A bit of Viennese history

Vienna is full of museums and usually on the “Long Night of Museums” I realize that I don’t know half of them. So when the chance offered itself to see a (for me) new museum I took it with both hands and met my friends in front of it.

The Wien Museum is right next to the Karlskirche even though I hadn’t noticed it before. So when we met there I needed Google maps to guide me to it. Such a shame and this in my city.

Never mind, was glad in the end to have found it since they were already waiting. We skipped the current exhibition for the regular one and started in the oldest section. It commences with the building of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the museum has a few original statues on display. Since sandstone is easily deteriorating some statues are on refuge here at the museum. Also the reason why St. Stephens Cathedral is never seen without at least one corner enshrined in renovation scaffolds.

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Upon leaving the middle ages behind we passed different spires that were on top of the cathedral. Love the first one best which has an oriental flair. Apparently everybody thought so even though it symbolized the separation of emperor and church. The second one fell down shortly after it was put in place and the third one is just gigantic (also the double eagle with the royal symbols might be a bit much today).

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More stuff to see here, especially interesting were the different models of the city. Ever growing and how the suburbs were incorporated into it.

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Because people couldn’t read street names significant signs were used to indicate the location. Eg. the beautiful lantern for the Schönlaterngasse and a red hedgehog for a restaurant downtown. Also a golden eye which might be recognized by some of you.

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Lots of oddball things are exhibited in the museum, from busts to paintings, furniture and clothes, free masons insignia and rooms of famous artists. I think from Franz Grillparzer they showed all rooms of his apartment. What astonished me was that he wore an earring. I wonder what’s the meaning behind this.

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My personal highlight of the afternoon was that Julia achieved to sound the alarm while showing Yuttey some detail on a painting (doesn’t it look as if the surgeon to the right has no right hand?). Interestingly it took the attendant about five minutes to check on us. Just in case you want to steal something. We were told that this painting was most precious one of the museum. But I wouldn’t have guessed next to the Klimt and Schiele.

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We whiled away easily two hours. There was really lots to see and as Viennese it was very interesting to see how the city grew in the last two centuries. The current exhibition of Mira Lobe though is only recommended for parents or adults with a certain level of deafness.
Yours, Pollybert

One Comment

  1. amazing post and artwork! wow!

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