{"id":584,"date":"2015-07-07T17:59:36","date_gmt":"2015-07-07T16:59:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/?p=584"},"modified":"2020-08-25T20:02:40","modified_gmt":"2020-08-25T19:02:40","slug":"vienna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/2015\/07\/07\/vienna\/","title":{"rendered":"Vienna"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

The Iconic Ferris Wheel, which features in The Third Man, at Prater Park<\/p><\/div>\n

The Scientific Tourist very much enjoyed his brief visit to Vienna.\u00a0\u00a0 The city is everything a European capital should be;\u00a0 elegant, clean, safe, and devoted to knowledge and culture. \u00a0\u00a0 Grand but graceful buildings are set along wide, tree-lined boulevards, and even on the side streets the apartment blocks are coordinated and consistent.\u00a0\u00a0 The city has a planned feel, which is of course the truth.<\/p>\n

Vienna’s cultural credentials are second to none. \u00a0 It has great museums and an illustrious history of achievement in science.\u00a0\u00a0 A list of famous Viennese reads like an inventory of outstanding 19th and 20th century scientists;\u00a0 Boltzmann, Mach, Schr\u00f6dinger, Pauli, Meitner and Lorenz, to name just a few.\u00a0\u00a0 The place is just packed with the history of science.\u00a0 And of course Vienna is justly famous for its musical history, being home to so many great composers, whose music is performed and appreciated daily.\u00a0 I can’t help pondering on the frequently noted association between a love of science and maths, and appreciation of music (and coffee?)\u00a0\u00a0 Art galleries match the architecture for visual delight.<\/p>\n

\"Site<\/a>

Site of Old University – Where Leibniz First Proposed an Academy of Science<\/p><\/div>\n

The people are polite and friendly, if a little formal.\u00a0\u00a0 The public transport system is a joy to use;\u00a0 fast, frequent, clean, cheap, comfortable and uncrowded.\u00a0\u00a0 You can zip across the city in minutes using the subway or Schnellbahn, or take a more visually interesting ride on a tram or bus that run every few minutes and connect with the rail network.\u00a0\u00a0 The food, beer and wine are first rate, and reasonably priced.\u00a0\u00a0 And the coffee, which I suspect has driven some of the greatest minds in history, is among the best in the world.<\/p>\n

\""Central\"<\/a>

Melange and Buchteln<\/em> Cake. Central Cafe – One of Vienna’s Famous Coffee Houses – Now, Almost Exclusively for Tourists, as no Viennese Would Queue For a Seat. Better to try the Avant-Garde Cafe Hawelka, Famous for its Melange<\/em> and Buchteln<\/em> Cake<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

The Viennese have an unusual respect for learning.\u00a0\u00a0 Failure to use someone’s academic title can cause offence, and even the spouses of laureates share in the glory of the honorific.\u00a0\u00a0 God help the man who refers to Dr. Hofmann’s wife as Frau Hofmann.\u00a0\u00a0 This regard for learning can be seen in the shingles outside businesses.\u00a0\u00a0 Hofmann may be a real estate agent and restauranteur, but the brass plate at his door will read Dr. or even Magister (indicating a Master’s degree) Hofmann.\u00a0\u00a0 Perhaps, as the birthplace of psychoanalysis, the burghers might want to look deeper into why this is.\u00a0\u00a0 Nonetheless, how refreshing to be in a place where the great values and achievements of the intellect are respected and admired, rather than the trashy ephemera of what passes for popular culture.<\/p>\n

\"Vienna<\/a>

Vienna Natural History Museum<\/p><\/div>\n

Vienna has a history of culture and art that put it among the world’s great cities of culture.\u00a0\u00a0 The music of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss (among so many illustrious inhabitants) is still celebrated and performed every day.\u00a0\u00a0 The Opera and orchestras are world-famous.\u00a0\u00a0 The museums and art galleries house some of the world’s greatest works of art, and every other house seems to be a museum to the great and famous who lived here.<\/p>\n

The Scientific Tourist had time for only the most superficial of explorations, and has another visit very much in mind.\u00a0\u00a0 What made his trip especially pleasant was the kindness and generous hospitality of his Viennese hosts, Willy and Shousan Spatz.\u00a0\u00a0 Thank you both so much for treating me so well, and opening up your home, as well as your city, to me.\u00a0\u00a0 I can only hope to return the favour someday soon.<\/p>\n

\"Willy<\/a>

Willy and Shousan Spatz<\/p><\/div>\n

Top Tips<\/h1>\n

Those readers more used to cities in other European countries, say the UK, may be surprised to find that the Viennese still take Sunday seriously, and almost all supermarkets and grocery shops will be closed. \u00a0\u00a0 There are very few ‘corner shops’ selling basic provisions, so make sure you stock up.<\/p>\n

Vienna is a lovely city, partly because of the unity of its architecture. However, one grand boulevard lined with tall elegant buildings can look rather like another, and Vienna has plenty,\u00a0 so when you board a tram or bus, make sure you note the name of the stop, so you know where to get off when you return.<\/p>\n

Although it would be hard to exhaust Vienna’s charms, should you feel the need for a little solitude and landscape, take the Schnellbahn and a bus (30 mins) out to nearby Grinzing, in the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods.) \u00a0\u00a0 After a look around the charming hamlet with its many attractive and atmospheric Heurigen<\/em>, continue on the same bus up to the top of the hill (Kahlenberg) from where you can enjoy a great view of the city, then walk down through vineyards to the banks of the Danube to catch the bus back.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A Grinzing Heuriger – Famous for serving their own wine and speciality Food<\/p><\/div>\n

\"View<\/a>

View of Vienna From the Kahlenberg<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Walking<\/a>

Walking Down From the Kahlenberg<\/p><\/div>\n

As already mentioned, the Viennese love their coffee, and the grand cafes are world famous for their famous patrons as well as their wonderful decor, not to mention the superb coffee and cakes. \u00a0\u00a0 However, most of the grand cafes are crowded and touristy. \u00a0 For a more authentic experience (and I’m reluctant to publicise it) try Cafe Hawelka on Dorotheergasse. \u00a0 Famous for its melange<\/em> and Buchteln<\/em> cake, this gem\u00fctlichkeit<\/em> cafe was the haunt of the avant garde<\/em> writers and artists in the 1950s and 1960s.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Avant-Garde Coffee House but still Traditional – Cafe Hawelka<\/p><\/div>\n

Another great day trip is to Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. \u00a0\u00a0 This charming old city is not only refreshingly undeveloped and very good value, but also looks like a movie set for a fairy-tale town. \u00a0\u00a0 If you are a smoker, this is the place to stock up, as cigarettes are very much cheaper there. \u00a0\u00a0 Take a boat ride down the Danube (2 hours, from outside the Hilton Danube hotel) but get the (fast and frequent) train back, as the return trip against the current takes 4 hours. \u00a0NB<\/strong>\u00a0There are faster boats (hydrofoils and catamarans) both ways, but take your time on the downriver trip to enjoy the scenery.<\/p>\n

\"Castle<\/a>

Castle on Danube near the border with Slovakia. Reputedly where the Muslim Invaders were repulsed and where the Viennese first encountered their Beloved Coffee.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Bratislava<\/a>

Bratislava – Capital of Slovakia<\/p><\/div>\n

\"A<\/a>

A Voyeur Looking Up Women’s Skirts<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Main<\/a>

Main Square Bratislava<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Scientific Tourist very much enjoyed his brief visit to Vienna.\u00a0\u00a0 The city is everything a European capital should be;\u00a0 elegant, clean, safe, and devoted to knowledge and culture. \u00a0\u00a0 Grand but graceful buildings are set along wide, tree-lined boulevards, and even on the side streets the apartment blocks are coordinated and consistent.\u00a0\u00a0 The city has a planned feel, which is of course the truth. Vienna’s cultural credentials are second to none. \u00a0 It has great museums and an illustrious history of achievement in science.\u00a0\u00a0 A list of famous Viennese reads like an inventory of outstanding 19th and 20th century scientists;\u00a0 Boltzmann, Mach, Schr\u00f6dinger, Pauli, Meitner and Lorenz, to name just a few.\u00a0\u00a0 The place is just packed with the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,11,36,4,6,17],"tags":[31,25,12,20,29,27,30,18],"class_list":["post-584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-history","category-history-of-science","category-history-of-technology","category-natural-history","category-places","category-vienna","tag-history","tag-history-of-science","tag-history-of-technology","tag-museum","tag-natural-history","tag-people","tag-technology","tag-vienna"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s6XHo8-vienna","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":610,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/2015\/08\/10\/university-of-vienna\/","url_meta":{"origin":584,"position":0},"title":"University of Vienna","author":"ablockhead","date":"10th August 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Vienna University has educated and employed so many illustrious scientists (not to mention eminent scholars in many other disciplines) that the chance to get inside was too good to miss.\u00a0 Fortunately, this venerable institution (founded 1365) offers tours of several sites, including the magnificent main building on the Ringstra\u00dfe. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "History"","block_context":{"text":"History","link":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/category\/history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Facade of Vienna University Main Building","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/08\/UniFacadeVandB142V3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/08\/UniFacadeVandB142V3.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/08\/UniFacadeVandB142V3.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/08\/UniFacadeVandB142V3.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":594,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/2015\/08\/03\/vienna-technical-museum\/","url_meta":{"origin":584,"position":1},"title":"Vienna Technical Museum","author":"ablockhead","date":"3rd August 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The Vienna Technisches Museum is housed, in the usual Viennese custom, in a grand white building, but you enter it via an underground atrium that looks as though it was originally designed as a car park. Nonetheless, once inside, the usual combination of efficiency, friendliness and impressive public spaces are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "History"","block_context":{"text":"History","link":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/category\/history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Early X-Ray Machine","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/08\/OldMachineVandB246.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/08\/OldMachineVandB246.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/08\/OldMachineVandB246.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/08\/OldMachineVandB246.jpg?resize=700%2C400 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4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":690,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/2016\/03\/25\/royal-greenwich\/","url_meta":{"origin":584,"position":3},"title":"Royal Greenwich","author":"ablockhead","date":"25th March 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Greenwich makes a great day out for both ordinary and scientific tourists, with a wealth of historical, cultural and architectural attractions, not to mention some of the best views in London. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is, after all, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Its credentials as an unmissable destination for the Scientific Tourist\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Astronomy"","block_context":{"text":"Astronomy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/category\/astronomy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wren's magnificent Naval Hospital frames Inigo Jones' Queens House and Wren's Royal Observatory atop the hill","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/03\/Naval_College_Flamsteed_Greenwich-089.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/03\/Naval_College_Flamsteed_Greenwich-089.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/03\/Naval_College_Flamsteed_Greenwich-089.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/03\/Naval_College_Flamsteed_Greenwich-089.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":243,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/2015\/01\/13\/dungeness-a-surreal-landscape-and-nuclear-power\/","url_meta":{"origin":584,"position":4},"title":"Dungeness – A Surreal Landscape and Nuclear Power","author":"ablockhead","date":"13th January 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"shingle A great, lonely, flat, spit of shingle projecting out into the English Channel from Romney Marshes might not sound enticing, especially compared to the popular Camber Sands nearby, but it's well worth a visit by both the\u00a0 Scientific Tourist and the ordinary kind.\u00a0 Even at the height of summer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/Zagai_Island_Landsat.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":454,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/2015\/02\/09\/review-of-the-hidden-landscape-a-journey-into-the-geological-past-by-richard-fortey\/","url_meta":{"origin":584,"position":5},"title":"Review of ‘The Hidden Landscape \u2013 A Journey into the Geological Past’ by Richard Fortey. Bodley Head 1993, revised and extended in 2010.","author":"ablockhead","date":"9th February 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Geology and landscape are stalwart companions for the Scientific Tourist, and are intimately, inextricably related. \u00a0Their beauty and mystery appeal to the scientist as much as to the tourist, but it is only the Scientific Tourist who can appreciate their fascinating interconnectedness. This book explores the hidden landscape of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover for Hardback Edition The Hidden Landscape - A Journey into the Geological Past","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/02\/Hidden-Landscape-Cover-Hi-Res-x1000.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/02\/Hidden-Landscape-Cover-Hi-Res-x1000.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/02\/Hidden-Landscape-Cover-Hi-Res-x1000.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2015\/02\/Hidden-Landscape-Cover-Hi-Res-x1000.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=584"}],"version-history":[{"count":42,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1411,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions\/1411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.control-g.co.uk\/sciencetourist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}