Wednesday, 12.
Day 7. Our last day in Vienna.
The Museums Quartier left us too hot too tired and spectacularly lo-batt. An early dinner in a lovely garden in Spittelberg did much to recharge us but only enough for us to pour ourselves into a taxi for home.
Tuesday, 11.
Day 6 was to be a simple tram outing to explore architecture. Target building was Otto Wagner’s Majolica House.
Our tram route was screwed up by ongoing roadworks. An hour and several tram lines after, we gave up and just walked around the Burggarten area.
Monday, 10.
Days 4 and 5 were really too hot to do anything but laze indoors. We’re tired of the hotel restaurant so we’ve moved to the quirky Cyclists cafeteria and have since taken up a new routine. Lemon tart and coffee in the lobby after lunch.
Sunday, 9.
Day 4. We set out in the afternoon to explore the city. We have loosely mapped out our tour using only the trams, with very light walking.
As we walk out of the hotel, we realise that the place is deserted. I see maybe two or three people walking. It’s very hot out. Also, there’s a reduced tram service on Sundays.
We beat a hasty retreat and decide to enjoy the cool indoors at beautiful Andaz Vienna am Belvedere Hotel.
Later, we try the Klein Steiermark in Schweitzer Garten across the street. Too big, too touristy, and too many mosquitoes.
So, once again, it’s back to the hotel for sunset drinks and snacks at the Rooftop Bar. Fabulous!
Saturday, 8.
Day 3 is dedicated to the Vienna Secession.
In 1897, a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects resigned from the traditional Association of Austrian Artists.
They formed their own exhibition group with the ideal of reuniting the separate arts of architecture, painting, sculpture, and music. The Secession Exhibitions Hall designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich was the venue for their expositions.
The Beethoven Frieze.
Conceived as an homage to Ludwig van Beethoven, the painting is a visual interpretation of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
The allegorical painting was meant to be an ephemeral work of art, a temporary installation for an exhibition commemorating the composer’s 75th death anniversary.
Klimt painted the frieze directly on the wall using such light materials as charcoal, coloured chalk, pastel, and casein, and decorated it with gold, silver, glass, curtain rings, and mother-of-pearl buttons.
After the exhibition, the frieze was not destroyed as originally planned. It was subsequently purchased, dismantled, put in storage for years, and eventually restored.
It’s now on permanent display in a specially built, climate-controlled basement room in the Secession Building.
The Karlsplatz Station Pavilions
Designed by Otto Wagner, the entrance pavilions to the old Karlsplatz station are prime examples of Art Nouveau architecture.
Friday, 7.
We’re at the Belvedere Palace Gallery for some of Gustav Klimt‘s most famous paintings.
Portrait of Fritza Riedler, 1906.
The Kiss, 1906/1908.
Portrait of Amalie Zuckerlandl (Unfinished), 1917-1918.
Avenue to Schloss Kammer, 1912.
Klimt’s landscapes used a square format, often without sky or horizon, zooming into detailed sections.
He reportedly used a telescope for closeup views using pointillist-style brushstrokes for a flat decorative pattern.
Ok, we’ve done Vienna Day 2.
Klimt, check!
Sacher torte, check!
Apple strudel, check!
Vienna Day 1.
We arrive Thursday evening.
