wine. Inspired by this tradi-tion, the modern day winemakers of the WienWein group decided to revive the custom a few years ago with their Liesenpfennig, a Wiener Gemischter Satz named after the grape varieties grown in the historic vineyard. It’s not easy to come by and each year’s vin-tage is sold at an online auction. The City even operates its own

60-hectare winery, Weingut Cobenzl, which is one of Vienna’s top producers. The Vienna Woods are also well-known for

excellent wines. In 2005 the woods were declared a bio-sphere reserve by UNESCO, a title given to outstand-

ing cultural and natural landscapes. The year’s best wines are awarded the BiosphärenparkWein label. In empress Maria Theresa’s day

the grounds of SchönbrunnPalace contained a vineyard.

In September viennacontemporary gets the fall cultural calendaroff to a bright start for international experts and collectors. Thefair presents a broad selection of Central and Eastern Europeancontemporary art. At the event, which also features a packed fringeprogram, leading Austrian and international galleries give pride ofplace to up-and-coming artists. viennacontemporary plays out inthe Marx Halle, a former cattle market, and an architectural gemin its own right. Built at the end of the 19th century to blueprintsdrawn up by the architect Rudolf Frey, it was Vienna’s firstwrought iron building.ViennaArtWeek picks up the baton in November, providingamagnet for contemporary art aficionados for a whole week.Exhibition openings, artist tours, gallery tours led by curators,studio days, performances, as well as tours taking in architecturalhighlights and public works of art are just some of the highlights.In March, Art Austria transforms the capital into a mecca forfollowers of Austrian artists, with around 50 exhibitors presentingart from a range of eras over a four-day period. Prachensky,Schmalix and Hammerstil are just some of the big names to lookforward to.

Culture

Museums TheMuseumsQuartierWien (MQ) is a perfect example

of how adept Vienna is at bringing together Baroque andmodern architecture. 15 years ago the former imperialstables were transformed into the MQ, one of the ten largestcultural complexes on the planet. It is also home to a pair ofcontemporary art museums.Themumok – museum of modern art ludwig foundation viennahouses a collection of more than 10,000 works, making it thelargest modern and contemporary art museum in Central Europe.Claes Oldenburg, YokoOno, Günter Brus and Gerhard Richterare among the artists on show here. The mumok also ownsthe world’s largest museum collection of works of VienneseActionism.Right next door, the KunsthalleWien also shows world-classcontemporary art. Themed exhibitions give an insight intodevelopments inmodern art and their influence on currenttrends in the art world.Its offshoot, the KunsthalleWienKarlsplatz, has established itselfas a flexible, experimental exhibition venue.The 21er Haus, which focuses on post-war Austrian art, isparticularly interesting from an architectural point of view.Created by star architect Karl Schwanzer as the Austrian pavilionat the 1958 World Exhibition, it re-opened in Vienna in 1962 as amuseum for 20th century art. In 2011 the building was adaptedby Adolf Krischanitz and renamed the 21er Haus.The Baroque Augarten contains arts patron Francesca Habsburg’sThyssen-Bornemisza ArtContemporary (TBA21), which hosts anunusual contemporary program with a constantly changing line-up of exhibitions and performances.Fans of contemporary photography would be well advised tohead for the Kunst HausWien, which has hosted numerous soloexhibitions devoted to big names such as Michel Comte, AnnieLeibovitz and Linda McCartney over the years. 2016 marks its25th anniversary.

Artinpublicspaces

Since it was set up in 2007 KÖR GmbH(KÖR stands for Kunst im öffentlichenRaum – art in public space) has been thedriving force behind 36 permanent and100 temporary projects in the capital.Anyone moving around the city bypublic transportation is in with a chanceof coming into contact with 30 suchcontemporary artworks. One examplecan been found at Karlsplatz, where theconcept artist ErnstCaremelle created afresco-like wall painting in the underpasslinking the opera house and Karlsplatz fora 2013 renovation project. The work runson both sides of the walkway for morethan 70 meters in each direction. Anotherinstallation can be found in the mezzaninefloor at Karlsplatz – a computer-generatedtubular motif created by Peter Koglerto symbolize the complexities of thetransportation network.Meanwhile, the walls of the subterraneantramstop at Laurenzgasse feature an ivydesign, courtesy of an intervention byHeimoZobernig entitled “Natur undWand” (nature and wall).There are also examples of variouscontemporary superstars’ work dottedaround the city in various above-ground spaces. Sometimes they takea bit of finding – such as FranzWest’sGerngrosssäule at the foot of the Rahlstiegesteps on Mariahilfer Strasse. Andsometimes they even take on a slightlyunsettling form, like ErwinWurm’s meltedsailing boat, which looks as though itcould slip off the roof of a hotel nearthe Hauptbahnhof main station at anymoment.

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Restaurants Fine food in a stylish setting adds flavor to any dining experience.

And at Kussmaul it’s not just the menus that are creative. Here,the architects from BEHF have created a stunning interior usingoiled oak tables, walnut chairs and mirrors with futuristic-lookingtable lamps. Upscale Japanese eatery Shiki takes a different linewith a thoroughly modern aesthetic. The restaurant, which offersauthentic cuisine with a European twist, was opened by violinistand composer Joji Hattori in 2015. BEHF came up with plentyof individual details, from the handmade and hand-paintedtraditional Japanese paper ceiling in the brasserie to the pianolacquer wall in the “fine dining” room.At Skopik & Lohn diners eat beneath a genuine work of art. OttoZitko’s ceiling painting adds another layer to theWiener Schnitzelexperience, and the restaurant has a loyal following thanks to itsFrench-inspired dishes.Elsewhere,Das Loft offers high-quality cosmopolitan cuisine.The backlit ceiling of this 18th-floor restaurant was created bymediaartist Pipilotti Rist. This eye-catching illuminated ceiling provides aninteresting counterpoint to the otherwise understated interior. The tablesalso offer sensational 360° views of Vienna.

Galleries

There are 40 galleries in Vienna which show andsell contemporary art all year round. The majoritycan be found in the historic city center, withEschenbachgasse and Schleifmühlgasse in the fourthdistrict being the main hotspots.Slightly further afield, the Brotfabrik, a formerindustrial bakery in the 10th district, now housesten different contemporary art institutions. Built in1900, the historic complex has provided a home forworkshops, galleries and showrooms since 2009.Photography buffs will be in their element atGalerieOstLicht. A branch of Westlicht, it regularly hostsspecial exhibitions featuring interesting artists suchas Brian Adams and David LaChapelle.TheWestLicht photography museum is a repositoryfor valuable historic cameras, specialist equipmentand exceptional prints. Photographic and cameraauctions and the annual World Press Photoexhibition are among the other highlights.

Music Vienna is much more than the musical home of Mozart and Strauss – the city also has a

strong tradition of promoting New Music. At the start of the 20th century, theWiener Schulecomposers headed by Arnold Schoenberg and his protégées Alban Berg and Anton Webernplayed a key role in the development of contemporary music. It was here that the twelve-tonetechnique first saw the light of day.It comes as no surprise to discover that Vienna hosts one of the world’s leading contemporarymusic festivals. Launched in 1988,WienModern brings the musical avant-garde to Viennaevery November. Works by respected contemporary composers such as Friedrich Cerha, OlgaNeuwirth and Georg Friedrich Haas take center stage, flanked by a series of portrait concerts,workshops and discussion events.Two groups at theWiener Konzerthaus have secured a loyal following over recent years,elevating them to the capital’s music establishment in the process.Comprising 24 musicians from 10 different countries, the Klangforum ensemble is given overto contemporary music. Phace, one of Austria’s most innovative and diverse ensembles, is athome in multiple disciplines, regularly teaming up with musicians and guests from differentgenres for joint performances.

Text: Andrea KostnerIllustration: Dennis Eriksson

GREEN,GREENER,VIENNA850 parks and green spaces, 100,000 trees lining the streets,1.2 million flowers in summer: Vienna leads theway in Europe,with virtually no other major city able to claim anywhere nearthe same amount of public green spaces as theAustrian capital.

But its parks and gardens have not always been open to the pub-lic: for centuries many of these recreational areas, often used ashunting grounds, were the strict preserve of the nobility. ThePrater, formerly an untouched natural wetland, is a case in point.For a long time simply setting foot inside this area, later used asthe reigning monarch’s private imperial hunting grounds, wasstrictly prohibited. 250 years ago – on April 7, 1766 – EmperorJoseph II finally opened up the Prater to the general public, amilestone which will be marked with various events during the2016 anniversary year. Today it is Vienna’s largest recreationzone, and home to the amusement park affectionately known asthe Wurstelprater.

Baroque gardensThe Augarten, home to Vienna’s oldest Baroque formal gardens,is located in the city’s geographical center. The gardens werelaid out in the middle of the seventeenth century in the prevail-ing French style of the day. Unwilling to keep this magnificentspace from his subjects, Joseph II issued a decree that on May 1,1775 would see the Augarten become the first imperial gardento be opened to the public. Today it houses various cultural in-stitutions such as the Augarten Porcelain Manufactory and theVienna Boys’ Choir as well as sports facilities, an outdoor familyswimming pool, playgrounds and a plant nursery.

The Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater park is one of Vienna’s best known landmarks.It was built in 1897 to mark Emperor Franz Joseph’s 50th jubilee.

Gardens for everyoneWhat do Johann Strauss, Franz Schubert and Anton Brucknerhave in common, except music? The answer is that statues of allthree can be found in the Stadtpark. No other park in the citycan boast as many monuments, the most famous of which is agilt likeness of the waltz king, Johann Strauss Jr. The Stadtparkopened on August 21, 1862 as the city’s first purpose-built pub-lic park. Based on year-round blooms and a wide range of flora,the planting philosophy in place at the park helps to create abrightly colored oasis of tranquility in the heart of the city. Stadt-park also offers something for the gourmets out there, in the formof the fêted restaurants Steirereck and Meierei.

Originally laid out as the exhibition space for the Vienna Inter-national Garden Show, the Donaupark was completed in 1964at the same time as the Donauturm tower. The Donauparkbahnmini railway – still in action to this day – and a chair lift wereused to ferry visitors around the huge area. After the success ofthe first instalment, a second garden exhibitionwas held in 1974in what is now known as the Kurpark Oberlaa. Arranged indifferently themed areas, the park features a Japanese garden,a romantic garden and a shrubbery, all of which provide an en-during reminder of the show. Over the years, an allergy garden,flower maze and petting zoo have been added. It is definitelyworth a visit thanks to the incredible variety of plants and exotictrees on display.

The porcelain manufactory in the Baroque Augarten Palace – Europe’s secondoldest porcelain workshop – is famous for its exclusive tableware.

The Kurpark Oberlaa has fresh surprises in store each year with its stunning flower beds. The monuments,pathways and layouts are all heritage listed.

The Austrian Art Nouveau architecture in the Stadtpark was created as partof the measures to regulate the course of the Wienfluss river.

Forever greenPreserving greenery is a key priority for the city, with plansin the pipeline to add new green spaces and recreation zonescovering some 15 million square meters of space over the nextfew years. One such project, the Wiental terraces will see giantsundecks installed above the Wienfluss river ready for plantingwith orchard trees and fruit bushes. Green facades, communalgardens and urban gardening – the latter perhaps best illustratedby the Karlsgarten – are among the other alternative concepts atwork in Vienna to increase the amount of greenery in the heartof the city.

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VIENNA ATRUNNING PACERunning is more popular than ever in Vienna, as confirmed by major meetssuch as the Vienna City Marathon as well as a multitude of smaller eventslike the annual Frauenlauf for women and the Vienna Night Run.

There is no end of places to train: one of the capital’s most popular routestakes in the tree-lined Prater Hauptallee where joggers will find many otherlike-minded souls – in addition to kilometer markers. The countless footpathsthrough the woods and the nearby Heustadlwasser provide vari-ety. But anyone looking to go the extra mile should head for theDanube Island, which at 21-kilometers long is ideal for longerruns. Urban joggers should check out the Danube Canal, whereroutes can be easily extended in both directions if desired.

For those who like to combine sport and culture, the Ringstrasseboulevard is the obvious choice. Like gemstones on a necklace,one monumental building follows the next: the University, CityHall, Parliament and Opera buildings are just some of the sightsthat line the way. But here too, green diversions are in plenti-ful supply thanks to the Volksgarten, Burggarten and Stadt-park. The grounds of Schönbrunn Palace are ideal for a spot ofsightrunning, where joggers that scale the hill leading up to theGloriette are rewarded with a fantastic view.

Anyone wishing to jog through the Lobau, part of the DonauAuenNational Park, will need to plan in a little extra travel time.But it’s worth the trip: more than 800 species of plants, as wellas beavers, white-tailed eagles and other animals live in thesewetlands. The wealth of trails through the ancient Vienna woodsand the Lainz Game Reserve in the western part of the city areguaranteed to get even the most seasoned jogger’s pulse racing.Especially so at dusk, when the stags, deer and wild boar comeout to play.

NATURE’S BOUNTYHorticulturalists will be in their element in Vienna, with a range of differently-themedgardens to choose from.

Alpine Garden at the BelvedereEurope’s oldest Alpine garden was created in 1803. It shows the Austrian Federal Gar-dens’ precious collection of historic Alpine plants and was relocated to the grounds ofthe Belvedere in 1865. It is now home to more than 4,000 Alpine and mountain plantsfrom all over the world. The Alpine garden also includes more than 100 examples ofJapanese bonsai trees.

University of Vienna Botanical GardensThe botanical gardens managed by the oldest university in the German-speaking worldboast 11,500 species of plants and flora from six continents. Examples are cultivated fora mixture of research, conservation and the enjoyment of the public.

Schönbrunn park Citrus CollectionThe collection at the Schönbrunn park includes 500 plants consisting of 100 varietiesand species, around 25 of which are historic. The first citrus fruits were grown here backin 1647. Special varieties with evocative names such as Buddha’s hand are on show fromMay to September at the Crown Prince Garden.

Japanese gardens in ViennaLandscaped in typical Japanese style, the Setagaya park in Döbling is rich in symbolismwith stone statues, a waterfall, pond and authentic plants from the Land of the RisingSun. Floridsdorf is home to the smaller Tora-San park. Other Japanese gardens can befound at the Kagran school garden and the Kurpark Oberlaa (Takasaki garden).

A bed of rosesThe Volksgarten rose garden is famous for its sheer variety. The 400 different types ofroses growing on 4,000 bushes right next to the Ringstrasse boulevard are a feast for theeyes, particularly when they are in full bloom.

The Danube Island is an important part of Vienna’s flood water defensesand one of the capital’s most popular recreation zones.

The bonsai collection contains a number ofspecimens that are over 100 years old.

Text: Angelika Öttl

Donaukanaltreiben showcases the bar andrestaurant scene on the Danube Canal with

concerts and culinary delights.

The Gürtel Nightwalk showcases Austrian andinternational acts in the area’s venues and on open

air stages – admission is free

The Danube Island is a recreationarea and party zone rolled into one.

Muse’s appearance was ahighlight of the first Rock inVienna festival for tens of

thousands of fans.

The Danube Island Festival:a three-day extravaganza featuringover 600 hours of music

FESTIVALS GALOREEvery year the Danube Island, the Danube Canal and Gürtelring road are transformed into festival sites with numerousstages, offering an opportunity to take in concerts, DJ sets andculinary highlights while discovering a special part of Viennaat the same time.

Of all the music events that take place across the capital, the leg-endary Danube Island Festival is the most impressive. Europe’sbiggest open air festival is held over an entire weekend everyJune – and entry is free. Around three million visitors are expect-ed on the Danube Island when it plays out for the 33rd time in2016. Around 1,500 artists will treat fans to more than 600 hoursof performances on a dozen different stages, with concerts inevery conceivable genre playing out in parallel: from rock, pop,electronic, indie/alternative, house, hip hop, rap, VienneseWienerlied, Schlager pop and folk all the way to jazz, blues andcabaret. And there are always big names lining up to play on theisland. Austropop star Udo Jürgens performed to an audience of220,000 here in 1992, and over 150,000 fans were at Falco’s un-forgettable concert in 1993, which was briefly interrupted by astorm and a power cut. 2015 featured perennial Austrian groupOpus, vocal legend Anastacia, dance stars AronChupa and ReneRodrigezz as well as rapper Nazar.

Nighttime walksEvery year, the Gürtel Nightwalk transforms the Gürtel beltwayinto the city’s longest music strip for one Saturday in August,when live music fills the air on what is usually one of Vienna’sbusiest traffic routes. The revitalized arches of the former Stadt-bahn railway are home to a young and dynamic bar and restau-rant scene that has become a magnet for Vienna’s hip late nightcrowd. Live bands, DJs and performances take over 17 venuesalong the Gürtel for the Nightwalk, stretching from the centrallibrary on Urban-Loritz-Platz to club B72.

Party on the islandThe Danube Island is man made. Up to 250m wide in places,it forms part of Vienna’s flood water defenses and is one of theAustrian capital’s most popular recreation zones. There is noend of possibilities: walking, running, cycling, in-line skating,windsurfing, swimming and sailing – as well as the annualhighlight, the Danube Island Festival. The festival site occupies4.5 of the island’s 21.1 kilometers. Around 20 themed areasoffer activities for children as well as sports and other activities,alongside the packed program of music. Over 200 concessionstands supply food, drinks and souvenirs to the crowds. Whethervisitors choose to go with the flow or pick out some acts to seefrom the schedule, the city’s biggest annual party on the DanubeIsland is an impressive spectacle.

It’s not the only one though – in June 2015 the island hostedthe inaugural Rock in Vienna festival, presenting the best rockbands in the world on two open air stages: Metallica, Kiss, Museand 29 other acts tore up the hot summer nights. The event is setto return in 2016.

Strolling along the Danube CanalThe Danube Canal is the place to see and be seen at the endof May, when the three-day Donaukanaltreiben music andculture festival attracts 30,000 urbanites. Over the past tenyears, this city-center watercourse has set the scene for a host oflive performances, mainly by Austrian indie bands. Around adozen free stages – including Strandbar Herrmann and SummerStage – provide a packed program. DJ sets, dance workshops,fashion shows, sports and fine food amp up the holiday feelingduring the festival. A yellow Wiener Bootstaxi ferries visitors tothe various stages free of charge – and indoor after show partiesmean the revelry can go on late into the night.

POP TO ELECTRONICOther festivals in Vienna in 2016

• International Accordion FestivalA festival dedicated to an instrument,February 20 to March 20

• Vienna Blues SpringServing up blues from March 20 to April 30.

• sound:frameApril is all about visualizations for electronic music.

• Electric SpringMuseumsQuartier plays host to the electronic musicscene in April.

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Melody Gardot is clearly impressed by the sheer variety ofculture on offer in Vienna. Appearing at the 2015 ViennaJazz Festival was a special moment for her.

Ephraim the bear and his fellowensemble member Sigrid Hauser in

the musical Hello, Dolly.

MAD ABOUT MUSICALSVienna has its share of diehard fans that followmusical stars wherever they perform,go to see the same production umpteen times or help to compose witty fan lyrics forthe closing night of their favorite show.

And the Austrian capital has plenty to offer with a diverse program of shows runningthroughout the year in a number of theaters.

At the Ronacher, a new production of Evita will premiere in March after the run ofMary Poppins finishes, then in autumn it will be time for some entertainment courtesyof old hands Don Camillo & Peppone. The Raimund Theater meanwhile is presentingMozart!, which will be followed by Emanuel & Eleonore. This new and quintessentiallyViennese musical portrays Emanuel Schikaneder – actor, theatre director and writer ofthe libretto for Mozart’s The Magic Flute – and the story of the love of his life.

Opera, operettas, ballet and musicals all feature in the Volksoper’s program, with the spot-light turning on musicals especially during the venue’s Musical Weeks. From January toJuly, audiences will be treated to a selection of six classic musicals including My FairLady, Fiddler on the Roof, TheWonderful Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music.

A bear that would recount tales from behind the scenes at the Volksoper once had itsvery own German-language blog. The teddy bear was originally won at a sideshowstall on a trip to Vienna’s Prater funfair by the cast of the Volksoper’s production ofHello, Dolly. They named him after Dolly’s late husband in the musical, Ephraim Levi,and he immediately became an honorary member of the ensemble. Ephraim shared histales of rehearsals and performances, his travels, concerts, sailing trips and other experi-ences with musicals fans on his blog.

Ephraim’s tips for fans of musicalsDon’t whistle! It’s seriously frowned upon in the theatre as it brings bad luck. The super-stition dates back to the timewhen theatreswere still lit by gas-fired lamps, and awhistlewas a very bad sign.

You might see someone spitting the words “Toi, Toi, Toi” over a cast member’s left shoul-der before a show. And don’t be surprised – artists will never say thank you for this orany other good luck wishes, since that could bring bad luck instead.

Flowers for the premiere must always be given after the performanceand not before!

VIENNA FOR JAZZAFICIONADOSLive concerts are the lifeblood of jazz music. Vienna’s count-less jazz clubs offer live sessions almost daily, and there aretwo major festivals each year to look forward to.

The Austrian capital has a thriving jazz scene, and its annualfestivals draw international stars. The Vienna Jazz Festival of-fers much more than cool jazz – soul, funk, pop, electronic andworld music acts all feature, with performances at top venuesincluding the Vienna State Opera and City Hall’s colonnadedcourtyard.

The whole of November is dedicated to the genre, when thecity’s clubs celebrate a month of jazz and blues at the Vienna

Jazz Floor Festival. Thepacked program plays outat venues including Jazz-land, Porgy & Bess andSargfabrik.

A sea of red glow sticks lights up the auditorium at the Ronacher at the finalperformance of The Visit.

Artists including Louie Austen and Thomas Quasthoffserve up something different at the Vienna State Opera

for the Vienna Jazz Festival.

• Popfest WienKarlsplatz sets the stage for around 50 Austrian pop acts atthe end of July.

• Vienna Summer BreakHundreds of DJs spin the wheels of steel in 60 differentvenues during August.

•Waves ViennaPerformances from alternative, rock and club acts in October.

• KlezMore FestivalJewish klezmer music draws the crowds in November.

• Voice ManiaThis festival takes place towards the end of the year andcelebrates the versatility of the human voice.

Austria’s avant-garde pop scene takes thestage at Popfest Wien.

Text: Susanna Burger

Brunnenmarkt in 1950. Dating backto 1150, the history of Vienna’smarkets is brought to life at theMarktamtmuseum (FloridsdorferMarkt, group tours on request).

MARKETS,MARKETSEVERYWHEREThe exotic Naschmarkt is picked out as a highlight in every guide to Vienna. But the other 20 orso markets in the city are also bursting with life, color and new discoveries.

With 160 stands, the Brunnenmarkt is the longest permanent street market in the whole of Europe.Here, a multicultural clientele can be found making their way between the stands, which are ladenwith everything shoppers might need. Brightly colored fresh fruits and vegetables can be foundalongside a plethora of meats and cheeses, spices, nuts and dried fruits from all over the world, aswell as plastic toys and household goods.

Behind the stands, small cafés serve drinks and snacks to passing trade, while Turkish bakers offerfreshly baked flatbread and Baklava dripping with honey. At the far end of the market on the expan-sive Yppenplatz square, which stays busy until late in the night, a dozen cafés and restaurants haveoutdoor seating virtually all year round – popular choices include fish restaurant An-Do and creativenew arrival, Yppenplatz 4.

Another local gem, the Karmelitermarkt, is located just a few minutes’ walk from the Danube Canal.Its bricks and mortar market stands are surrounded by imposing late nineteenth century Gründer-zeit apartment buildings. One of the stands, Tewa am Markt, serves gourmet organic cuisine. Fresh,healthy, local and nutritious – the produce on sale at the farmers’ market is inspired by the slowfood movement. On Fridays and Saturdays crowds of people flock to the market square to pick upcertified organic fruits and vegetables, home-made cakes and pastries and flowers from Vienna andthe surrounding area.

Around the corner from the Volksoper, the Kutschkermarkt is the deli counter among Vienna’smarkets. Particularly on Saturdays, it is the place to go for locally produced fruits and vegetables,Austrian cheeses and organic meats as well as specialties such as Mangalitza pork sausages andPannonian pasta. Visitors can also treat themselves to a full range of home-made delicacies forbreakfast at Pöhl’s deli.

Organic produce is slightly farther down the list of priorities at the Viktor-Adler-Markt in the tradi-tional working class district of Favoriten. With a huge selection of products on offer, from meat topreserves to textiles, it feels more like a busy open-air supermarket. The neighboring farmers’ marketis home to some of the loudest traders anywhere in town. As is the case with all the capital’s markets,the majority of the wares on sale are sourced from a wholesale market in the south of Vienna whichpumps around 300,000 of tons of produce into the city each year.

The Meiselmarkt is Vienna’s only surviving indoor market. The stands, mainly butchers, are locatedbeneath the vaulted ceiling of a former water tower and cater primarily to Vienna’s Turkish popula-tion with premium Halal lamb, veal and beef products as well as sheep’s and goat’s cheese, Sarmacabbage served straight from the barrel, canned food and dry goods from the Bosphorus.

The Hannovermarkt also has a distinctly Turkish flavor. By contrast, the flea market on the fringesalmost looks lost. One noticeable feature is that people really take their time – except on Saturdayswhen the 700 square meter farmers’ market adds fresh local produce to the mix.

Bon vivants are also magnetically drawn towards the relaxed Rochusmarkt, the bijou Nepomuk-Vogel-Marktwhere the stand Kaufmannsladen has a strict focus on local produce and theMeidlingerMarkt, home to popular eateries Milchbart and Purple Eat.

Fresh fruit and vegetables fromVienna’s outskirts – the capital’smarkets work their way through300,000 tons each year.

The market delis such as La Salvia onYppenplatz are great places to pick uprare delicacies.

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SHOPPING IN STYLEShopping streets, meeting places, gourmet strips and catwalks – Vienna’s pedestrianized zones have anumber of different sides to them...

Stephansplatz, slap bang in the heart of the historic city center: a never-ending stream of pedestrians emergingfrom the underground exit – alone, in pairs and in groups of all sizes. People are everywhere, the air filledwiththe sound of dozens of languages and everyone on the move. The only people not on their feet are those luckyenough to find an open spot on one the countless benches, taking in the surrounding mansion houses, gazingat St. Stephen’s Cathedral or looking up at the postmodern Haas Haus building. This is everyday life in theGolden U, the name given to the pedestrianized area comprisingKärntner Strasse, Graben andKohlmarkt – thelargest and busiest in the capital.

On Saturdays these streets welcome around 65,000 people, most of them out shopping. Alongside sidewalkcafés, this part of the first district is home to former purveyors to the imperial court such as gentlemen’s tailorKnize and luxury glassmaker J. & L. Lobmeyr, as well as big name international brands like Cartier, Chanel,Dior, Gucci, Hermès, Jil Sander and Tiffany. Elsewhere, chains such as Zara and Peek & Cloppenburg carry thelatest fashions. At the end of Kohlmarkt there is the Goldenes Quartier, where upscale brands such as SaintLaurent, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Brioni, Alexander McQueen and Miu Miu cater to the luxury end of the market.

In total, Vienna has more than 90 separate pedestrianized areas covering some 337,000 square meters, the latestof which was created on Mariahilferstrasse in 2014. Lined with mature trees, this broad shopping street ispunctuated with benches and raised flower beds. Up to 60,000 people pass through each day including manycyclists –unlikemostof theotherpedestrianizedareas,bikesareallowedon“MaHü”,whereeverythingrevolvesaround shopping. Large department stores such as Gerngross, international fashion chains including Benetton,Diesel, Desigual, Mango and New Yorker lead the way, alongside electronics retailers, drug stores, perfumeries,accessories shops, bars and stylish cafés. Neubaugasse, Lindengasse and Kirchengasse, three of the side streetsaround Mariahilfer Strasse, are packed with creative and trendy boutiques.

Life on Meidlinger Hauptstrasse, where the focus is on great value jewelry, takes a more leisurely pace bycomparison. On weekdays around 20,000 people visit this spacious precinct which is lined with one sidewalkcafé after another. Favoritenstrasse is a more lively affair: around 38,000 people come here each day to visitstores such as the Columbus Center whose facade is dominated by a giant glass egg. Others come for the budgetclothing, cellphone accessories and fast food outlets. The benches on this kilometer-long shopping street arealways in high demand – particularly those on Reumannplatz nearest the art deco Amalienbad swimming pooland the famous Tichy ice creamparlor. Back in the old town, Tichy’s famous competitor Zanoni has an outdoorseating area in Vienna’s shortest pedestrianized zone, the 21-meter long Lugeck.

Luxury labels and elegant storefronts: shopping at the Goldenes Quartier

Footfall in the pedestrianizedzone on Graben passes the65,000 mark at peak times.

Illuminating design at Lichterloh, just round thecorner from shopper’s paradise Mariahilfer StrasseGUIDED GOURMET TOURS

• The tours offered by theGTOUR team cover a wide range of topics – from the Karmeliter-markt to the Naschmarkt and sweet Vienna to the Tour d’amour. www.gtour.at

• Peter Nowak is something of an expert when it comes to exotic flavors. So it’s hardly sur-prising that hisNaschmarkt tours are full of surprises for all the senses. www.theagency.at

• Wiener Sinnestour spirits its guests away on culinary tours of the Kutschkermarkt and theHannovermarkt. www.wienersinnestour.com

Tours are held in English and German. Other languages available on request. Delicacies and curios are the orderof the day at the Naschmarkt fleamarket (U4: Kettenbrückengasse) –an El Dorado for bargain hunters

and collectors every Saturday.TIP

Explorers

Text: Paul Daniel

The sounds at Sass Music Club arealways bang on the money. And theclub itself also has something for theeye to behold – oceans of gold leafand 100 crystal chandeliers.

The party isn’t confined to the Volksgarten Pavillon – the Volksgarten disco and theSäulenhalle next door have also shaped the capital’s nightlife for years.

PARTY TIME,ALL THE TIMEThere’s always a party going on somewhere in Vienna and noend of reasons to pack a party outfit and dancing shoes.

MondayCabaret Fledermaus, a stalwart of Viennese nightlife sincethe 1930s and one of the most original and musically eclecticevent locations in the capital is the ideal place to get the partyweek underway. Anyone looking for a more quieter start to theevening should opt for a Martini at the chic Loos American Bararound the corner.

TuesdayOn Tuesday it’s time to head for Flex, one of the oldest night-clubs in the city. For years now, Flex has been serving up thevery best in techno and house to electronic music devotees. Stillhome to the best sound system around, partygoers can literallyfeel the bass here. Countless top international DJs have got be-hind the decks here over the years. Talking of Tuesdays: call in atVolksgarten Pavillon from May to September, where theTechnoCafé serves up fine sounds to go with its al fresco grill.

FridayOn Friday nights there’s always plenty to keep the late nightcrowd entertained in the area around Praterstern. Pratersaunaplays techno, electro and house on several floors, with theparties spilling outside to the garden and terraces during thesummer months. There is even a pool to enjoy in the afternoons.If nothing other than hip-hop will do, thenVie i Pee is definitelythe place to be. Located right next door to the Pratersauna, theclub is a bastion of hip-hop, rap, soul, funk, jazz and R&B andfeatures eye-catching street art. Back towards Praterstern, andit’s time for Fluc and Fluc Wanne. Upstairs there are often freeparties and concerts, while below in the Wanne it’s an altogetherlouder – and wilder – story. Fluc is one of the undisputed kingsof the capital’s party scene, with alternative music being givencenter stage. On Friday nights the rock fraternity gets together atold favorite U4. The disco’s legendary vaulted cellar has hostedFalco, Prince and Johnny Depp over the years.

SaturdayFor anyone who still has some energy spare after the nightbefore, the Danube Canal is the perfect place to continue the funon a Saturday. A series of fish symbols leads the way to GrelleForelle, where top names from the underground house, technoand minimal scene can be found and international DJs packout the dancefloor. Vienna-based visual artist collective NeonGolden were specially commissioned to create the sound systemfor the club as well as the lighting, which provides a memorablebackdrop to a Saturday night out. Also located on SpittelauerLände, das Werk is a magnet for clubbers with its improvisedindustrial atmosphere and DJs from the capital’s undergroundscene.

SundayHardened party animals make the most out of every last minuteof the weekend at Queen Club or Sass for some after-hours fun.Wherever the party leads – have a great week in Vienna!

WednesdayMid-week drinks taste even better in a laid back atmosphere.Elektro Gönner, a popular haunt with minimalist interiors,offers a daily DJ line up featuring everything from electro,techno and hip-hop to jazz and avant-garde music. There’s alsoplenty of aural satisfaction in store at Futuregarden, as well asthe occasional opening at the gallery next door.

ThursdayThursday marks the official opening of the Viennese partyweekend. Anyone smart enough to find the well-camouflagedentrance is bound to feel at home at Donau. Top cocktails, elec-tronic dance music covering just about every genre imaginableand huge slide projections covering the entire space are at theheart of the bar’s success. And anyone looking to get on thedancefloor should make a beeline for Sass on Karlsplatz whereclub music and a great atmosphere awaits.

Thursday – Donau day!At this hidden techno bar,underground DJs serve up anessential mix of minimal, houseand dubstep all week long.

Text: Angelika Öttl

21WWW.VIENNA.INFO 21

Free hugs in front of the Stadthalle

The public viewing area outside CityHall was bathed in a sea of color.

Same sex lights at the trafficcrossing outside the Stadthalle

What a party. The 60th Eurovision Song Contest took place in Vienna from May 18to 23, 2015. Around 100,000 fans watched the spectacle live at the Wiener Stadthalle.25,000 people fromall over theworldwatched the grandfinal, and cheered onSweden’sMåns Zelmerlöw at the Eurovision Village on Rathausplatz when he took this year’stitle with the song Heroes. The entire city caught Eurovision fever, celebrating a festivalof tolerance and music together in Vienna. That’s 12 points from us!

Fans in front of the Stadthalle

Swedish fans in the party mood

The stage show was an amazing sight.

Israel’s Golden Boys

UK fans

Måns Zelmerlöw won for Sweden with thesong Heroes.

25,000 fans followedthe grand final on

Rathausplatz.

Conchita flew into get the finalunderway.

Waterloo & Robinson live in theEuro Fan Café Vienna

THAT WAS THE60th EUROVISIONSONG CONTESTIN VIENNA

Text: Robert Seydel

SMART TECHNOLOGYFOR ALLFree WiFi is available in many public places throughout thecapital, including the tourist information office on Albertina-platz, Rathausplatz, Stephansplatz, MuseumsQuartier,Naschmarkt, Prater, Danube Island and Westbahnhof. Around400 new access points are set to come online by the endof 2016, offering free internet access and information onthe local area. Check: www.wien.gv.at/stadtplan/en (underCommunication & business – WLAN hotspot) for moreinformation. For a list of restaurants, cafés, hotels and otherplaces offering free WiFi visit www.freewave.at

Text: Martina Polzer

FOR YOUR TRIPTO VIENNA

Vienna Hotels & InfoMonday-Saturday 09:00-19:00Tel. +43-1-24 555Fax +43-1-24 555 666E-mail: info@vienna.infoHotel reservations and information for your stay in the capital

Tourist Info Vienna CenterCorner of Albertinaplatz and Maysedergasse09:00-19:00, dailyInformation, hotel reservations, Vienna Card, brochures,city tours, ticket service, free WiFi and last minute ticketsfor selected venues

Tourist Info ViennaMain StationAt the Austrian National Railways (ÖBB) Info Point09:00-19:00, dailyInformation, hotel reservations, Vienna Card, brochures

Tourist Info Vienna International AirportIn the arrivals hall, Level 007:00-22:00, dailyInformation, hotel reservations, Vienna Card, brochures

VIENNA ONLINEwww.vienna.info is the capital’s online travel guide with allthe information you need to plan a trip to Vienna – availablein 13 languages. The Social Media Wall (www.socialmedia.vienna.info) brings together tips and live feeds from Facebook,Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Instagram.

THE VIENNA CARD

Your passepartout for thewhole city – for only €18.90 or €21.90

Vienna Card holders are entitled to 48 or 72 hours ofunlimited free travel on the entire public transport networkas well as discounts from more than 210 partners includingmuseums, theaters, shops, cafés and Heuriger wine taverns.Children and teenagers aged 14 or under travel free whenaccompanied by a Vienna Card holder. Available from thetourist information offices, your hotel in Vienna, ticket desksand online at www.wienkarte.at

Visit us at•www.vienna.info•www.socialmedia.vienna.info•www.facebook.com/ViennaTouristBoard

•www.facebook.com/GayfriendlyVienna•www.youtube.com/Vienna•www.instagram.com/viennatouristboard

NEW LOOK TOURISTINFO: MODERN &FULLY ACCESSIBLE

The tourist information office on Albertinaplatz was trans-formed into a contemporary info point in 2014 by DeluganMeissl Associated Architects (DMAA). A sophisticated designand the use of premium materials create a functional yetcomfortable aesthetic. Indirect LED lighting illuminates a brasswall which doubles up as a brochure dispenser and bathes theroom in gold light. In addition to comfortable seats, a numberof service points are equipped with tablets. One of them iswheelchair accessible and one of the info desks as well as oneticket counter comes with an inductive sound system for acommunication without any barriers.

VIENNA JOURNALON YOUR TABLETiPad and Android versions of the Vienna Journal can bedownloaded for free. Get more tips, links, images and videos inGerman and English.

Vienna Journal

2016

SchlossSchönbr

unn

FIND OUT MOREABOUT VIENNA

23WWW.VIENNA.INFO

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2016

In May the capital’s leadingcontemporary art galleriesparticipate in the ViennaGalleryWeekend, with apacked program for collec-tors and art fans.

In July and AugustEurope’s largest dancefestival ImPulsTanz comesto town with a blend ofcutting edge choreography,performances andworkshops all over the city.

Let’s waltz... is the familiarcry throughout January andFebruary when the city’sballrooms open their doorsand the whole capital isdancing to the beat of thewaltz. The ball season iswell and truly open!

From May 13-19 theVienna Festival has afantastic cultural programin store. The week-longevent starts with an officialopening ceremony onRathausplatz.

New Year’s Eve in Vienna:the sound of corks poppingand people waltzing inthe streets. Countless liveacts cook up a carnivalatmosphere at the NewYear’s Eve Trail in thehistoric first district.

From classic waltzes todisco hits – avid skaterscan strut their stuff atVienna IceWorld in frontof City Hall from mid-January until the start ofMarch.

Every May traditionalAustrian specialties andregional delicacies aregiven pride of place atthe Culinary Festival inStadtpark.

On April 10 at 09:00the 33rd Vienna CityMarathon will getunderway, taking tens ofthousands of runners pastthe capital’s best-lovedsights.

The NewYear’s Concertis an absolute must for thestart of the year, whetherit’s live at the Musikvereinor on TV at home. On themorning of January 1, 2016,the Vienna Philharmonicwill be conducted byMariss Jansons.

Open air music is theorder of the day in April,May, June and September,when selected operas arebroadcast live on a giantscreen for the Oper live amPlatz season.

Traditional Alpinefun is on the menuat the WienerWiesn-Fest in the Prater fromSeptember 22-October 10when eye-catchingtraditional dresses, toe-tapping Volksmusik andwaistline-busting delicacieshold sway.

Vienna’s Christmasmarkets – such as thetraditional Magic ofAdvent on Rathausplatzand the Culture andChristmas Market in frontof Schönbrunn Palace –help to set the scene for amagical festive period.

Eccentric yet poignant –each May the Life Ball,Europe’s largest Aidscharity event flies the flagfor diversity and solidarity.

Held in front ofSchönbrunn Palace onMay 26, 2016, the SummerNight’s Concert by theVienna Philharmonic isan unmissable highlightfor fans of classical music.Semyon Bychkov takes upthe baton in 2016.

Text: Elisabeth Freundlinger

From June 14 to 18 ViennaPride, organized by thelesbian, gay and trans-gender scene, transformsRathausplatz into a colorfultent camp full with live.The event culminates withthe Rainbow Parade alongRingstrasse on June 18.

1 0 J A H R E O P E R N H A U S

UNSERE OPERNWELTENTDECKEN

SAISON 2015–16

Marschner

HANS HEILINGConstantin Trinks | Roland GeyerRSO Wien | Arnold Schoenberg ChorAngela Denoke, Michael Nagy,Katerina Tretyakova,Stephanie Houtzeel, Peter SonnPremiere: 13. September 2015

Monteverdi

L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEAJean-Christophe Spinosi | Claus GuthEnsemble Matheus | Alex Penda, Jennifer Larmore,Franz-Josef Selig, Valer Sabadus, Christophe Dumaux,Marcel BeekmanPremiere: 12. Oktober 2015

Wagner

DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDERMarc Minkowski | Olivier PyLes Musiciens du Louvre GrenobleArnold Schoenberg Chor | Samuel Youn, Lars Woldt,Bernard Richter, Ingela Brimberg, Ann-Beth SolvangPremiere: 12. November 2015

Britten

PETER GRIMESCornelius Meister | Christof Loy | RSO WienArnold Schoenberg Chor | Kurt Streit,Agneta Eichenholz, Hanna Schwarz,Rosalind Plowright, Andrew Foster-Williams,Andreas ConradPremiere: 12. Dezember 2015

Weill

DIE DREIGROSCHENOPERJohannes Kalitzke | Keith WarnerKlangforum Wien | Arnold Schoenberg ChorAngelika Kirchschlager, Anne Sofie von Otter,Tobias Moretti, Florian Boesch, Markus ButterPremiere: 13. Jänner 2016

Rossini

OTELLOAntonello Manacorda | Damiano MichielettoWiener Symphoniker | Arnold Schoenberg ChorJohn Osborn, Nino Machaidze, Vladimir Dmitruk,Maxim Mironov, Gaia PetronePremiere: 19. Februar 2016

Händel

AGRIPPINAThomas Hengelbrock | Robert CarsenBalthasar-Neumann-EnsemblePatricia Bardon, Danielle de Niese,Jake Arditti, Mika Kares,Filippo MinecciaPremiere: 18. März 2016

Strauss

CAPRICCIOBertrand de Billy | Tatjana GürbacaWiener Symphoniker | Maria Bengtsson,Daniel Schmutzhard, Lars Woldt, DanielBehle, Andrè Schuen, Tanja A. BaumgartnerPremiere: 18. April 2016

Neumeier – Mozart – Tippett – Vivaldi

SHAKESPEARE DANCESSimon Hewett | John NeumeierWiener KammerOrchesterHamburg BallettPremiere: 9. Mai 2016

Frid DAS TAGEBUCH DER ANNE FRANKLeo Hussain | Reto Nickler | Wiener Virtuosen | Juliane Banse

Eröffnung am 10. September 2015:

Ein Unternehmen der Wien Holding

HauptsponsorTheater an der Wien

Tageskasse: Mo-Sa 10 -18 UhrLinke Wienzeile 6 | 1060 Wien

www.theater-wien.at