Monat: August 2023

In the course of a Sneak Preview to the Open House – Event on 9 & 10 Sept 2023 there was the opportunity to visit the Vienna University Library in the strict-historical main building of the University of Vienna by Heinrich Ferstel from 1883 at the Ringstraße. With nearly 8 million books, e-books, e-journals, etc. in several locations, it is the largest academic library in Austria.

In addition to the now 2-story, large reading room with skylight of the 1365 founded, and thus oldest university library in the German-speaking world, also the 1960s by Erich Boltenstern planned book depository with about 3 million volumes, the newly designed front area and the entablature can be visited.

Information is also provided on current developments with regard to the further development of the collections and a new book depot in Paukerwerkstrasse in Floridsdorf, which was approved in July of this year, to relieve the pressure on the inner city areas.

The bronze Nestroy Monument in honor of Johann Nestroy in the 2nd district was created by Viennese sculptor Oskar Thiede and originally unveiled at the nearby Nestroyplatz in 1929. After being placed in the Max Reinhardt Seminar for over 30 years, it returned near its original location in 1983.

The playwright, comedian, theater director and opera singer, born in Vienna in 1801, is shown here in the role of the main character „Blasius Rohr“ from the satirical farce „Glück, Missbrauch und Rückkehr“ (Happiness, Abuse and Return), who comes into wealth as a poor clerk, but loses everything through his pomposity and in the end is allowed to marry his beloved Babett.

Even during his lifetime, Nestroy was regarded as the central protagonist of the high point of the old Viennese folk theater in the first half of the 19th century, an Austrian form of theater which, due to its Viennese dialect, musical interludes and closeness to the realities of life, still enjoys a high degree of popularity among all sections of the population today.

A remarkable example of the combination of industrial construction with social housing of the Belle Époque is the Jubiläumswerkstättenhof with adjoining people’s apartments in the 6th district, built in 1908/1909 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Josef I.

The aim of the project designed by the architects Otto Richter and Leopold Ramsauer was to promote small commercial enterprises with affordable workshops and apartments, i.e. work and living under one roof.

This is probably how the idea of the coworking space, which is so popular with startups and EPUs today, was founded around 110 years ago. Up to 70 companies use the 150 or so workspaces, and productive networking also increases the joint prospects for success. Today, there are more than 30 coworking spaces in Vienna in 15 different districts, most of them easily accessible near a subway station.