Page 109 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

FUR THER AFIELD  107

The Baroque building of the Wiener Porzellanmanufaktur

immense complex of 1,382 decorated with frescoes by park pavilion, which was once
council apartments and Andrea Pozzo, a masterpiece of the imperial porcelain factory.
recrea tional facilities, and is the Baroque interior design. Renovated in 2011, the
most celebrated of the municipal The palace houses the art Augarten Palace now houses
housing developments of that collection of Prince Hans-Adam the Porcelain Museum. This
period. The project’s architect, II von und zu Liechtenstein – one museum illustrates the history
Karl Ehn, was a pupil of Austrian of the richest private collections of Vienna porcelain. Several
architect, Otto Wagner. in the world. The collection is exhibits on display highlight the
centred on the Baroque with crafts manship and techniques.
special focus on Rubens, and The manufactory is open to
ranges from the Renaissance the public for guided tours.
(for example, Raphael and the
Bruegels) through to the early
19th century (Waldmüller and 6 Donauinsel
Füger). The Liechtenstein family % Donauinsel, Handelskai.
also acquired many masterpieces
of modern art, dating from the The numerous side-arms and
early 20th century. The palace rivulets of the Danube river
stands in an extensive garden, regularly flooded the town
which was remodelled in the until it was first canalized
19th century in the English style. between 1870 and 1875. The
second period of canalization
in the Vienna region began in
5 Augarten 1972 and was completed in
1987. The New Danube,
Obere Augartenstrasse 1. Map 3 D1.
Tel 21 12 418. % U-Taborstrasse. @ a 5-km (3-mile) canal that acts
5A, 5B. v 2, 5, 31. Augarten Palace: as an “overflow”, dates from
The delightful ceiling frescoes in the Open guided tours 10:15am & this period.
Liechtenstein Garden Palace 11:30am Mon–Fri (manufactory), The wooded island created
4 Liechtenstein 10am–6pm Mon–Sat (museum). between the Danube and
its canals by the first stage
Closed Sun & public hols.
Garden Palace of canalization is known as
There has been a palace on this Donauinsel, or Danube Island.
Fürstengasse 1. Map 2 A1. Tel 319 57 site since the days of Leopold I, It is Vienna’s largest recreation
67-158. % Friedensbrücke. @ 40A. but it was destroyed by the Turks area and a favourite with the
v D. Open for groups by
appointment only. in 1683 and then rebuilt around local population, who come
1700 to designs attributed to here to swim and sunbathe in
Johann Bernhard Fischer von the summer. The vast park is
Completed in 1692 to designs Erlach. Since 1948 it has been criss-crossed by dozens of
by Domenico Martinelli in the the home of the world-famous avenues, walking and cycling
Rococo style, this was the Vienna Boys’ Choir and is con- paths, picnic areas with built-in
Liechtenstein family’s summer sequently closed to the public. barbecues as well as nudist
palace. It has a monumental The surrounding park is one areas. Even water-skiing and
façade, with tall pilasters and of the oldest in Vienna; it was surfing are possible. Once the
typically Baroque windows. first planted in 1650 by Emperor weather warms up, the Copa
Inside, the colourful ceiling Ferdinand III, later renewed and Cagrana entertainment centre
paintings in the vast ground- opened to the public in 1775. attracts visitors with its array
floor room are the work of Topiary lines long paths; the of bars, restaurants, discos
Johann Michael Rottmayr. Vault handsome gates were designed and the popular Heurigen.
paintings by Antonio Belucci by Isidor Canevale. Mozart, The island hosts an annual
can be seen on both sides of Beethoven and Johann Strauss festival, with open-air pop
the stairway. The grand hall is (father) all gave concerts in the concerts and other events.

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