Samstag, 11. Oktober 2008

Belvedere Palace - Upper Belvedere

Belvedere Palace

On May 15, 1955, on the balcony of the Belvedere Palace, the Austrian Foreign Minister Leopold Figl held up the just signed State Treaty and said: "Austria is free".

The undersigned were the State Secretaries Wjatscheslaw Molotow (UdSSR), John Foster Dulles (USA), Harold Macmillan (GB) and Antoine Pinay (France) for the allied states and Leopold Figl for Austria as well as the four high commissioners of the allied states.

I was there with my parents - with thousands of other people who all wanted to experience Austria's new freedom. It was the start into good times!

The Belvedere Palace was built by Lukas von Hildebrandt (finished 1723) to be the residence of the Prince Eugene of Savoy. Nowadadys there are wonderful museums in there.

Freitag, 10. Oktober 2008

Freyung Vienna

Freyung Vienna - Wien
Schottenkirche - Schottenkloster


The Freyung is a triangular public square in the first district of Vienna. There is a monastery build by Irish monks in the 12th century, called Schottenkloster (= Scottish Monastery), as Ireland once was known as New Scotland.

Many aristocrats established their city residences there in the 17th and 18th centuries, and we can admire their wonderful palaces still today, as there are Palais Ferstel, Palais Harrach, Palais Kinsky and more.

In the middle of the square there is
a fontain called Austria Brunnen. It was created by Ludwig Schwanthaler about 1850 .

Donnerstag, 9. Oktober 2008

Lower Belvedere

Belvedere


It was a wonderful autumnal day in Vienna, warm and sunny, and I had some hours off unexpectedly. I went for a walk to the Belvedere Gardens. Closing time was at 6:30 p.m. and that was the time I took this picture

Russisch-Orthodoxe Kirche St. Nikolaus, Vienna


Cathedral Saint Nicholas Vienna
Kathedrale zum Hl. Nikolaus in Wien

3rd district of Vienna
On my way to the Belvedere Gardens I passed by this wonderful Russian Orthodox Cathedral. It was consecrated in 1899. During the wars it was heavily damaged. The restoration has almost been finished by now, as you can see on my photo!

Sonntag, 21. September 2008

Moelker Bastei


Mölker Bastei with a view to the University of Vienna

You see the old fortifications (left), the University (background), the "Dreimäderlhaus" - Schubert House (with the red-white flags) and the Beethoven (Pasqualati-)House on the corner. The houses were built about 1800.

Moelker Bastei

Harry Lime's Doorway

In the 57th minute of the film "The Third Man" Harry appears in the doorway at Schreyvogelgasse 8 on the Mölker Bastei (the door far right)

Samstag, 20. September 2008

Moelker Bastei


Mölker Bastei

This is a very old part of the City of Vienna. You see the remains of the old city fortifications that were erected in about 1150. The roofs of the houses on the left are made of shingles!

Freitag, 19. September 2008

Gasometer


The (four) Gasometers

were built 1896–1899. They are located in the 11th district of Vienna. They were used from 1899 to 1984 as gas storage tanks.

Nowadays there are a Shopping Mall, flats, business offices, the Municipal Archive, movie theaters and more.

Donnerstag, 18. September 2008

Hundertwasser Haus

Hundertwasser House

One of Vienna's most popular tourist attractions: a residential house, colorful, assymmetric, and covered with plants and trees. Friedensreich Hundertwasser, master of unconventional architecture, constructed this building in 1985. My son Pascal and I were there in the queue for a visit at the opening celebration!

Dienstag, 16. September 2008

Fu Long - Happy Dragon in the Vienna Zoo


Fu Long - Giant Panda cub in the Vienna Zoo Schönbrunn

This little bear touches my heart! He is the offspring of Yang Yang and Long Hui, Giant Panda Bears, who came to Vienna in spring 2003 as a loan from China - and I was there to watch them as often as I could from the beginning! Fu Long was born in August 2007.

Donau City


Danube City

is a modern part of Vienna, situated on the left bank of the river Danube, in the 22nd district of Vienna. There is also the Vienna International Centre VIC, the United Nations Office at Vienna - called UNO City. There are large green areas for recreation and sports, too: the Danube Park with its Danube Tower, the Old and the New Danube, the Danube Island and more. My son lives there and he loves it.

Montag, 15. September 2008

Michaelerplatz, Vienna

Michaelerplatz - Herrengasse - Schauflergasse

A famous square in Vienna, the former Royal Palace "Hofburg" is situated there. You see the building on the corner? Yes, it's the Café Griensteidl - now. But many years before it was a bank office and I used to work there!

The horse cars in Vienna are called "Fiaker" and a guided tour in such car is very nice!

St. Stephens's Cathedral

St.Stephen's Cathedral

is the landmark of Vienna and dates back to the 12th century; the cathedral is 107 meters (350 ft) long, 40 meters (131 ft) wide, and 136 meters (445 ft) tall at its highest point.
Climb the 343 steps to the tower-keeper's room of St. Stephen's and enjoy a breathtaking view...