Morbid Vienna - Widow Express to Necropolis

You might have heard that Vienna and the Viennese have their special relationship to death - some say it is an obsession. This is not only because Vienna has Europe's biggest cemetary, but tradition dates back to the Hapsburg era and beyond to the age of Baroque. The high time of celebrating funerals was in the late 19th century, when the 'beautiful funeral' was the event at the end... It often was pompous and expensive, including musicians, choirs and horse carriages. These days funeral processions made their way through the city centre in the evenings, with flickering candles casting their orange light through the streets, and then continuing on to the newly built Central Cemetary.
This Central Cemetary was founded in 1874 by Emperor Franz Joseph I outside the city limits of Vienna. It is of huge dimensions, designed for a Vienna of more than 4 million inhabitants (which was the forecast for the end of the millenium at that time). Today this Vienna necropolis hosts more than 3 million 'inhabitants' - and the traditional way to go there is by tram no. 71, the socalled widow express - you guess why...
If you are interested in the morbid side if Vienna, the Central Cemetary is a must. You might be scared by the shere size of it, but don't worry, it even has its own bus system. But there are more places, historically relevant, interesting or merely bizarre: St.Marx Cemetary with Mozart's grave (although the exact location is unknown), the Biedermeier style Cemetary in Waehring, the old Jewish Cemetary in Rossau, as well as the famous Capuchins crypt and the St.Stephens Cathedral's catacombs. Still not enough? Well, there is more to see, for example Vienna's Funeral Museum or the Vienna Crime Museum.

Ok, back to life then...

Cafe Central in Vienna waits for you in a refurbished setting

 

 

This famous traditional café has a history of 130 years, was first opened in 1876 and at the turn of the 20^th century was a popular meeting point for leading persons in the world of art, literature, politics and science.

Arthur Schnitzler, Sigmund Freud, Peter Altenberg and Leo Trotzki - they all  loved their second home while sipping their coffee!

Then, like today, the legendary literature café was a meeting point for all ages. Unique architecture meets classic Viennese cuisine. Finest home-made pastries make every visit a special experience.

BUT: This tradition will be closed for refurbishment from 15th July until 11th August 2013.
So be aware that you only my enter from 12th August. To make a reservation call:  +431533 37 63 ext 24

City of Klimt

 

 Gustav Klimt once said about himself:

“I can paint and draw. 

There is no self-portrait of myself. 

I am not interested in my own person – more in other people, females. […]

I paint day by day from morning to night – figurative paintings and landscapes, less often portraits. 

Already when I should write a simple letter I get frightened like due to imminent seasickness. 

Those who want to know more about me shall observingly regard my paintings, and try to realize who I am and what I want.“

Austria will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of one of its most famous sons in 2012: Gustav Klimt (1862-1918). 

There will be more works by this genius painter and modernist pioneer on show in Vienna than ever before during this special jubilee year. Countless special exhibitions throughout 2012 will give art lovers unprecedented access to this artist’s prolific output.

Klimt spent most of his life in Vienna, and numerous examples of his work, particularly from his early period, are on permanent display in the Austrian capital.

St Nicholas & Krampus ..... dating back to the Habsburger

 Archduchess Marie Christine: The distribution of the gifts on the Feast of St Nicholas, gouache, 1762
© Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. /Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H.

On 6 December the Feast of St Nicholas, the most important of the church festivals in the period leading up to Christmas, is celebrated in Central Europe

One of the oldest traditional customs, it has always been a festivity for children. In Austria, St Nicholas is accompanied by the diabolical figure of Krampus: the saint is benevolent and brings gifts for the children, while the role of the Krampus is to punish childish misdemeanours. Thus gift-giving was not originally associated with Christmas itself, which was a purely ecclesiastical feast; Christmas as a family festivity at which children received gifts is an invention of the Biedermeier era.

St Nicholas’s Day was celebrated in all social classes, including the imperial family: at Court gifts were distributed in the evening of the 5 December, and on 6 December the imperial family attended mass at the Convent of St Nicholas on Vienna’s Singerstrasse, later dissolved by Joseph II.

There exists a well-known depiction of this custom executed by Archduchess Marie Christine, a daughter of Maria Theresa, in 1762. Set in a small family living room, it shows a number of the empress’s children discovering gifts in their shoes under the fond gaze of their parents. This scene has often been adduced as evidence indicating that the Habsburgs led an almost bourgeois life within the inner circle of the family. However, recent research has demonstrated that Marie Christine based her depiction on Netherlandish models, copying them down to the smallest detail. As the furnishings of the room and the way in which the figures are depicted have absolutely nothing in common with ceremonial life at Court, it is now assumed that this scene is a kind of playful attempt to depict the ideal of middle-class family life that was just starting to emerge in the age of Enlightenment. It can be compared to the pastorals of the Rococo era, where the nobility fled the rigid world of court ceremonial for the ostensible idyll of rustic life.

The scene contains a number of details that are still associated with the Feast of St Nicholas. The children’s shoes are filled with sweetmeats and toys; while one of the girls is enjoying her new doll and the little boy in the centre is laying into the sweets, the older boy only has a birch in his shoe, an unwelcome gift from the Krampus …

Learn more and log on to The Habsburger (where this informative article is copied from)

Vienna waits for you ......

 Vienna is different

 

The top city to live in is ....

yessss, we are proud indeed and guess what

The top place to live in the top city is ..... 

you'll definitely enjoy!

Vienna Coffee Houses are now UNESCO World Heritage

Not only is the historic center of Vienna on the UNESCO World Heritage list, from this week onwards also Viennas Coffee House Culture has been declared a Cultural World Heritage. Today the around 1000 coffee house owners can harvest what their forefathers have invented and cultivated over the last 3 centuries. So - another reason for this tiny price increase...
Viennas coffee house culture was at its peak about 100 years ago at the beginning of the 20th century, when it turned into a hot spot for leading writers of the time, living and writing there. quite obviously their work was commonly referred to as coffee house literature. Today this culture does not exist anymore, but still coffee houses are an important institution in the every day life of many Viennese. And, with this latest award, it will continue to do so for many more years...

Drink a Heurigen at the Heuriger! Cheers!

It's raing cats and dogs - yes - this weather these days in Vienna is similar to the UK.

Rainy all day, damp, greyish - all in all, not a summer weather to go to the lakeside or to climb a mountain.

But Vienna has that much to offer, dont mind the weather!

Even if it's damp and not sunny, as long as there are no gusty winds and no rain why not pop into a Heurigen and chill the Viennese way!

The definition Heurigen comes from the german word 'heuer', which means this years'.

We use it for 2 meanings:

-  Heuriger can be the wine, which is harvested this year

-  Heuriger can be the place, where the winemaker sells his wine

It is a typical Viennese vocabulary, as more in the West of Austria, in Styria for example you would say Buschenschank, if you mean the winesellers place.

That said, Viennese people go to the Heurigen, sit at the Heurigen, often in the private garden of the winemaker and drink Heurigen! Got it?

It was in 1784, when Kaiser Franz Joseph allowed the winemakers to sell their own wine in their own house without any special licence. 

Until today the tradition Heurigen is allowed  to open for a special period of time during the year only, while selling their Heurigen together with a small variety of traditional and local food.

This is why in a good Heurigen you will find only some small amount of cold, rarely warm food and almost never a menu card.

Sometimes local pastries are sold, which are home-made and delicious. Like this "Kardinalschnitte"

To know when the Heurigen is opened, just look out for the Buschen, a green bunch of pines hanging above the entrance of the Heurigen. If it is out it is "ausg'steckt", meaning the Heurigen sells it's Heurigen. Go for it!

Casanova in Schloss Schoenbrunn - german only

This post will be a premiere as I will write in GERMANGLISH!

Fancy a visit and explore Schoenbrunn the different way? Liebe locals - wann waren Sie zuletzt in Schoenbrunn?

Well there is indeed a new form of wandering through the palace. 
BUT unfortunately for german speaking visitors only: 

Besucher werden nach Sperrstunde des Schlosses von zwei Hofdamen auf der Blauen Stiege in Empfang genommen und befinden sich innerhalb weniger Minuten im höfischen Geschehen. Das Zeitalter Maria Theresias, die Lebensformen bei Hofe, der Alltag und das Außergewöhnliche werden spürbar und sind hautnah zu entdecken. Die Akteure führen die Gäste im Laufe dieses Abends durch die schönsten Räumlichkeiten des Schlosses, die damit zum Bühnenbild werden. Geschichte wird dort erlebbar, wo sie tatsächlich stattgefunden hat. Seriös recherchiert – amüsant präsentiert. Sie erfahren über die Geheimsprache des Fächers, lernen traditionelle Tanzschritte oder erfahren den latest gossip des Hofes. Ohne bemerkenswerten technischen Aufwand, nachempfunden in Kostümen aus der Zeit und durch facettenreiches Spiel. Theater pur. 

After the official closing hours two actors will guide you through the most attractive rooms, entertaining you with the story of Casanova, a lady-in-waiting will conference with a bavarian visitor. It's a interactive theater you're in, so viewers will be part of the action. They will learn about the hidden language of using a fan, about court ceremonies and how to dance a proper court hop!

Visitors prepare for 2hrs standing - ja, liebe Gäste, sie wandern zwar durchs imperiale Schloss Schönbrunn, aber wählen sie gute Schuhe, denn otherwise werden sie ihre Füsse danach kaum mehr spüren.

Please indeed take good shoes, as otherwise your two sticks will hurt terribly after the grand tour!

At the very moment the premiere is going on. The pics I added here are taken at the pre-premier-show, the Uraufführung, the world premiere, however you wanna call it!


So, save the dates, hurry and book soon! Wenn Sie Schönbrunn einmal anders erleben wollen, sichern Sie sich Ihre Tickets! 35 Eurobucks per person! book here - This interactive theatre is presented in GERMAN ONLY! Sorry!

20., 23., 30. Mai 2011
6., 14., 21., 28. Juni 2011
22. und 31. August 2011
5., 12., 23., 29. September 2011
4., 11., 17., 24. Oktober 2011
3. und 8. November 2011

It's definitely an interesting experience, even though I do see room for improvement.
Maybe they should watch british actors, when active in heritage sites and do a little copy'n'paste !?

A stunning event is coming up at Schoenbrunn Palace

Locals and German speaking people 

watch out!

Keep posted!

Very, very soon the secret is unveiled

and you'll be happy to know it first hand!

HERE!

Wedding free zone in Vienna

No Royals in Vienna!
No Wedding Party in Vienna!

But let's not forget, we could have had the same hype it life had developed differently.

Karl of Hapsburg, grandson of the last Austrian Emperor, Charles I of Hapsburg, is of our age.

For long time he lived in Anif, a small village outside the city of Salzburg. His residence is called Villa Swoboda and was formerly used by crown prince Rudolf.
Yes, The Rudolf, not the reindeer. But the son of Sisi!
The son, who committed suicide .... all royal families have similar occurencies!

Ok, back to Karl.
He married  Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon and has 3 children with her. Like many marriages in blue-blooded families not a happy relation.

Since then he has been living in Vienna, his children visit one of the three international schools of Vienna, they submerged in daily routine and live an (almost) normal life.

Their granddad Otto is exiled, their grand-grand-dad Charles I, the last Austrian emperor married exactly 100 years ago!

But we are no monarchy anymore and monarchists are not welcome.

Different to Britain, where monarchy is back to it's peak today!

Grace-Kelly-ish Catherine and Wills gave an excellent couple, parrot-coloured Queen did look impressivley young and the baby girls on the balcony couldn't stand the noise.

"'It's amazing" commented the Queen and indeed it was!

But how different it was 100 years ago!

A Place with a View

FROM AN EAGLE'S VIEW

Have you ever wondered what it's like to fly free,

To see the world as far as the eye can see,

To view the surroundings from high and from low,

To hear only the sound of a distant echo,

To float in the air with the wind being your guide,

To admire many rainbows that the trees tend to hide,

To see the misty mornings over a beautiful mountaintop,

To glide over a flowing river that never seems to stop,

To watch the animals from over a mile away,

Or to rise above the treetops that glisten in the day?

If you were an eagle you would wonder no more

For it can see things you have never seen before.

Next time you look into the sky of blue,

Think of what it's like from an eagle's view.

© 1998 Stacy Smith

Vienna has, like many other major capitals, a place too, where you could feel like an eagle!

Don't miss to make your way up there on a bright day! Either by hiking up or by driving the long and winding road with bus or car. You definitely will not be disappointed. People love this spot not only in summer, but also on New Year's Eve!

Up there you can visit either the Kahlenberg with it's new trendy Coffeeshop and a posh brandnew hotel

or if you like it more private go a little further to Leopoldsberg. Unfortunately you won't find anything to drink or eat there, so bring along your picnic!

Leopoldsberg is 425m high and overlooks Vienna's posh 19th district on one side and Klosterneuburg on the other side. Around 1120 Leopold III built an impressive castle up there, which currently undergoes an owners dispute.


Another Leopold, namely emperor Leopold I, donated the construction of a chapel, after a vow for prevention of the plague in 1679. The finished chapel was destroyed 4 years later by the Turks. But after our siege over the Turkish invaders this chapel was rebuilt in 1693.

It's nice to mention that even Turkish people nowadays find their way up there and seem to remember this part of history!

And on your way back home you may stop in Grinzing, the touristy approach to vinyards, wine and Viennese tradition.

We recommend a stroll through the old cobbled streets!

Will & Kate - the Countdown is on .... and what about the Austrian royals? Sisi!?

I can't wait for the new wedding in the house of Windsor!

Although I have to admit, that I am still more interested in the Tudors, Henry VIII with his 6 marriages and the according tragedies & affairs.

After living in the UK for some years I became interested in royal history as it shaped society till today and still does - to a certain extent.

Well, we Austrians too had a quite flash royal experience, but people here tend not to be too fond of it anymore.
You'll be seen as a monarchist, old-fashioned, dusty, almost like a political extreme, if you're too much into the royal history. But dear me, we had the Hapsburgs!

And they were at least that posh, fancy and spellbinding like the Tudors, Stuarts or Windsors.
We had similar intrigues and adultries, incest stories, suicides and endless birth-givings.
And, let us not forget, we do have a familiar bond with the Tudors too! No, you do not want to know the details, unless you can follow, when I explain the family tree for 15minutes!

And we even have our Elisabeth who made it into the hearts of the people and is well known throughout the world as Sisi.


Elisabeth, Sisi, (born 1837) a stunning and beautiful woman, was married to Franz Joseph I.
They had 4 children. And like in so many royal families unlucky fortune: their first child, Sophie, died at the age of two, their surviving daughters Gisela (1856-1932) and Marie Valerie (1868-1924) both married and had several children, from whom there are numerous descendants. Their only son, Crown Prince Rudolf, born in 1858, committed suicide together with his mistress, the seventeen-year-old Baroness Mary Vetsera.
 
The tragedies in her life did influence her spirits, she was a melancholic and sad person, tried to escape with travelling, but never ever overcame the loss of her small child and her son.

Like all tragedies also her life had a sudden unexpected end: she was stabbed to death at the Lake Geneve and reunited in heaven on 10th September 1898.

I just hope, that Will 'n' Kate will be more lucky, I wish them the so much needed heirs, lots of love and over all peace!

Fu Hu, our little Panda, in Schoenbrunn Zoo

The Fu Hu Diary is worth looking at, but even more his clumsy and giggly moves in his home at Schoenbrunn Zoo.

Did you know, that this is the oldest zoo of the world?

1569 the former Katterburg was bought by emperor Maximillian II including a vast hunting area.
73 years later, well let's say one generation later, Schoenbrunn was born on these grounds.
And again one generation later, 1752, a big celebration takes place in the menagerie of Schoenbrunn Palace.
The 31st of July 1752 is the birthday of the Schoenbrunn Zoo.
 
It's a must, when visiting Vienna and as the sun's out again, you`'ll definitely enjoy a stroll around this history filled park.

Enjoy, relax and just feel happy watching this wonderful animal kingdom!

Arts and Crafts at Vienna Christmas Markets - Am Hof

This fine arts and crafts market is located in the most traditional market area of Vienna. As early as in the 13th century markets were held here, what to day is ‘Am Hof’. In the 16th century this huge yard was home to the Thomasmarket. Nowadays, since 2003, this Chrismas market is run by an initiative to support local arts and craftsmen, and that’s why the focus is on traditionally crafted, high quality products. It is a unique opportunity for the producers, to present their work to a wider audience. Although the market is located in the very centre of Vienna, the visitor can expect a familiar atmosphere with harp music and fine home made mulled wines and punch.
Directions for visitors staying at bluedanube apartments: U1 to Stephansplatz, and from there it is a 10 minutes walk. 

Kunsthandwerksmarkt Am Hof
November 12th to December 23rd, open daily from 10am to 8pm

The first 5 days of November

Some days ago we welcomed November, as you did as well certainly ... wherever you are in the world.

So what did you do? Did you celebrate? Did you party? Did you grieve for somebody? Have you been scared? Did you fire rockets?

Now, depending on where you live, it might have been a different outcome.

In Vienna we started off with the newly celebrated habit of Halloween. Trick'n'treat has found it's way to our capital. But apart from small children, who have mistaken this tradition with Fasching, the "Viennese way of Carneval", nobody really favours to dress up spooky.

Shops love it, as they can do a proper decoration and pumpkin sellers are able to sell the biggest pumkins nowadays. In the Kindergarden traditional pumpkin candle making is a nice crafts adventure.

Although the Celts did pass through Vienna, their celtic Samhain tradition did not make it into the hearts of Austrian people.

And you will find no creativity with bloody and half-alive costumed people, no corpse-like dressed ladies and no Draculas will be found en masse. No haunted acitivites, no ghost appearances in the old palaces or manor houses.
In London this evening is one more time a great occasion for party and drinking time and of course THE evening for all ghosts - and believe me, they are there, in England!

So on a 31st of October don't expect anything special in Vienna - apart from our cultural evening scene!

The 1st of November is The All Hallow's Day or All Saints Day which has been adopted by the catholic church to be THE day for remembering their many holy people. And this day is not only a public holiday in Vienna, but tradition has it, that people use this day and the following one to visit all their once-beloved ones, the ones beneath the surface!

So expect huge traffic congestions all around the cementaries and graveyards. It also will be difficult to find anything else in a flower shop than wreaths.

And logically there are no bonfire nights like in London, where on the 5th of November, Guy Fawkes, the first British terrorist, is remembererd with lots of fireworks around this day. Maybe you can recall it: that was the guy who wanted to blow op the british parliament ... in 1605. By the way .... some linguists think that the word "guy" derives from Guy Fakes!

Remember, remember the fifth of November,

Gunpowder treason and plot.

We see no reason

Why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot!

Sorry, Vienna cannot offer such tradition, but believe me, November is a wonderful month in Vienna: traditional Martinmas Goose, Opening of Carneval Season and Opening of Christmas Markets all well mixed with yellowish falling leaves
Read more in my upcoming post!

Hurry up - November is almost sold out at bluedanube apartments! few nights left!

Happy B-Day, dear Austria!

Holiday!

26 of October as the Austrian National Day - this celebration goes back to the beginnings of the 2nd Republic after WW II.

After the end of the War, Austria was occupied by the four Allied powers (Soviet Union, United States, Great Britain and France) and divided into four zones. With their consent an Austrian government was elected democratically, but every legislative regulation or political action required their consent.

In spring 1955 discussion about a State Treaty ending this occupation was finally brought to conclusion:
the Austrian State Treaty was signed on 15 May 1955 in Vienna's Schloß Belvedere (maybe one of the most moving events in Austrian history) and entered into force on July 27 1955.

Why now October 26?

Well, this day marks the first day on which the last foreign troops left the Austrian territory; therefore de facto the first day Austria was again an independent and sovereign country.

But it took 10 more years for the parliament and the politicians to decide which day should be the "National Day of Austria".
They had the choice of 4 dates:

-  12 Nov - birth of the first republic (1918)
-  27 Apr  - interim austrian state government (1945)
-  15 May - signing of State Treaty (1955)
-  26 Oct  -  first day without any foreign troups and passing of the law on permanent neutrality

God save .... oops! sorry - Tu felix Austria nube!
Any you ... enjoy your stay in bluedanube apartments and in Vienna!

185 years ago ....

This is it!
185 years ago, on 25th October 1825, on a similar rainy days as today, Johann Strauss was born.

He was one of THE Austrian composers, "the king of waltz". As so often he should become a banker rather than a musician, but as soon as his talent was recognized there was no way to stop him. He composed over 500 waltzes, quadrilles and polkas and came up with quite famous operettas, like The Fledermaus.
But maybe his most famous work was The Blue Danube, the secret hymn or anthem of Austria.

The Blue Danube is still one of the most recognized songs in the world  - maybe together with Imagine or Yesterday.

This is also the song, which is played very first on broadcast and TV when the New Year starts!

bluedanubeapartments took over the name because we identify with one of the biggest stars the country has every produced - his music is loved for almost 200 years! What a star!

And this star lived a celeb's life: married three times, even had to give up the austrian nationality to marry the third time and all marriages have been without children! And in the end, after his death, his only surviving brother distroyed much of his work - they agreed to this pact beforehand - whoever outlived the other, will destroy the work, so that no one ever can claim that work for them. Obviously the copyright issue wasn't solved yet!

Anyway, pneumonia made him kick the bucket with 73. But his music is fully alive!


Enjoy his music and listen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmsIGxYHelQ&feature=related