Innere Stadt (part 2)- 1st district

The city center, Innere Stadt, the 1st district of Vienna, is where most of the historical buildings and palaces are. This section is focusing on the areas around Karlsplatz, Schwedenplatz and west of Stadtpark, some blocks away from the immediate city center, East and South of Ringstrasse and the South bank of Danube Canal.

A column in front of Beethoven museum. Perhaps the golden face in the middle represents Beethoven.

The University of Vienna (Universität Wien). Opened in 1365, it is one of Europe's oldest universities.

Schottentor, a busy traffic hub, partly underground, includes this grand building.

Votivkirche at Schottentor. Unfortunately under reconstruction. The neo-Gothic church from 1879 reminds of Notre-Dame.

Both the trams and the metro is underground at Schottentor.

Bank Austria at Schottentor.

Palais Ephrussi at Schottentor with the HQ of Casinos Austria, one of the world's largest casino operators.

A grandiose jugend building opposite Sezessionhaus.

Sezessionhaus, the Secession Building was built in 1897 by Joseph Maria Olbrich for exhibitions of the secession group, a movement towards the existing art that lead to the origin of for example Jugend style (Art Noveau).

The Secessionist movement's motto is written above the entrance to the pavilion: "Der Zeit ihre Kunst. Der Kunst ihre Freiheit" that means "To every age its art, to art its freedom". The text at the 3 faces means "Painting, architecture, sculpture".

Jugendstil owls at Secession house.

Sezessionhaus features the Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt. It is contained at the Austrian 50 euro coin.

Karlsplatz seen from Secessionhouse.

Kunsthalle glass pavilion.

Kunsthalle and Technical University.

Karlsplatz, a large square/park that is dominated by Karlskirche. Even if it is hard to see on the pictures, heavy traffic surrounds the place.

Karlskirche, the impressive church from 1737 at Karlsplatz. It is the largest and most important Baroque church of Vienna. Johann Bernard Fischer von Erlach designed it. Trajan's Column in Rome was model for the two massive pillars. The church is totally 70m tall.

Karlsplatz: Wiener Musikverein to the right is a grand concert hall for classical music. The world famous new years concert is performed here every year by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. It was designed by Theophil Hansen, who also designed the Parliament.

The sculpture in front of Karlskirche.

Karlplatz nice historical metro underground entrance.

The postmodern Technische Universität (Technical University) building.

The old part of Technisches Universität, seen from Karlsplatz.

A special kind of vehicle one of many in a row at Karlplatz.

French's embassy's neo Baroque building.

Schwarzenbergplatz with Hochstrahlbrunnen fountain and the Russian soldiers monument.

Heldendenkmal, or The Russian soldier's monument at Schwarzenbergplatz. It was built in 1945 by the Soviet army to honour the 17 000 Russian soldiers that died in the battle of Vienna. Many people have tried to destroyed the memorial.

The beautiful Hochstrahlbrunnen fountain at Schwarzenbergplatz with the French embassy in the background.

Schwarzenberg Palace, the palace of the Bohemian noblemen that Schwarzenbergplatz is named after. Its gardens are not open to public. The palace hosts a hotel, offices, a restaurant and the Swiss embassy.

Wiener Konzert Haus from 1913. The idea of the building was to attract a broader audience than the more conservative Wiener Musikverein. An ice skating rink is situated just next to the building. Hotel Intercontinental, an ugly but luxorious hotel is in the background.

A McDonald's in a historical building at Schwarzenbergplatz. Does it add life or does it ruin the building?

Hotel Imperial, a 5-star luxury hotel from 1873 at Schwarzenbergplatz. The top floors were added in 1928.

A museum near Stadtpark.

An unusual metro station.

Österreischiche Postsparkasse, the famous Austrian Postal Saving Bank by Otto Wagner. The stile is jugend,a style that Wagner along with the other secession architects more or less invented. There is an Otto Wagner museum inside the building.

Österreischiche Postsparkasse was completed in 1906 and is built by reinforced concrete. It was spared any damage during WW2.

Details of the Savings Bank. It is hard to get an idea of how large the building is from the street level, since it is almost hidden on the backstreets behind Ringstrasse. The interior was designed so that it should be easy to feel the difference between the monotone workingclass spaces and the luxorious office of the boss.

Regierungsgebäude, the former Imperial and Royal Ministry of War (Kriegsministerium) at Ringstrasse. Ludwig Bauman was the architect and it was completed in 1913.

Regierungsgebäude seen from Postal Savings Bank.

Urania at Franz Josefs Kai, near Schwedenplatz, is a jugend building that houses the public educational institute and observatory. It was damaged during WW2, but has been reconstructed.

Schwedenplatz. Formerly called Ferdinandplatz, it got its name as an honour for the Swedish assistance during WW1. Note the green jugend building with the ugly McDonalds signs.

The roof garden.

Schwedenplatz.

Schwedenplatz is a metro traffic hub for the U-bahn and trams and is where I lasted my long first day in Vienna.

St Josefs Kai with Stephansdom towering over the buildings.

Ringturm from 1955, Vienna's first "skyscraper". 93m tall.

Sunset view over Donau Canal (Danube Canal) the divides Innere Stadt (to the left) from Leopoldstadt (to the right).