Page 98 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

96  VIENNA AREA B Y AREA

300 performances are held
every year, including premieres
of new operas. The programme
changes daily. For those that
can’t make a performance,
some events are streamed live
on the internet.
Each year, on the last
Thursday of Carnival, the stage
is extended to create a vast
dance floor for the Vienna
Opera Ball (see p39).
3 Academy
of Fine Arts
The imposing structure of the Vienna State Opera House Schillerplatz 3. Map 4 C1. Tel 588 16
1 Hotel Sacher 2 Staatsoper 22 22. % Karlsplatz. v 1, 2, 71, D.
@ 57A, 59A. Open 10am–6pm Tue–
Philharmonikerstrasse 4. Map 2 B5. Opernring 2. Map 2 B5. Tel 51 444- Sun and public holidays. Closed 1 Jan,
Tel 51 45 60. % Karlsplatz. v 1, 2, 71, 2250. % Karlsplatz. v 1, 2, 71, D. 1 May, 24, 25, 31 Dec. 7
D. @ 2A. ∑ sacher.com @ 2A. ∑ wiener-staatsoper.at ∑ akademiegalerie.at
Hotel Sacher is one of the “must- In May 1869, Vienna’s State The Gemäldegalerie der
see” sights in Vienna. It was Opera House opened to the Akademie der Bildenden
founded by the son of Franz strains of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Künste, as signposted in
Sacher, who created the famous Built in Neo-Renaissance style, German, was built in 1872–6 by
Sachertorte in 1832. Although the opera house initially failed Theophil Hansen as a school
this cake is now sold in almost to impress the Viennese. The and museum. In 1907, Adolf
every café around the city, this distressed interior designer, Hitler applied to be admitted
is its true home and visitors can Eduard van der Nüll, committed but was refused a place on the
treat themselves to a slice in the suicide and, two months later, grounds that he lacked talent.
hotel’s Café Sacher Wien. the architect, August Sicard Today, the academy is both a
The hotel came into its own von Sicardsburg, also died. Yet, research centre and a picture
under Anna Sacher, the founder’s when the opera was hit by an gallery, hosting changing
cigar-smoking daughter-in-law, allied bomb in 1945, the event exhibitions. Its pride is late-
who ran the hotel from 1892 was seen as a symbolic blow Gothic and early-Renaissance
until her death in 1930. She to the city. With a new state-of- works, including some pieces by
collected autographs, and, to the-art auditorium and stage, Rubens, a winged altarpiece by
this day, a vast white tablecloth the opera house eventually Hieronymus Bosch depicting the
signed by Emperor Franz reopened on 5 November Last Judgement and works by
Joseph I is on display. During 1955 with a performance of Titian, Cranach and Botticelli. It
her time, the Sacher became a Beethoven’s Fidelio. Its illustrious also has some 17th-century
venue for the extra-marital affairs directors have included Gustav Dutch and Flemish landscapes
of the rich and noble. It is now a Mahler, Richard Strauss and and an Austrian collection.
discreetly sumptuous hotel Herbert von Karajan.
with red velvet sofas, draped The hall is renowned for its 4 Secession
curtains and stylish furniture. exceptional acoustics and some
Building
Otto Wagner (1841–1918) Friedrichstrasse 12. Map 4 C1.
Tel 58 75 307. % Karlsplatz. v 1, 2,
The most prominent architect at the turn of 62, 71, D. @ 57A, 59A. Open 10am–
the 20th century, Wagner studied in Vienna 6pm Tue–Sun & hols. Closed 25 Dec.
and Berlin. Initially, he was associated with & - ∑ secession.at
the historicist style, but in time he became
the foremost representative of the Austrian The unusual Secession Building
Secession. He prepared plans for the re-routing was designed in Jugendstil style
of the Wien river and the modernization of by Joseph Maria Olbrich, as a
the town’s transport system. His most outstand ing showcase for the Secessionist
works include the Majolikahaus (see Naschmarkt, artists, including Gustav Klimt,
opposite), train stations (see p100), the Post Office Koloman Moser and Otto Wagner,
Savings Bank building, a hospital and the Kirche Detail of Otto
am Steinhof (see p112). Wagner design who broke away from Vienna’s
traditional art scene. The almost
windowless building, with its
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp293–4 and pp313–14

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