Bridging the gap between the museums,palaces and theatres at the centre of Vienna are the pleasant greens of theVolksgarten. Originally the location of the city’s fortifications and later agarden for the neighbouring Hofburg Palace, the Volksgarten has served as apublic park since the 1820s, making it one of the oldest parks in the city.Wander along its paths to admire its neat French landscaping and to explore itsattractions, including a temple, a rose garden and a disco.
Standing at the heart of the Volksgartenis the park’s main highlight: the Theseus Temple. Built as an exact copy ofGreece’s ancient Temple of Hephaestus, the Theseus Temple is a beautifuldemonstration of the Viennese love for the architecture of classical antiquity.Wander amongst its pillars by day and return after dark to see the templeglowing with white floodlights.
Find the Elizabeth Memorial, which islocated on a small garden in the northernmost corner of the park. See thebeautiful marble sculpture of a seated Empress Elizabeth, the wife of EmperorFranz Joseph I.
Visit during the summer months to seethe Volksgarten at its most vibrant. The Volksgarten’s Rose Garden is filledwith brightly coloured blossoms and pleasant smells during the summer. Rest orpicnic on the park’s well-shaded grass, which is a popular place to relaxduring a tour of the city centre on a humid summer afternoon.
Return to the Volksgarten after sundownto see the park transformed into the site of Vienna’s oldest dance hall. Fornearly two centuries, Vienna residents have converged upon the Pavilion in thesouthernmost corner of the park to dance and be merry. Today, the Pavilion isthe site of a disco that offers a diverse musical selection several nights aweek. Check the disco’s website for a schedule of events.
Find the Volksgarten by walking westfrom the Hofburg Palace or east from the Austrian Parliament Building. Since itis at the heart of Vienna’s historic Ringstraße district, the Volksgarten iseasy to reach by bus, tram and subway.
