If you were told that one of Vienna's most popular tourist attractions was a block of council flats, and not one from the inter-war period when Rotes Wien spawned such monoliths as the Karl-Marx-Hof, then you would be forgiven for thinking that your leg was being pulled.
Friedensreich Hundertwasser, ... Read review
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Advantages: Worth seeing for the fact that it is so different Disadvantages: You can only see the outside
If you were told that one of Vienna's most popular tourist attractions was a block of council flats, and not one from the inter-war period when Rotes Wien spawned such monoliths as the Karl-Marx-Hof, then you would be forgiven for thinking that your leg was being pulled.
Friedensreich Hundertwasser, artist and architect, who is either loved or loathed by the Austrians, was commissioned to design a "Gemeindebau" - or council ... ...resulting Hundertwasserhaus has a near "Hansel and Gretel" appearance, being a multi-coloured, convention defying building to say the least. There are trees on the roof and there are irregularly shaped windows, pavements (deceptively flat!) and as with a lot of Hundertwasser's works, a large amount of Vitreo-ceramic tiling. The effect is certainly different, especially when seen from a distance surrounded by blandish Jugendstil blocks. ... more
If you were told that one of Vienna's most popular tourist attractions was a block of council flats, and not one from the inter-war period when Rotes Wien spawned such monoliths as the Karl-Marx-Hof, then you would be forgiven for thinking that your leg was being pulled.
Friedensreich Hundertwasser, artist and architect, who is either loved or loathed by the Austrians, was commissioned to design a "Gemeindebau" - or council tenement block in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The resulting Hundertwasserhaus has a near "Hansel and Gretel" appearance, being a multi-coloured, convention defying building to say the least. There are trees on the roof and there are irregularly shaped windows, pavements (deceptively flat!) and as with a lot of Hundertwasser's works, a large amount of Vitreo-ceramic tiling. The effect is certainly different, especially when seen from a distance surrounded by blandish Jugendstil blocks.
Because it is a tenement block, you cannot go inside, although there is a coffee shop next door, and there you can can information about the interiors. Purists will claim that Hundertwasser's creation is out of place, although it is well worth seeing even if you decide you don't like it. It is a little bit off the beaten track (on the N tram route) or five minutes walk from Rochusgasse U Bahn Station (U3) in Löwengasse. This is certainly something worth taking a look out, perhaps if you are returning from the Prater (home of the Riesenrad).
Advantages: A beautiful, fascinating, historic, cultural masterpiece of a place Disadvantages: Time is too short!!
commemorating the liberation of Vienna. We were told that by treaty this had to be left in place despite its lack of popularity with the older population.
And if all this High Art is too much for you, there is a gallery of modern art (Klimpt) in the golden domed Secession Building. Further down the same road are buildings designed by Otto Wagner including the Majolica House (the outside walls covered with porcelain tiles). Further afield is a more modern and recent apartment block, completed in 1985, the HundertwasserHaus. It is irregularly shaped with odd set windows, varied roof line with roof gardens, spires and domes and is brightly painted in an assortment of colours.
There are also a number of smaller and more personal museums. Tucked away in the upstairs floors of a shop in Kärtnerstrasse is a museum of glass by the Viennese firm ...
Newfloridian 03.08.2003 (06.08.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Vienna in general
Advantages: Great city for a weekend break or even more Disadvantages: can be quite hot in summer
horses who can dance the quadrille and the waltz.
I Imperial Treasury
The Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) is also located in the Hofburg. There you can see the Habsburg crown jewels as well as a collection of secular treasures - quite impressive!
J Jesuits Church
The Jesuitenkirche is one of the many churches in the centre of Vienna, it has a rich baroque decoration, a pulpit inlaid with mother of pearl and beautiful frescos.
K KunstHaus
The KunstHaus is one of the more recent museums, designed by the famous Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Some of his artwork is shown here, as well as various other exhibitions.
Close to the KunstHaus there is the Hundertwasserhaus, a very famous apartment house building in typical Hundertwasser style (no straight lines, no flat floors, a lot of colours, etc.). Some families live in ...
Michael-S 06.07.2001 (23.11.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Vienna (Austria)
