All Mad Here

"We are all mad here" - this slogan welcomes the guests of the recently opened "25hours Hotel". Originally this building was a hall of residence, two years ago the transformation into a hotel started at the top floors (with a very popular bar in the attic), now the whole building is operated as hotel. The furniture of the rooms is very special: it has been inspired by the traditions of the circus institution. Sounds good to me. If I was a tourist I would love to check in here.

Façade Detail #23

Don´t forget to look up, you could miss beautiful details.

An Afternoon in the Park

It seems as if spring has finally sprung: the last few days were warm and sunny and the trees were budding. On Sunday afternoon I walked across the Volksgarten where a lot of people were enjoying the beautiful weather. By the way, the white building in the background is the Theseus Temple.

Mozarthaus Vienna

Domgasse 5 is the only one of Mozart’s apartments in Vienna that still exists today. The composer lived in Mozarthaus Vienna from 1784 to 1787 in grand style. The life and works of this musical genius are presented in and around this apartment on four exhibition levels. In addition to the historical Mozart apartment visitors can find out about the times in which Mozart lived and his most important works. The exhibition focuses on his years in Vienna, which marked a high point in his creativity. Mozarthaus Vienna also houses a shop, a concert hall and a learning center.

Vienna City Marathon

Yesterday the 30th Vienna City Marathon took place. The winners are Henry Sugut (2:08:19) and Flomena Cheyech (2:24:34), both from Kenia. Shortly after the start the participants passed by my place - this is what I saw from the window of my living room.

Sunday Flowers #70

"Deep in their roots all flowers keep the light." - Theodore Roethke

Walking And Sitting In The Sun

Last Monday was the first slightly warmer and sunny day after a very long winter, everybody who had the chance was out to enjoy the "unusual" weather.

Thieving Magpies

Thieving magpies in the window of a jewelry store in the city center.

Lemure

This "Lemure" sculpture by Austrian artist Franz West (1947-2012) is currently located in front of the MUMOK which hosts an exhibition (until May 26) dedicated to the work of the artist. Click here for a photo of another "Lemure Head", located on Stubenbrücke.

First Picnics

The beautiful weather on Monday enticed some people to have a first picnic in the Burggarten. In the background you can see the Jugendstil greenhouse which houses the restaurant "Palmenhaus" and the "Butterfly House".

Here Comes The Sun

Yesterday we were spoiled with sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures, and the outdoor areas of the cafés and restaurants finally came to life. A lot of people opted for the "Palmenhaus" (located in a Jugendstil greenhouse) in the Burggarten.

Still Rather Winterly

Due to the cold and cloudy weather the Stadtpark looks still rather winterly.

Sunday Flowers #69

"Flowers are happy things." - Sir P.G. Wodehouse

Good Idea

What is to be done if a scaffolding hides your restaurant and you don´t wont people to miss the place? You wrap colourful fabric around the poles! I think that´s a very good idea.

Silver Clouds

The kinetic space installation "Silver Clouds" by Andy Warhol is part of the current exhibition "Clouds. Fleeting Worlds" at the Leopold Museum. The clouds, filled with helium and oxygen, float through a room on air currents, bumping into each other and into the visitors. The clouds may be touched, and last Sunday some adolescents started a short "cloud fight". The exhibition runs through July 1.

Too Wet to Sit Outside

Let´s continue the series of "too .... to sit outside" photographs. Yesterday it was snowing again the whole day long, the snow melted immediately and so it was definitely too wet to sit outside. For the "too cold" photo please click here, for "too snowy" here. According to the forecasters there won't be any improvement in the near future. If I will be able to take a "too hot to sit outside" photo this year?

Yellow Tulips

It´s currently difficult to find signs of spring in Vienna. On Easter Sunday only these yellow tulips of the advertisement of a jewelry store added a springlike touch to the city.

Umbrellas

In case you were wondering how the weather was in Vienna on Easter Sunday: cold and sleeting. At least some umbrellas brightened this cloudy day...

April Theme Day: Pedestrians Crossing

At the intersection Maysedergasse - Tegetthoffstraße in the city center.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.  

Happy Easter!

All these wooden bunnies are wishing you a very happy Easter!

Easter Car

Get out of the way! The Easter bunny is in a rush, he wants to deliver the Easter baskets in time...

Easter Eggs

Some of the 40.000 beautifully hand painted Easter eggs piled up at the Old Vienna Easter Market in the city center.

Old Vienna Easter Market

The Old Vienna Easter Market at the Freyung is famous for its huge amount (ca. 40.000) of painted Easter eggs piled up in the center of the market. You can get there also other Easter decorations and snacks from the Austrian provinces.  

Easter Sweets

Let´s stop talking about the still bad (according to a colleague of mine "non-sexy") weather and better focus on getting in the Easter mood with a photo of some Easter sweets. Aren´t the chocolate chickens cute? Could you eat them?

Too snowy to sit outside

Last week I told you that it was too cold to sit outside. Well, things didn´t get better: now it´s not only too cold but also too snowy to enjoy the outdoor areas of the cafés and restaurants. Admittedly it´s not as much snow as we had in January and February, but for March it´s definitely too much. As I´m writing these lines (00:07 a.m.) it´s still snowing and I can regularly hear the sound of the snowplow.

Does This Look Like Spring?

I took this photo yesterday afternoon in the Volksgarten. Look at those icicles! Spring, where are you?... By the way, this fountain was created by the German-Austrian sculptor Anton Dominik Ritter von Fernkorn in 1866.

Sunday Flowers #68

"Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men."  - Chinese Proverb
(I would love to recognize spring, but with temperatures around 0°C it´s hard to do so...)

Red Door

Last wednesday evening the Jewish Museum Vienna hosted a special event and welcomed the guests with a red carpet and an illuminated doorway.

Façade Detail #22

A caryatid on a building in the city center.

Easter Bunnies

Easter Bunnies in the window of the confectionary Gerstner in the city center.

Flower Shop

Spring starts today. So much for the theory. The reality is that it´s still rather cold and feels a lot like winter. At least the flowers in front of this flower shop in the 7th district look like spring.

A Walk in Schönbrunn

Last Sunday afternoon in the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace: blue sky, wind, chilly temperature and bald trees. I´m waiting for spring!

Too Cold to Sit Outside

The deserted outdoor area of the café at the Gloriette yesterday afternoon - it was sunny, but rather chilly.

Happy 3rd Blogiversary!

This blog is 3 years today! I started it just for fun without knowing how long I would be able to take interesting photos of my native city. Keeping my eyes open for details has helped me to see Vienna in a new way and I´m very much looking forward to sharing my photographs with you for another year. Many thanks to everyone who has ever visited my blog and especially to those who left a comment, I appreciate your support very much.

Some First Easter Sweets

The Easter bunnies found their way into the supermarkets and the shop windows. Furthermore various Easter markets are open from this weekend until 1 April.

Façade Detail #21

An ornament on a façade in the city center.

Winter is Back

Spring tries the Viennese's patience...It´s snowing again... In spring and summer you can drink hot and cold tea behind the fence on the right side - it´s the outdoor area of a teahouse in the city center.

Spring Fashion

Last week we had a small foretaste of spring, but now it has gotten cold again and the forecasts even talk about snow within the next few days. But soon (I hope!) we will be able to wear the new spring fashion. 

Garfield Cake

Are you looking for a fancy cake for a children's birthday party? This Garfield cake might be the perfect choice.

Green Door

This green door gives access to an impressive apartment building in the 3rd district.

Sunday Flowers #67

"Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity." - John Ruskin

Let´s Sit Outside Again

In Vienna the cafés and restaurants are legally obligated to close their outdoor areas every year from December to February. But now we have March and when the weather is nice enough the sidewalks are again populated with people enjoying their drink or meal outside.

Breaking The Rules: Excursion to Linz #3

The Trinity Column on the main square of Linz is 20 metres high and made of white marble. It is a typical symbol of the baroque period and was erected in gratitude by those who had survived a variety of disasters. The column should also protect the citizens from war, fire and plague.

Breaking The Rules: Excursion to Linz #2

Façades in the city center of Linz.

Breaking The Rules: Excursion to Linz #1

Some weeks ago I made an excursion to Linz, the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria. In this photo you can see a small street in the city center and the spire of the New Cathedral. With 20.000 seats, the cathedral is the largest, but not the highest, church in Austria. The originally-planned, higher spire was not approved, because in Austria-Hungary at the time, no building was allowed to be taller than the South Tower of the St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. At 135 m, the New Cathedral is two meters shorter than the Viennese cathedral.

Façade Detail #20

The Wienzeile n° 38 building was designed by famous Austrian architect Otto Wagner, the beautiful golden ornaments  were done by Koloman Moser.

Snow Caps

The snow is already gone, but I still want to show you this photo because I think that these snow caps look very cute.

Sunday Flowers #66

"To create a little flower is the labor of ages." - William Blake

The Gloriette

A last picture of my recent walk in the snowy gardens of Schönbrunn Palace: The Gloriette was originally built as a view point and "temple of glory". Later on it was equipped with glass windows and became a location for dinner and festivities, today it houses a café.

March Theme Day: Café Chairs

Okay, I have to admit that the chairs in this photo don´t belong to a café but to a French bistro at Palais Ferstel, but you can find these kind of chairs (and tables) in a lot of Viennese cafés.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.