Although you may not have ever given it any actual thought, the name Pratersten is not random or accidental – it is in fact next to the Prater, and shaped like a star (stern) by virtue of the 7 streets that all meet there. It has officially had this name since the 19th century, some…
Vienna is a city that has seen many historical events — and may be home to another great and historic feat come this October. That is because Vienna, and specifically the Prater park, have been selected as the next place for Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge to try to break the 2 hour marathon barrier. No…
We recently told you the history of the Galopprennbahn in Vienna, but as we mentioned in that story, there has historically been another horse track in the city: the Trabrennbahn, a race track specifically for trotting rather than galloping. It is the younger of the two racetracks, and was opened in 1878. It is located…
A Viennese institution with a storied history – there is no shortage of such places in this city. One of the more popular ones amongst a diverse population of local residents is the Schweizerhaus in the Prater. Long a popular place to have a beer, it was first mentioned in historical records in 1766, and…
Walking along Praterstrasse, you might come along a rather ordinary building by Viennese standards, if not for the cherubs engaged in various amusements and activities across several panels of the façade. The house in question is located at Praterstrasse 27, and cherubim reliefs lead you to believe the building surely has some stories to tell,…
Vienna, the capital of music. When walking through the city, one quickly gets the impression that people like Mozart or Beethoven lived on almost every street corner. The busts of Haydn, Brahms or Maher, to name just a few, greet you in any souvenir shop in their hundreds. Just think of the Staatsoper, the Konzerthaus…
One story tells that sometime during World War II a German official took his wife and a couple of friends on a trip to Vienna. Pleasantly surprised by the relative calm of the Viennese life in comparison to wartime Berlin, their home town, they decided to do one of those things most tourists can’t resist…
We recently told you about the Vienna World Fair of 1873, and the large Rotunda that was built in the Prater as part of this exhibition. While that building unfortunately no longer exists, there is another large construction in the Prater that has stood the test of time, and has become one of Vienna’s most…
The grounds near Prater Messe where the current WU is located may seem to have been a largely unused space before the WU was built a few years ago, but in fact these grounds and their use have a long history. It was here that in 1873 the world’s 5th World Fair took place, which…
A true Landmark of Vienna the panoramic wheel at the Prater. So big, so unique, so original! Distinctive! Mmmhh, think again. The Panoramic Wheel was built by a British engineer – Walter Bassett – who also built three more in London, Paris and Blackpool! Is Vienna’s the tallest? No.The oldest ? No.The original ? No, it was also…
