Perhaps you know that in the very old days it was customary for churches to be surrounded by a cemetery. This was for example the case of the Stephansdom and the Michaelerkirche in the city center. In the 18thcentury, Kaiser Joseph II decided to ban cemeteries from Vienna’s inner districts and one of the cemeteries…
Some weeks ago, we told you the story about the tram 71 and its close connection with death. Well, at that time there were also several private funeral homes that provided all types of services needed when a loved one would pass away. At the end of the 19th century, there were at least 80…
In a city with a history as long and colorful as Vienna’s, the past is never far from the present. This became clear this past Wednesday night, December 20th, when your SV Explorer happened upon a rather dramatic scene at the Technical University. The street was blocked off, police officers and firefighters milled about, and…
Summer time in Vienna means, among many other things, a non-stop array of festival and events in the most popular of the city’s squares. Find yourself here in those warmer months and you will likely while away a few hours in front of the Karlskirche tasting your favorite drink, dancing, or enjoying a live concert. …
It was one of the most exciting stories of his life. A stranger entered and declared to the writer George Markus that he was “in possession” of the remains of Baroness Mary Vetsera. Then he opened a red briefcase, took out a skull and laid it on the desk. “That’s Mary,” he said. The man…
Have you ever heard the expression “mit dem 71er fahren”? You might assume that it just means to take the tram line 71, but the 71 has quite a reputation and “taking the 71” can be a rather grave undertaking (ha!). This is because for over 100 years, the 71 has been closely connected to…
Surely one of the most remarkable women to come out Vienna in the 20th century was Hedy Lamarr. Born towards the very end of the Habsburg Monarchy in 1914, Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler lived a long and eventful life. She came from an upper-class Jewish family, but was raised as a Christian. She became known…
Did you know that there is a Vienna connection to the Suez canal in Egypt? It may seem strange but indeed, the two are intimately connected. This is due to the central role of one Alois Negrelli, an Austrian civil engineer who designed and planned the building of the canal, and is now buried in…
