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Vienna : Museumsquartier

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Museumsquartier

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  • The Baroque building that was once home to the emperors’ horses is today one of the world’s largest museum complexes. Commissioned by Karl VI in 1713 and completed by Johann Fischer von Erlach in 1725, the stables were transformed into an exhibition ground in 1918. In the 1990s the historic complex was turned into a huge cultural centre that opened in 2001. Today it includes the Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation (MUMOK), the Kunsthalle and theatres. At the heart of the city, the Museumsquartier is one of Vienna’s hot spots, with young people flocking to the trendy cafés and tranquil green areas.

Top 10 Features
  • 1. Exterior

    The façade of the Museumsquartier is a majestic sight thanks to the complex’s vast size. During the night rows of rod-shaped lamps bathe the edifice in light.

  • Fischer von Erlach Wing 2. Fischer von Erlach Wing
    2. Fischer von Erlach Wing

    The Baroque Fischer von Erlach Wing, constructed from 1713 to 1725, is painted in a shade of ochre. The imposing structure clearly dominates the whole complex, stretching out along the Ringstrasse, which encircles the city centre.

  • Stables 3. Stables
    3. Stables

    The barrel-vaulted rooms inside the Fischer von Erlach Wing once contained the stables for 600 horses. Today the rooms house a number of cultural facilities known as Quartier 21.

  • 4. Winter Riding Hall

    The hall where the horses once had their winter training today hosts two stages. The theatre on the upper floor has a vaulted ceiling and is connected to the smaller theatre on the ground floor by two stairways.

  • Courtyards 5. Courtyards
    5. Courtyards

    The area has six courtyards but the large main square is the most impressive, tiled with white stones.

  • 6. Staircases

    Two grand flights of stairs on the left and the right of the Winter Riding Hall lead to the two museums. Further bridges and stairways lead to a viewpoint over the complex.

  • 7. Leopold Museum

    The elegant white limestone cube hosts a magnificent collection of Austrian art, from Gustav Klimt to Oskar Kokoschka. More than 5,000 artworks were collected by Rudolf Leopold and sold to the Republic of Austria in 1994.

  • Museum of Modern Art 8. Museum of Modern Art
    8. Museum of Modern Art

    A remarkable collection of contemporary art is housed within this striking building constructed of grey basalt lava.

  • 9. Architectural Centre Vienna

    Hosting changing exhibitions, lectures and symposiums, the Architectural Centre explores building projects in Austria.

  • 10. Tobacco Museum

    The museum illustrates the cultural development of tobacco from the 15th century and displays various smoking objects such as pipes.

Practical Information
If you fancy a cup of coffee or a snack head for the pretty Oriental-style café in the Architectural Centre Vienna. Take note of the opening times of the various museums in the complex as all of them are different. Museumsplatz 1 01 523 58 81 www.mqw.at Museum of Modern Art: Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun, 10am–9pm Thu Dis. access Adm €8.00 Leopold Museum: Open 10am–7pm Wed–Mon, 10am–9pm Fri Dis. access Adm €9.00
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