The Viehmarkt – Vienna’s Historic Livestock Market
Historically, Vienna was full of markets. Many of today’s street names reflect that past. This includes Kohlmarkt, Heumarkt, Hoher Markt, Bauernmarkt, to name a few. But aside from these names, there’s often little evidence left of where these markets once stood. One exception, however, is the Viehmarkt in Vienna’s 3rd district. There, traces of its history can still be found today.
The Central Livestock Market and the Marx Halle
The most obvious sign that this was once Vienna’s largest livestock market are the imposing bull statues that guard the entrance to what is now the Marx Halle. Before it became an event venue, this was the Zentralviehmarkt (or Central Livestock Market). The name is still visible on the pedestals of the statues, written in its old spelling as Central-Vieh-Markt.
However, the market existed long before the 1880s. Back then, it was little more than an open field where animals were kept before being sold and slaughtered. It was only in the 1880s that the area was developed with dedicated buildings for cows, calves, sheep, and pigs. This made it into the largest livestock market in Vienna and its surroundings.
A Market of Massive Proportions
What is now known as the Marx Halle was originally the Rinderhalle (Cow Hall), a building capable of holding up to 6,000 cows at once. Other halls could accommodate 4,500 calves, 6,000 sheep, and 11,000 pigs. Most of the animals sold at the Viehmarkt in Vienna came from Hungary—and before railway connections were established, they were actually herded through the city to reach the market!
Today, the Marx Halle has taken on a new role, but its historic roots as Vienna’s largest livestock market are still there for those who know where to look.
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