A short picture tour around the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna.

The main entrance. Here you can see the Fischer von Erlach wing – to recognize it , its the best to get inside the courtyard – it is painted in salmon colors.

The Museum of modern Arts, called Mumok. In the back of it you will se the “Ovaltrakt” – in earlier times the “English Stables” were there.

The white cube of the Leopoldmuseum was bild where before was the “german stable”.

The winter riding hall is today used for big events and called Hall E & G – you will see it at the first sight when you enter the MQ.

The buildings at the courtyard called  ”Staatsratshof” were formely used as saddlery and leather chamber – today you finde here  the Podium, and Combinat  and the Architecture Center.

The circus riding hall is a beautiful half-timbered house – it now serves as a library for the Center for Architecture.

The Summer Riding School – this space got a modern facade and a roof – now you can find the art gallery “Kunsthalle” here.

© Zipser

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The MQ which today is one of the most famous and popular places of Vienna, has a long and not always simple story. The Museum Quarter in Vienna is an example of a successful synergy between baroque, classical and modern architecture, culture and modern spaces. We give a brief insight into the history, the spaces and the symbiosis of old and new, and made a small photo tour with explanations about the former use of the buildings we see today.

Many visitors that walk around the MuseumsQuartier or meet friends for a cup of coffee notice the beautiful horse heads looking down from the gates. Not all oft hem know that once this place was the home of horses and carriages.

The cars we drive today were then horse and carts, and thus a space problem in the city – in beginning of the 18th century even town houses were used for stables, but that wasn’t a long term solution
Emperor Charles VI commissioned in 1713 Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach with the construction of the stables on the edge of the glacis – in front of the outer castle gate. Today, the “Glacisbeisl” reminds of the green belt in front oft he defensive wall of Vienna, which protected the city from potential attackers.

At the beginning it was designed for 600 horses and carriages the stables were already too small in 1764. 1809 Napoleon used the place as a bulwark – which led to bombardments of the stables and damaged many houses in Spittelberg.
In the mid 19th century Franz Joseph I. commissioned Leopold Mayer to transfor the stables and to built the Winter Riding School and the Summer hippodrome –with these expansions the Imperial stables reached the size of those in Versailles.
Empress Elizabeth I. built an arena for her circus horses in the „Sattlerhof“. This is now used as a library. Only the masks decorated with circus horses heads reminds of the original function.

Soon the horses were replaced through the cars and garages were built. Three years after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, the royal stables were used as an exhibition space fort he first time. The Vienna Exhibition Office took over in 1922 so that it was called “Messsepalast” fort he first time. After the Second World War the history of the Museum Quarter as you see it today started. It took many full of changes and discussions until 1995 the preliminary drafts were submitted by architects Laurids and Manfred Ortner. After the opening of the „Kunsthalle“ in 2001 a building after another opened and the museum district started tob e what we know today: a central place of art and culture in Vienna.

The synergy between the different centuries, designs and stories give this place a magical attraction for young and old, interested in art and culinary, sun worshipers and musicians.

In winter as well as in summer, the Viennese people and tourists like to spend their time here. Especially in summer, many visitors spend their time on the so-called “Enzo”, the marvellous seating-accommodations that are presented to the public every year in a new colour. (For 2013, the fans have opted for a specific blue, in German called „Tröpfelbadblau“)

It is a perfect place to enjoy the sun, a coffee and read a good book – you should pass by! You may visit exceptional exhibitions, eat great food or get a cocktail in the evening – the Museums Quarter has so much to offer!

More pictures of the MuseumsQuartier:

More Information:

Museums Quartier Wien

Map:

© Fotocredits: Zipser / Source: Thomas Trenkler “Das Museums Quartier Wien”

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Before Christmas, the Spittelberg is in full swing – people meet at the market to see their friends and families, buying Christmas presents and drinking the traditional “Glühwein”. You should visit this place at least once before Christmas and inhale the Viennese Christmas atmosphere.

In summertime the market at Spittelberg is often forgotten – even though there are wonderful handcraft markets (You can find the dates for 2013 at the end of this article) You should seize the opportunity to pass by – Viennese Handcrafts are special and have a long tradition. Even there isn’t taking place any market – the Spittelberg is worth a visit. It is a wonderful place to take a break, for a beer or enjoy a “Schnitzel” under the beautiful trees. Thanks to the pedestrian zone you nearly won’t be disturbed by traffic noise.

Small, cosy and quite – If you stay a little longer you quickly forget that you are in a big city. Sitting in the centre of Vienna and somehow you could be in the middle of a small village – wonderful.

One reason for the cosiness might be the fact that the Spittelberg was a suburb of Vienna until 1850 and years after got a part of todays “Neubau” zone, the seventh district of Vienna. After a few years as one of the less popular areas of Vienna, it got what it is today: one of the best preserved areas with many houses from the Biedermeier period – narrow streets, good restaurants and pleasant galleries – a place to be, that should be visited at least once in a lifetime.

Dates

For those who want to visit a handcraft market, here are the dates for Spring / Summer 2013:

• 4. – 5. May Handcraft Market
• 1. – 2- June Handcraft Market
• 15. – 16. June “Art & Wine” Wine Market – Wine Tasting Austrian Wines
• 6. – 7. July Handcraft Market
• 3. – 4. August Handcraft Market
• 7. – 8. September Handcraft Market
• 5. – 6. October Handcraft Market

More information:

Map:

Impressions from Spittelberg:

© Zipser

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The production is the original London version of Cats in German. The audience takes part more than ever before in the hustle and bustle of the legendary Cats’ Ball, because up to three quarters of the circular stage is surrounded by rows of spectators. None of the 1800 seats is more than 20 meters from the middle, where the four-legged creatures skulk around on their golden shimmering junk yard.

The story of Cats is based on the literary draft of Nobel Prize winner T. S. Eliot, while the world-famous melodies are by Andrew Lloyd Webber. His Cats songs have written musical history: everyone knows the stirring song “Memory”, sung by stars such as Barbra Streisand and Angelika Milster. Curtain up for Grizabella and the acrobatic silk paws of the “Jellicle” clowder of cats.

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