architecture, Vienna

2 more images

There are three such a small shops, one after another, offering classical look cloks made by the local craftsmen. I cannot say much of its location, but it is definetely in the centre of the town and in a walking distance from the cathedral. Clocks like this one might be a nice memory from Vienna.

4 more images

Lions and dragons, scary faces roaring at you, chunky cherubs struggling with eagles or big fish....

Look up as you walk around central historical Vienna and you'll find them all....and more...

All these within a small area around Stefansplatz.

4 more images

Central Vienna has many, many buildings of the 'frilled and twiddly' type (I'm no expert, so I don't know the exact term for building styles).

It's always worth looking closely at such architecture. There are very often smaller details which are missed at first glance. I especially enjoy looking at the sculpted heads which so often adorn the frontages. Sometimes (as in the photos here) they are almost certainly portraits of ...presumably...the people for whom the building was constructed...

I found all of these within a few streets of Stefansplatz. I'm certain there are many, many more in central historical Vienna.

4 more images

A little further on my wander I passed the Kapuzinerkirche.

This is, of course, the location of the 'Imperial Crypt' where members of the Hapsburg dynasty are interred.

It's quite an old church, dating from the late 1500s, and i poked my nose inside to have a look.

But what really intrigued me, apart from the rather nice ?fresco? above the entrance, was the ironwork on the gates which enclose a huge statue of Pere Marco d'Aviano, once called 'the saviour of Vienna' . In the 1600s he served as preacher in campaigns against the Turks, which is presumably why the gates have images of Turkish warriors.

You can't miss the statue, on the exterior to the left of the church entrance. But do take a moment to look at the gate details: they are rather fun, and a good indicator of warrior costume and weaponry of the time!

You'll find the church on Tegetthoffstrasse, by the Neuer Markt and near to Stefansplatz.

3 more images

I wandered past the Vienna Opera House on my way from Karlsplatz to Stefansplatz.

It's not my sort of architecture..twiddly wedding-cake style isn't. But my eye was caught by a series of energetic (and rather slim) cherubs cavorting in plaques around the side facing Operngasse. I bet there are more on the other side, but I did not check.

I liked them because each plaque showed a cherub doing something entirely different...leaping, skipping, posing, playing the violin...

They looked full of life and pleasure, and they made me smile. Have a look for them when you visit the Opera House!

:-)

4 more images

On my main picture you will see the big entrance-hall of the Palais Kinski, where in the old times the carriages stopped, so the noble people could get out and enter the palais. You may do so as well, when you are lucky enough to be there, while the great gallery & auction-house "Im Kinski" is open.
Get inside and you will first see the great sculptures and the staircase built by L. von Hildebrand, it looks already great from below, but believe me, the best part of it you will find when you dare to step up to the 2nd floor (USA:3rd floor !)

4 more images

In case that you happen to come to Palais Kinski on any workingday between Monday and Friday from 10.00am till 05.00pm: Don't hesitate to step up to the 2nd floor (USA: 3rd floor) of Palais Kinski, because THERE you will find the most beautiful and the most precious part of the building : The top of the stairs made by Lukas von Hildebrandt with the beautiful fresco that you may see on my pictures.
Most probably you will be there on your own, because most tourists don't know of this hidden gem, and also your guide-books will hardly tell you about it.

4 more images

Palais Trautson dates back to the year 1710 and was built by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (1656-1723, he was also the architect of Karlskirche ).
He built the Palais for "Obersthofmeister" Fuerst von Trautson.
Oberst-Hofmeister was one of the highest ranks at the court of the emperor.
Today the Palais is not open for the public, but used by the ministery of Justice and police-officers are guarding there the whole day, so you better behave well !!
You may see it of course from OUTside, like I did, from a small park in front of it.
The Palais is in the 7th district, close to Neubaugasse and Bellaria-Kino.
A-1070 Wien, Museumstrasse 7

4 more images

Take a look at "Vienna's smallest house" in Wien 7, Burggasse 3.
It is just a bit more than 1,45 meters wide and fills a tiny spot between 2 houses and the street and it was built in 1872.
Inside the building is a famous shops for old and new clocks by Friedrich Schmollgruber, a specialist also for repairs of old clock-works of all ages.
Friedrich Schmollgruber also has a shop and a clock-museum in Steyr.
In my last 2 pictures: another quite small house at Spittelberg, in a distance of about 300 meters from Schmollgruberhaus.

4 more images

Look out for the ornaments in Palmenhaus im Hofgarten - they were recently totally restored.The Palmenhaus also offers a great restaurant with a terrace to have coffee in the atmosphere, the emperor and his noblemen used to enjoy . Opposite of palmenhaus you will find one of the few places in the centre of Vienna, where you may spend the day, sitting on the grass of the park called Hofgarten.
Palmenhaus is behind of Albertina and in the backside of Hofburg - it is best to enter it from Ringstrasse.
Next to Palmenhaus you will see the "Schmetterlingshaus" - a building full of exotic butterflies - NOT dead like in Naturhistorisches Museum, BUT alive and flying around !