Vienna might be the city of music, but it’s also a fantastic city for architecture. To understand the city better, we went on a DIY Vienna architecture tour in search of its famous and beautiful buildings.
The Austrian capital has been king in the Global Liveability Index for three consecutive years, making it the most desirable place to live on earth. Believe me, it’s a fantastic city. And I think architecture has a lot to do with it (and, of course, stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure).
When we arrived back at our hotel at the end of our DIY tour, Vienna was solidly one of my favourite cities in the world. I could pack up and move there.
On our Vienna architecture tour, we saw a bit of everything, but our main focus was on buildings from the Viennese Art Nouveau or Jugendstil. Throw in some Gothic and modern/post-modern bricks, and you have yourself a nice day out exploring the famous buildings in Vienna.
Jugendstil organically emerged after the Secession movement under architects like Otto Wagner, Joseph Maria Olbrich, and Josef Hoffmann who broke away from the historical style. If you’re in Vienna, you want to go hunt down the Jugendstils.
Thanks to the Secession movement, Vienna embraced modernism most beautifully. Vienna buildings emphasize functionalism while incorporating artistic trimmings without breaking a sweat.
Okay, enough small talk. Let’s hit the streets and go see the most beautiful buildings in Vienna!
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Quick Guide to Our Vienna Architecture Tour
Buildings we saw: Kunst Haus Wien, Huntertwasserhaus, Karlsplatz Pavillion, Secession Building, Majolikahaus, Musenhaus, Stephansdom, Zum Schwarzen Kameel, Engel Aphoteke
How much time: At least half a day. Plenty of other sightseeing and dining besides the architecture. We went in December and spent an entire day between architecture and Christmas markets. It was a great day.
Getting around: Combine walking and public transportation. Use Google Maps to see the fastest routes. The Vienna City Card allows free use of public transport for 1-7 days and discounts at major attractions.
If you prefer someone to show you around, this Vienna Art Nouveau Walking Tour might be for you.
Still planning your Vienna trip? We loved staying at Hotel The Weekend
Kunst Haus Wien
Ready and excited to explore Vienna’s architectural gems, we take the tram to the Landstraße district after breakfast at our hotel. We have to transfer at Volkstheater, and our new tram cruises along the Vienna Ringstraße (Ring Road), giving us a free tour of some of Vienna’s most famous buildings from the window.
We briefly ride along the Donaukanal before we reach Radetzkyplatz. When we get off, signage directs us to our first stop, Kunsthaus Wien, before I can even open Google Maps. That’s the case pretty much everywhere we go in Vienna. It is a joy exploring the city independently.
Walking to the Kunsthaus, we goggle at the fantastic residential buildings. Everything is so clean, and everything seems so functional. I imagine über successful people who take pride in doing recycling and community service living behind the windows.
When we arrived at Kunst Haus Wien, we knew immediately. The uneven lines, colourful glazed tiles, and quirky shapes of the facade on a street of white post-war buildings were impossible to miss.
Originally a furniture factory, Hunterwasser transformed it between 1989 and 1991 and opened it as a museum in 1991. During our visit, the entire interior of the building underwent renovations, so we could only admire the building from the outside.
Kunst Haus Wien has reopened since our visit, and a combined ticket to the exhibitions in the Kunst Haus Wien and Museum Hundertwasser is available for €15.
Kunst Haus Wien is, just like Vienna, a clean, green, eco-machine with sustainability at the core of its design. The building is home to 260 plant species, with ten large tree tenants among them.
Huntertwasserhaus
One of Vienna’s most famous (and photographed) buildings awaits on the corner of Kegelgasse and Löwengasse. The Huntertwasser Haus is under ten minutes walk from Kunsthaus Wien, but most visitors beeline for Hunterwasser Haus and don’t bother with the Kunsthaus.
Hunterwasser Haus is perhaps more typical of the architect’s ideas. The levels seem much more uneven than at the Kunsthaus, and the trees growing on the balconies and rooftops almost have an identity of their own.
The building comprises 52 apartments and 19 patios, with 250 trees and bushes growing between them. Huntertwasser Haus is a residential building, so the interior is only accessible to residents.
Whether it looks kitch or not, the Hunterwasser Haus is definitely the quirkiest building in Vienna and a must-see for those interested in the city’s architecture.
Hunterwasserhaus location
A few buildings down the street from Huntertwasserhaus, at Löwengasse 47a, you can see the beautiful Palais des Beaux Arts, an Art Nouveau building dating from 1908.
After admiring the Palais des Beaux Arts from the outside, we typed our next destination into Google Maps, directing us to a nearby tram stop.
Karlsplatz Pavillion
Otto Wagner’s iconic twin entrances to the Karlsplatz Station showcase Vienna Art Nouveau (Jugendstil). These two pavilions, constructed around 1900, feature an apple green, gold, and white design, and are part of Vienna’s urban railway system.
In the 1890s, Otto Wagner was commissioned to design several stations, bridges, and other railway infrastructure. The Karlsplatz Stations are the finest examples of Wagner’s railway buildings and are my favourite Jugendstil building in Vienna.
The golden sunflower motifs on the arch above the entrance and the green doors are damn fine.
Otto Wagner Karlsplatz Pavilion location
Secession Building
The Secession Building gets my vote if we ever have to pick a single building to represent Vienna. It should be on every Vienna itinerary if you ask me.
Lovingly referred to by Viennese as the Golden Cabbage (thanks to the golden leafwork dome), the Secession building is a declaration in brick and mortar of the rebel artists who broke away from traditional art forms. The most famous among them, Vienna’s golden boy, Gustav Klimt.
Under the golden globe you’ll see the the words Der Zeit ihre Kunst. Der Kunst ihre Freiheit written in gold. This translates to To every age its art, to every art its freedom. The three gargons (three monstrous sisters from Greek mythology) above the entrance represents painting, sculpture, and architecture.
Art lovers, Klimt groupies and Jugendstil junkies must absolutely enter the Secession Building to see Klimt’s monumental Beethoven Frieze.
Weighing four tons and standing 2.15 m tall and 34.14 m long, the Beethoven Frieze is as good as Klimt gets.
Secession Building Details:
Opening hours: Tue-Sun / 10 am-6 pm. Closed on Mondays
Tickets: Regular admissions € 12. Discounted for seniors, youths and students.
Free admission: First Wednesday of every month
location
Otto Wagner’s Row Houses
It’s a short walk from the Secession Building to our next stop, which is two stunning Art Nouveau residential buildings by Otto Wagner. (location)
Our walk takes us past the Naschmarkt (Vienna’s famous culinary market of food vendors, grocers and restaurants) and, of course, fine Viennese architecture.
Majolikahaus & Musenhaus
The two buildings standing next to each other are Majolikahaus and Musenhaus. Unfortunately, access to the buildings is not possible, as they are residential.
Walking from the Secession, the first Wagner building we reached was Musenhaus (Linke Wienzeile 38).
The Musenhaus, also known as The House of Muses, is distinguished by its flat, off-white facade embellished with intricate gold decorations created by the artist Koloman Moser.
Take note of the ruferinnen sculptures on the roof. These sculptures of female figures, crafted by Othmar Schimkowitz, represent the muses that inspired the building’s name.
I just loved the Majolikahaus. With its colourful majolica tiles in floral motifs, this building represents Wagner’s approach to more functional architecture without sacrificing beauty.
Wagner chose the majolica tiles on the face because they are weatherproof and easy to clean.
Looking at the Majolikahaus and Musenhaus today, it’s hard to imagine that the public rejected them as hideous beyond measure when they were just completed.
Today they are considered among Vienna’s most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, so don’t miss them.
Lunch at Ribs of Vienna
All that walking around and hunting down Vienna’s best buildings sure makes one hungry. We take a short and delicious break from oohing and aahing over architecture to rest and refuel – and that calls for meat and beer.
We typed Ribs of Vienna into good old Google Maps, which directed us to the nearest metro station. A short ride on Vienna’s excellent metro brought us to Stadtpark, from where it’s a short walk to Vienna’s famous ribs joint.
When we arrived, Ribs of Vienna was packed, but luckily, we got a table right away. We had the ribs, crumbed mushrooms, and a beer, which hit the spot perfectly.
Ribs of Vienna location
Stephansdom
One building everyone visiting Vienna must see (and they do) is St Stephen’s Cathedral, or Stephansdom in German. So, with our fingers still a bit sticky from the ribs, we walked to Vienna’s beautiful cathedral.
Good luck getting Stephansdom to fit into one photo. It’s enormous.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the heart and soul of Vienna, and its architecture is nothing short of iconic.
We were greeted by the double-headed eagle emblem of the Hapsburg Empire on its multi-coloured tiled roof, which sparkled in the afternoon winter’s sun as we approached.
The cathedral’s style is mostly Gothic, especially the spire that shoots up into the sky at nearly 130 metres, but you’ll also spot some Romanesque touches.
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Inside, it’s just as breathtaking. High vaulted ceilings and stone columns stretch upwards, making you feel tiny in the best possible way. Intricate altars and stained-glass windows glow with a soft, spiritual light. It’s a true mix of elegance and grandeur.
Whether you’re into architecture or not, St. Stephen’s is one building you shouldn’t miss in Vienna. Of course, the Christmas market at the cathedral is a must-visit when you’re here in late November to the end of December.
Location
Jugendstil Gems on Bognergasse
Bognergasse, a short street near St Stephen’s Cathedral, is home to two famous Jugendstil addresses for those searching for Art Nouveau in Vienna.
Zum Schwarzen Kameel
Zum Schwarzen Kameel (At the Black Camel) is one of Vienna’s iconic cafes. It is said that Beethoven frequented the Camel. The Black Camel is known for its fine cheese, wines, and delicious gourmet sandwiches from the deli. It’s also a prime example of Viennese Art Nouveau.
We were planning on stopping for a coffee to see the wooden-panelled Art Nouveau dining room, but unfortunately, it was rammed when we got there.
If it’s not too busy, it looks like a damn fine cafe to stop for a drink and something to eat.
Engel Apotheke
The Engel Apotheke (Angel Pharmacy), just a few doors down from the Schwarzen Kameel, is another beautiful building we love in Vienna. Its two striking mosaic angels, one standing on each side of the door, are just incredible.
The two glass mosaic angels standing on pedestals raise bowls of healing potions above their heads, with the snake of Aesculapius creeping up their arms.
It looks like Klimt could have done them.
The Engel Apotheke, built in 1901, is actually the work of the architect Oskar Laske, a student of Otto Wagner. The decorative sunflowers above the window might be a nod to Wager’s sunflower motifs on the Karlsplatz Pavilion.
Many consider the Engel Apotheke the best and purest example of Vienna’s Art Nouveau and Secession architecture.
Location
And that’s our favourite buildings we saw. We hope you find many more on your own architecture tour of Vienna ✌️
Your photos are awesome! There are many interesting buildings there; no wonder it is one of the most popular capital cities in Europe.
Thanks Zoli,
Vienna is a smashing city. I can live there.