Wiener Lustspielhaus #2

Here´s another view of the Wiener Lustspielhaus in the city center. The lady in the blue dress is Empress Maria Theresia, behind her you can see Schönbrunn Palace.

Wiener Lustspielhaus #1

Summer is coming to an end: The days are getting shorter and the various summer festivals are closing. In a day or two the curtain of the "Wiener Lustspielhaus" in the city center will rise for the last time. The photo shows the beautifully decorated cash desk of the theater.

Urania

The Urania is located on the banks of the Danube Canal. It was designed by Max Fabiani (a student of Otto Wagner) and opened in 1910 by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria as educational facility with a public observatory. Its name derives from the muse Urania which represents astronomy. Today, the Urania houses also a cinema that screens the annual Viennale movie festival, a puppet theater and a restaurant.

Sunday Flowers #13

I will be the gladdest thing under the sun!

I will touch a hundred flowers

And not pick one. - Edna St. Vincent Millay

Balcony #6

This small balcony is not paticularly beautiful, but it´s located in the very city center and I see it every day from my current office. I envy everybody even for the smallest balcony, I would love to enjoy the summer evenings outside but at home.

Water Lilies

On the staircase of the Albertina you can currently find some of Claude Monet´s water lilies as promotion for the permanent collection, presented in the exhibition "Monet to Picasso. The Batliner Collection". I´m not sure if I like this new attraction..., I prefer the original paintings...

Thirsty Tourists

Although summer will soon come to an end, currently it´s presenting itself in the best light: it´s sunny and very hot. No wonder that a lot of tourists line up at the mobile drinking fountain on Graben to to get some crystal clear drinking water.

What To See? Where To Go?

These young tourists are obviously discussing what to see next and how to get there...

Behind The Gate

After entering the Belvedere gate, you can throw a first glance at the baroque Upper Belvedere Palace, designed by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt and constructed for Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736). Today the Prince´s summer residence houses the permanent collection of the "Österreichische Galerie Belvedere" museum: Austrian art dating from the Middle Ages to the present day. For a photo of the Palace from the garden side please click here.

Sunday Flowers #12

"Flowers are the music of the ground, from earth´s lips spoken without sound" - Edwin Curran

Belvedere Gate

Behind this beautiful baroque gate lies the Upper Belvedere which was built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy and which now houses the "Österreichische Galerie Belvedere" museum. If you zoom in, you can see that the lions carry the Prince´s coat of arms.

Reflections #7

Reflections of a rather unspectacular building in the city center in the windscreen of a three-wheeler.

Looking Down

Looking down from the southern tower of St. Stephen´s Cathedral on some buildings on  Graben.

Looking Up

The  construction of the 136m tall southern tower of St. Stephen´s Cathedral, Vienna´s most important religious building, lastet 65 years (1368-1433). During the Siege of Vienna (1529) and the Battle of Vienna (1683) it served as the main observation and command post of the defence of the walled city, and it even cotains an apartment for the watchman who, until 1955, manned the tower at night and rang the bells if fire was spotted in the city.

Meinl am Graben

In this building in the city centre you can find "Julius Meinl am Graben", the first address for Vienna´s gourmets and connoisseurs. The finest ingredients and materials from all over the world are on sale on three floors, furthermore there are a café and a restaurant.

Oh Là Là

As some of you may already know, I love Paris. So when I discovered a clothing store that has the Eiffel Tower decorated with a bow as logo, I immediately dug out my camera ;-)

Colourful Bench

I´m always glad to discover bright colours amidst the concrete jungle. When I saw this colourful painted park bench in front of an antiques shop in the second district, I fell in love with it at once.

White Beauties

These two freshly renovated caryatids can be found at the entrance of Pallavicini Palace in the city center.
I´m gone for a few days (destination: Venice, Italy). Unfortunately I didn´t manage to prepare posts, I will be back on Monday.

Blue & Red

I doubt that these two scooters get a lot of rides this summer with all the bad weather we have...

The Balloon Clown

Nearly every time that I´m in the city center, I see this clown creating hearts, flowers, animals, swords and hats with balloons. I dont´t know if he´s selling them or simply giving them away, anyhow there are usually some kids walking happily around with his creations.

Parasols

I love how the parasols of the restaurant on the top floor of Haas Haus stick out against the sky. It must be nice to sit up there and have lunch or dinner and enjoy the gorgeous view.

Sunday Flowers #11

"He who wants a rose, must respect the thorn." - Persian Proverb

Advertising Vehicle

This bicylce is completely covered with stickers of an off theater and is also equipped with flyers for the interested passers-by. What a nice and cheap possibility of an advertising vehicle!

The Perfect Mix

I discovered this appealing arrangement in front of a children´s shop and café in the 18th district. The objects are completely mismatched, yet they fit perfectly together. I was especially attracted by the bright colours.

Ship Ahoy!

A small and quiet harbour for sailing ships at the Donauinsel.

A Good Find

If I see an open front door, I love to sneak in and sometimes I make a nice discovery, such as this beautiful courtyard in the city center.

August Theme Day: Postcard-worthy

The Upper Belvedere seen through a sculpture of Austrian artist Franz West (* 1947). I took this photo already two years ago, when some of his sculptures were exhibited in the pleasure garden of the Lower Belvedere.

Black And White

Tables and chairs in the first district waiting for guests... I was told that recently the weather in Vienna was rather bad (I returned from Paris yesterday evening), so I guess the outdoor areas of the restaurants and cafés have been deserted.