Page 152 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Vienna

150  VIENNA AREA B Y AREA BEL VEDERE QU AR TER  151

2 Wien Museum 6 Imperial
Karlsplatz Hotel
Karlsplatz 8. Map 4 E2. Tel 5058747. Kärntner Ring 16. Map 4 E2 & 6 D5.
% Karlsplatz. Open 10am–6pm Tue– Tel 501100. % Karlsplatz. 7
Sun & hols. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, ∑ imperialvienna.com
25 Dec. 7 & ∑ wienmuseum.at
Permanent highlights at this Along with the Hotel Sacher
museum include the large 3D (see p142), this is the best-
scale models of city buildings known of Vienna’s sumptuous
and paintings by Gustav Klimt 19th-century hotels. You can sip
and Egon Schiele, most notably tea to the sound of a pianist
his celebrated self-portrait. playing in the background or
In terms of historical periods, stay in the same room Richard
the museum is strongest Wagner occupied. Adolf Hitler
on the 19th century – not only made the Imperial Hotel his
paintings but also furniture, The monumental, historicist façade of the Musikverein headquarters after the
clothing and household items. Anschluss (see p38).
There are several reconstructed glass windows and sculptures The museum has a wealth
apartments to show period life, from the Stephansdom, among of paintings. There is a room 7 Schwarzenberg-
including the flats of radical them the famous Fürstenfiguren, dedicated to Baroque painting
architect Adolf Loos (see p94) or figures of royalty. in Vienna that includes works platz
and local poet Franz Grillparzer. Everything from the plague to by Franz Anton Maulbertsch, Map 4 E2. % Karlsplatz. v D, 71.
The oldest reconstruc ted room celebrations of victory over the Johann Michael Rottmayr and
is decorated with painted silks Turks is portrayed. Many objects Paul Troger. At the centre of this grand
and comes from 1798, in the are not just of historical interest An exciting plan to build a square is an equestrian statue
Caprara-Geymüller Palace. but are art works in their own modernistic museum on top of (1867) of Prince Schwarzenberg,
Visitors quickly get an overview right, such as glassware by the existing three-storey struc- who led the Austrian and allied
of the entirety of Vienna’s history Josef Hoffmann, designs from ture has been announced, and armies against Napoleon at the
by strolling through the rooms. the Wiener Werkstätte (see p58) the museum may soon close for Battle of Leipzig (1813). The
Neolithic shards and spears lead and 14th- and 15th-century several years, starting sometime square comprises huge office
onto the Roman military encamp- gargoyles. Weapons and war in 2019 or 2020. It will continue blocks, the Ringstrasse and the
ment of Vindobona. In later are represented in each period, to schedule themed special exhi- Baroque splendours of the
periods, the planning of today’s including armour and weapons bi tions on Viennese citizens and Schwarzenberg and Belvedere
monuments and palaces is pre- from Turkish invaders. Vienna’s phases of Vienna history, such The enormous Hochstrahlbrunnen in Schwarzenbergplatz palaces. Behind the fountain of
served, as are Johann Bernhard fascination with music is also as construction of the Ring and Hochstrahlbrunnen (1873), at
Fischer von Erlach’s original plans well covered, with papers and removal of the medieval walls. 4 Karlsplatz 5 Künstlerhaus the intersection of Prinz-Eugen-
for the Schönbrunn Palace (see paintings chroni cling opera, Pavilions Karlsplatz 5. Map 4 D2 & 6 D5. Strasse and Gusshausstrasse, is
pp174–7) and original stained- ballet and operetta. a monument commemorating
3 Musikverein Karlsplatz. Map 4 D2. Tel 5058747- Tel 587 9663. % Karlsplatz. Open the Red Army’s liberation of the
85177. % Karlsplatz. Open Apr–Oct: 2–6pm Mon–Sat (to 9pm Thu, from city. It is none too popular with
Bösendorferstrasse 12. Map 4 E2. 10am–6pm Tue–Sun & hols. 11am Sat). ^ 7 ∑ k-haus.at
Tel 5058190. % Karlsplatz. Open for Closed 1 May. ∑ wienmuseum.at older Viennese, who still recall
concerts and guided tours (1pm The Vienna Artists’ Society’s HQ, the brutalities endured in the
Mon–Sat). ^ 7 ∑ musikverein.at this 1868 Renaissance palazzo- Russian zone until 1955.
Otto Wagner (see pp56–9) was style hall is due to reopen at the The Arnold Schönberg
The Musikverein building – the responsible for many aspects of end of 2018 with a theatre and Center (see p152) lies at the
headquarters of the Society of Vienna’s underground system space for lectures and art shows. eastern end of the square.
the Friends of Music – was in the late 1800s. Some of these
designed from 1867 to 1869 bridges and tunnels are remark-
by Theophil Hansen, in a mixture able, but they cannot match his
of styles employing terracotta stylish pair of under ground rail-
statues, capitals and balustrades. way exit pavilions (1898–9) next
It is the home of the great to the Karlsplatz. The green
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra copper of the roofs and the
(see p229), which gives regular ornamentation complement the
performances here and in the Karlskirche beyond. Gilt patterns
Opera House. The concert hall are stamped on the white
seats almost 2,000. Tickets are marble cladding and eaves, with
sold on a subscription basis to repe ti tions of Wagner’s sunflower
Viennese music lovers, but some motif. But the greatest impact is
are also available on the day of made by the buildings’ curving
the performance. The most rooflines. The two pavilions face
famous annual event here is the each other: one is now a café;
Sunflower motifs on the façade of the Karlsplatz Pavilions New Year’s Day concert (see p67). the other is used for exhibitions. Palazzo-style façade of the Künstlerhaus (1868)

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Date 25th April 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm