# VIENNA - 6th District (Mariahilf)



## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

> This is my newest picture project.
> Lots of people know the sights in Vienna's Inner City yet don't know that there are actually 23 districts in my city.
> I am going to portray each and every one of the districts in this series to make you familiar with the Real World Vienna.


MARIAHILF - 6th district



















Area: 1,48 km²
Pop.: 27.900

Mariahilf is one of the smallest districts of Vienna and also one of the steepest inner city districts.
The height differences between the radial streets are overcome by several staircases.

Modern architecture at the beginning of Mariahilfer Straße (more about this later)









The Ibis Hotel from behind:


















The Raimundtheater, Vienna's prime Musical theatre:













































Hi there!









Well...




































Ouch!









The house where composer Joseph Haydn lived when he spent time in Vienna.



























Interesting mix:




































Gumpendorfer Straße, together with Mariahilfer Straße the most important (and more efficient) east-west connection:









Now, that's something cool. A former FLAK defense tower from WWII that has been put to a new use as an aquarium (Austria's biggest I think) and a climbing wall. Starting in May, the upper level will be opened as a public observation deck. Expect my pictures.


















Chilling in Esterhazy-Park:


















Walking up to Mariahilfer Straße:









Mariahilfer Straße, inofficially known as Europe's longest shopping street. Pretty busy on Saturdays:
(6th district to the right, 7th to the left)



























Fillgrader Stiege, one of the nicest staircases in Vienna (and officially Europe's fourth nicest):


















In front of Café Sperl:









Enjoying 22°C in April:









Part of the Technical University:


















The so-called Zweierlinie, marking the beginning of the 1st District, meaning we've reached the eastern end of Mariahilf:


















Naschmarkt again (featured in my 4th district portray already):








































































I wouldn't let someone called "Hell" repair my car...




































Austrian Airlines, advertising their new route to ORD:









And once again, we're done!
:cheers: 

Comments, please!


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## michaelII (Sep 18, 2003)

very nice series, but ...
for the 6th you have to mention otto wagner's masterpieces:









click


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## Sky-Will (Apr 29, 2006)

Hello David!
I love your project. Fantastic. I want to visit in Vienna during this summer. Now I'm waiting for your next district


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## nomarandlee (Sep 24, 2005)

great pics. I love the differing color of central European cities.


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## wc eend (Sep 16, 2002)

Beautiful! But maybe you could do something about the contrast in your pictures. (or is it just the weather?)


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

Another great district. If you don't mind I add two more pictures from the area around the Haus des Meeres. Those two are one of the few pictures I ever made from Vienna ... I love the second one, have a nearer look at it.

















I have to add however another picture of the Mariahilferstraße. I mean for giving the district its name it deserves a second photo  (This last picture: copyright Wikipedia)


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## Sky-Will (Apr 29, 2006)

I must ask again that when will you add the next part?


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

^^ Not sure yet, perhaps I'll have time this WE.... Who knows?


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## salvius (Aug 4, 2004)

Fantastic. Vienna is fantastic. I am not the biggest fan of Mariahilfer Straße shopping stretch, but the architecture in this city is really something to be envious about.


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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

Such a beautiful city.

Wien is magical.


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

salvius said:


> Fantastic. Vienna is fantastic. I am not the biggest fan of Mariahilfer Straße shopping stretch, but the architecture in this city is really something to be envious about.


What do you dislike about the Mariahilfer Straße?
I think its a great place to shop. Far superior regarding the experience than any of the numerous shopping centers in Vienna. (And Vienna has the highest shopping center density in whole Europe, sadly enough)


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

> I am not the biggest fan of Mariahilfer Straße shopping stretch.


Nor am I, that's why I only took about two or three pics and then fled.
Terribly crowded (especially on Saturdays, obviously), beggars, fund raisers, drunk homeless people, chavs, etc., pushing and shoving. hno: Not for me.


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## Sebastian21 (May 7, 2007)

An amazing tour of this city Thank you so much for your job!


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## schmidt (Dec 5, 2002)

Sometimes I catch myself wondering how it would be living in such great places like Vienna. Very very nice pics, this neighborhood is really beautiful and I can't wait to see more. The architecture in the city surprises me day after day.


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## WinoSoul (Sep 14, 2005)

Liked the colorfull buildings!


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## win918 (May 5, 2007)

:banana: Thanks :banana:







very, very nice.beautiful city.nice pics!:banana: :banana:


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

Where do you go shopping in Vienna DavidKunz?

Its right you have lots of fund raisers, a certain number of beggars and a few drunk along the way at the Mariahilfer Straße, but I could not say, that I feel it that overrun on normal days. I mean if you are there a few days before Christmas for example its you own fault. (Just to name the worst case scenario)


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## pokistic (May 8, 2007)

Wow what a city! I wanna visit. :yes:


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## salvius (Aug 4, 2004)

Slartibartfas said:


> What do you dislike about the Mariahilfer Straße?
> I think its a great place to shop. Far superior regarding the experience than any of the numerous shopping centers in Vienna. (And Vienna has the highest shopping center density in whole Europe, sadly enough)


I hate shopping centers as much as the next person (unfortunately too common in North America!!!), but my problem with Mariahilfer is that I don't really think it's all that superior--it feels like an open shopping center to me. I too have noticed pushing and shoving and drunkenness and beggars, certainly more so than in most other districts.

Mariahilfer to me doesn't say 'Vienna' in any way. Apart from the fact that its architecture puts it in Vienna, Mariahilfer, I think, otherwise looks like it could be anywhere in Europe (or beyond), which is a monumental disappointment for a city that usually so successfully demonstrates its sense of unique identity.


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

salvius said:


> I hate shopping centers as much as the next person (unfortunately too common in North America!!!), but my problem with Mariahilfer is that I don't really think it's all that superior--it feels like an open shopping center to me. I too have noticed pushing and shoving and drunkenness and beggars, certainly more so than in most other districts.
> 
> Mariahilfer to me doesn't say 'Vienna' in any way. Apart from the fact that its architecture puts it in Vienna, Mariahilfer, I think, otherwise looks like it could be anywhere in Europe (or beyond), which is a monumental disappointment for a city that usually so successfully demonstrates its sense of unique identity.


Well, the difference to "anywhere" else might be the details. For my part, eg the Cafe Ritter safes already the day.

And the obvious difference to a shopping center is, that people actually live there, and many also work there (apart from the shops, i am talking about offices). Not to forget that its directly next to nice neighborhoods like the Spittelberg or the MQ. The Naschmarkt is not really that far away either, in case you want to get some food as well. 

And last but not least, the accessability by bike is ok. 

Ok, does that make it unique? I dont know, but I would definitely say it makes it comfortable enough to like it there. I mean thats at least correct for me. Others might like other things of course.


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

Shopping streets that are NOT pedestrian areas somehow put me off.


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

davidkunz/VIE said:


> Shopping streets that are NOT pedestrian areas somehow put me off.


Thats a point. But aside from the too expensive first district, there are only larger pedestrian shopping zones in the south of Vienna, aren't they?

I fear it will be not quite possible to turn the Mariahilferstraße pedestrian. What a pitty.


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

It could work. Bring back the trams (52, 58), get the cars to use Gumpendorfer Str., Burggasse, Wienzeile, etc. It's not an important street for traffic, so if you split traffic among the other streets, throughfare traffic between the center and the west still wouldn't increase significantly in these roads.


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## MasonicStage™ (Dec 30, 2006)

beautiful facades in the city! :cheers:


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

davidkunz/VIE said:


> It could work. Bring back the trams (52, 58), get the cars to use Gumpendorfer Str., Burggasse, Wienzeile, etc. It's not an important street for traffic, so if you split traffic among the other streets, throughfare traffic between the center and the west still wouldn't increase significantly in these roads.


I dont think the people livin at Gumpendorfer Straße for example might find it cool to have even more traffic. The same for the other streets. 

But if it would be possible, that would be quite cool indeed. Instead of all the parking cars and the street in the middle the bim track again. 

As biker I would of course suggest that also a bike lane might remain...  Well, actually a real (both direction) biking route in a parallel street would also do the job.


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

> But if it would be possible, that would be quite cool indeed. Instead of all the parking cars and the street in the middle the bim track again.


Exactly. Works in Zagreb, Istanbul, Amsterdam, etc...


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## AltinD (Jul 15, 2004)

davidkunz/VIE said:


> Shopping streets that are NOT pedestrian areas somehow put me off.


So Kaertner and Favoriten Strasse would be more of your liking then? I agree that Mariahilferstrasse can get crowdy but sometimes that's the beauty of it.  

However I must admit that I've not been in the area in more then 5 years and I've heard that overall (safety) situation in Vienna is not as good as it used to be in the late '90s.


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

> So Kaertner...


Yes!


> and Favoriten Strasse would be more of your liking then?


No. :lol:


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

davidkunz/VIE said:


> Exactly. Works in Zagreb, Istanbul, Amsterdam, etc...


What works there? To close a high trafficked street of about 1.5 km length for cars? 

Well maybe its right. But somehow I think this project won't take off without a significant number of people demanding it. 



> Quote:
> "So Kaertner..."
> Yes!
> Quote:
> ...


Kärntner? Do you have too much money? No offense though  I just had to write my first thought I had when I read Kärtnerstraße. Well, perhaps there are some reasonably priced shops as well, its just that I never have looked there for them till now.


Favoriten Strasse is actual a pedestrian shopping street, what don't you like at it?


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## pdxheel (Feb 15, 2006)

I love the pictures! When do we get 7th (and 8, 9, 10....) district pictures?


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

@ Slartibartfas:

I suppose that you know that most of the pedestrian areas in Innere Stadt used to be major traffic streets as well? There was quite an uproar when they closed it for traffic, yet who could imagine cars on Graben or Stephansplatz these days?

And, well, Favoritenstraße is somehow run down...


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

> When do we get 7th (and 8, 9, 10....) district pictures?


Have a little... patieeeence... 
Even though i'd love to I can't spend all my time roaming the city...


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

davidkunz/VIE said:


> @ Slartibartfas:
> 
> I suppose that you know that most of the pedestrian areas in Innere Stadt used to be major traffic streets as well? There was quite an uproar when they closed it for traffic, yet who could imagine cars on Graben or Stephansplatz these days?


I know, I know.
But are you sure you can that easily set the 1st district and the 6th asame? It might really be the case that a pedestrian Mariahilferstraße is possible, but no way that it is as "easy" as to establish the central pedestrian zones. Perhaps it would be more comparable to the pedestrianisation of the Favoritenstraße???

The point is, the 1st district hardly had transit traffic. But the 6th district has quite a fair share of it. 



> And, well, Favoritenstraße is somehow run down...


Well, Favoriten is a workers district pedestrian shopping zone. Of course you have no disneyland shopping experience there. But I think its great that also not so totally rich people got the great thing of a pedestrian zone. Without it, Favoriten might have already closed down. 

Anyways thank the shopping centers. Vienna has the highest density in shopping centers in whole Europe, but if you think that would mean they have slowed down the construction of further ones, well... actually not. Even though the markekt is already oversaturated and the shopping centers themselves are already in danger.


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

The first district had ALL (well, a lot of) traffic. Quite simply, when you came from Wienzeile and had to connect to (for example) Praterstern, you automatically chose Kärntner Straße - Stephansplatz - Rotenturmstraße.

Und übrigens weiß ich nicht, wieso wir uns die Mühe machen und das Ganze auf Englisch diskutieren... 
Aber bitte...


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

davidkunz/VIE said:


> The first district had ALL (well, a lot of) traffic. Quite simply, when you came from Wienzeile and had to connect to (for example) Praterstern, you automatically chose Kärntner Straße - Stephansplatz - Rotenturmstraße.
> 
> Und übrigens weiß ich nicht, wieso wir uns die Mühe machen und das Ganze auf Englisch diskutieren...
> Aber bitte...


Because we are discussing in a thread at the non German part of the form. Well, in case anyone else should care about our discussion at all. 

Was the 1st district really such a large traffic hub? 
Well, but it has a really capable alternative route, the ring and the 2er-Linie I would say. Which can't be really said about Mariahilf.

Anyway, you might be really correct. The Mariahilferstraße could be pedestrianized. But that would clearly need a strong lobbying group for that. And automatically would bring up the neighborhoods totally against it, as they probably dont feel the need for getting even more traffic.


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## Lirglgirl (May 17, 2007)

*visiting*

Hello David and thank you for posting so many great pictures of your gorgeous city. 

Am visiting in 2 weeks, will be there for 6 days. Would you be so kind as to tell me some not-to-miss things/sights/activities in Vienna? Day trips via train? Misc? I know the opera is a must-see.

We're staying in the 7th District. If you were to find the time to post some pictures of that area before 9 June, I'd be so appreciative!

Best,
Tara
Minneapolis, MN, usa


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

Lirglgirl said:


> Hello David and thank you for posting so many great pictures of your gorgeous city.
> 
> Am visiting in 2 weeks, will be there for 6 days. Would you be so kind as to tell me some not-to-miss things/sights/activities in Vienna? Day trips via train? Misc? I know the opera is a must-see.
> 
> ...


I am not David, but if you allow I might give some unqualified informations here 

Regarding the Opera, there are very cheap last minute tickets available for standing places. For about 2 Euros or so. 

The 7th district, Neubau, is quite nice. I showed around an American friend a few days ago and we went eating there. You should definitely check out the "Spittelberg" quarter. Its right behind the Museumsquartier and actually is also pedestrianized. The quarter is full of very diverse and partially also alternative restaurants as well as art some art shops etc. In the immediate vicinty you will find the "Siebensternbräu". Thats the restaurant we ate, they brew 5 different sorts of beer on their own, and have a nice beer garden in the courtyard. 

What I know there as well is the Cafe Portrait which would be a good choice if want to play some Billiard at the evening. I know the Barkeeper there and I grant you he knows how to make cocktails. Its to find on the crossing of Burggasse and Kirchengasse.


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

> We're staying in the 7th District. If you were to find the time to post some pictures of that area before 9 June, I'd be so appreciative!


I'll try my best!


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## nastyathenian (Jun 17, 2006)

salvius said:


> Fantastic. Vienna is fantastic. I am not the biggest fan of Mariahilfer Straße shopping stretch, but the architecture in this city is really something to be envious about.


Mariahilferstrasse is IMO one of the most beautiful shopping streets in Europe, ten times more attractive architecturally than world-famous Oxford street in London. By the way, I’ ll be in Vienna from 15-19 June.


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## Lirglgirl (May 17, 2007)

Slartibartfas said:


> I am not David, but if you allow I might give some unqualified informations here  ....


Thanks so much for the info!

And thanks to David for trying to get to the 7th district.  Appreciate you both.

Tara


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

@Lirglgirl:
Check PM.


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## Lirglgirl (May 17, 2007)

davidkunz/VIE said:


> @Lirglgirl:
> Check PM.


Checked and responded.


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

If the weather allows it, I might be doing the seventh district tomorrow.
Just thought I'd let you all know. :cheers:


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## Okan (Feb 5, 2007)

Vienna is great


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