Features

Vienna 2012

30 Nov 2012 by BusinessTraveller

From grand Baroque to modern psychedelia, Jenny Southan finds the Austrian capital a visual treat.

1) SECESSION

Vienna celebrated the 150th anniversary of the birth of Gustav Klimt in 2012 with special exhibitions of his work. It is well worth starting your walking tour of his home city at the Secession building, positioned a short walk from the Museum Quarter. The iconic white gallery, with its dome of golden leaves, was built in 1897 as an exhibition house for the Vienna Secessionists. Founded by Klimt and his contemporaries, the art movement advocated a new kind of modernism with an emphasis on abstract design and pure form. Inside, Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze is a sensual entangling of gorgons, monsters and female nudes with flowing hair painted on to three walls. It was created for the 14th Vienna Secessionist exhibition of 1902 and is considered one of the artist’s most important works.

2) NASCHMARKT

A minute’s walk from the Secession is the buzzing, semi-covered Naschmarkt, which has more than 120 stalls, bars and eateries, and free wifi. Open Monday to Saturday, locals have come here to stock up on fruit, vegetables, cheese and bread since the 1700s – these days, you can also sample cuisine from around the world, be it Turkish, Thai, Chinese or Japanese. After forging your way through the crowds, stopping to sample sausages and beer, take a seat at Fisch Viertel (1,060 am Naschmarkt) for a taste of the sea. For €8.90 you can get three oysters and a glass of prosecco, or if you want to go all out, 30g of black caviar with toast, butter and a glass of champagne is e130. On Saturdays there is a flea market where all manner of dusty trinkets and battered antiques are on sale.

3) WAGNER APARTMENTS

On the right-hand side of the road (Linke Wienzeile) running parallel with the market are two beautifully decorated apartment buildings – one in gold and the other in pink flowers and green lily pads. Both designed by Otto Wagner of the Secessionists, the latter, at number 40, is called Majolica House and was built in 1899. Its hand-painted ceramic tile exterior in art nouveau style was considered ugly compared with the classical Baroque he was rejecting – in fact, walking around the city, you will see that it continues to be unique. The residence at number 38 is embellished with gold palm fronds and other motifs by fellow Secessionist Koloman Moser.

4) KARLSKIRCHE

A short distance away in Resselpark is another architectural gem, located in front of a broad shallow pool with a Henry Moore statue in it. With its pair of pale, carved marble towers, mint-green dome and classical entrance, Karlskirche is typical of Viennese Baroque grandeur. There isn’t a great deal to see inside the ground-floor chapel, but as the frescos inside the dome are being painstakingly restored over the next few years, the church has erected a lift to take visitors up to a 32-metre-high platform to allow a closer look at them. Providing you don’t suffer from vertigo, you can also ascend several sets of steps to the lantern and gaze out across the city.

  • Entry is €6. Open Mon-Sat 9am-12.30pm, 1pm-6pm, Sun 12pm-5.45pm; karlskirche.at

5) DANUBE CANAL

From Karlskirche, take the ten- to 15-minute stroll through Stadtpark and down to the Danube canal, which splits the main Innere Stadt part of the city from Leopoldstadt on the other side (this area is actually an island, because beyond it is again divided, this time by the Danube river, to which the canal joins at either end). The banks of the waterway are transformed in summer, when sand is brought in to create manmade beaches, and local hipsters recline in deckchairs. You will also see pop-up bars selling snacks and drinks, and splashes of vibrant graffiti on the walls. In winter, it is still a pleasant stroll down to the Sofitel hotel. If you have time to do a day trip to Bratislava, you can take a boat (twincityliner.com) to the Slovakian capital in 75 to 90 minutes from the dock opposite the property.

6) SOFITEL HOTEL

If you see this Jean Nouvel-designed hotel from a distance after dark, you will notice the ceiling of its 18th-floor Le Loft bar appearing as a glowing, psychedelic swathe through glass walls at the top. Take the lift up and upon entering the expansive space, which doubles as a restaurant, not only will you be confronted with panoramic views but the Pipilotti Rist creation above you. The artist printed photos of autumn leaves on to canvas panels that are illuminated from behind to create a striking canopy of orange, yellow, magenta and turquoise. Try a signature cocktail – the 18th Floor (€19) mixes Absolut vodka, elderflower, apple juice, sugar and lemon.

  • Open 12pm-2am. Praterstrasse 1; tel +43 1906 160; sofitel.com

Visit austria.info/uk, wien.info/en

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