The heights of the Höhenstrasse

Vienna’s Höhenstrasse – a one of a kind street

Driving into or from Vienna might take you over the Höhenstrasse. A long and winding road that connects Neustift am Walde with Grinzing, and ultimately Klosterneuburg. It is probably one of Vienna’s more well-known roads, and with good reason.

Not only is it an important connector, it also offers some of the nicest views of the cities. And this is intended. You see, the road was first conceived of as a scenic route along a 1905 plan to build a ‘green belt’ around the city to serve as a recuperation space for the urban populations. This was never realized, but the plans for a scenic road up into the hills overlooking Vienna were revived in the 1930s as part of a program to fight unemployment in the city.

As a result, the road was built largely with primitive technologies, few machines, and as many laborers as possible – this would amount to 74 different companies and over 600 workers. Today, with its nearly 15 kilometers of cobblestones, it remains one of Vienna’s most scenic and romantic routes!