Spending The Weekend in Vienna
The year was 1873, and Vienna was the first German-speaking city to host the World’s Fair. 53,000 exhibitors arrived from all over the world bearing soybeans, skeletons, sculptures, wigwams and even cremated ashes to display before the curious public.
Their destination was Prater Park, where 194 purpose-built pavilions and show gardens had been prepared to receive some 20 million visitors.
Paul Bauer © WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
Theater an der Wien
But just before the fair was due to open, disaster struck.
First, a cholera epidemic swept the city, and then the stock market crashed. Just seven million visitors could attend, costing the city 15 million guilders.
The World’s Fair may have been a financial failure, but 150 years later, Vienna is holding a year-long celebration in its honour.
Anyone visiting the city in 2023 can attend exhibitions, tours and events which explore how the World’s Fair changed the face of Vienna, from transforming the transport system to creating some of the best tap water in the world.
So how should you take part in this anniversary?
If you’re a history lover, you’ll want to take advantage of some of the city’s amazing museums. The Vienna Museum of Science and Technology is holding an exhibition inspired by the Women’s Pavilion, a quietly revolutionary corner of the Fair that acknowledges women's role in the working world.
Meanwhile, at the Weltmuseum, you can discover more about how the World’s Fair shaped contemporary Western perceptions of Japanese culture.
Paul Bauer © WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
Weltmuseum
Next up: shopping. Many artisanal craft businesses first exhibited at the World’s Fair still thrive today. Glass manufacturers J. & L. Lobmeyr still create delicate mouth-blown drinking glasses with rims less than a millimetre thick.
At the same time, seventh-generation shoemaker Markus Scheer will measure you up for your bespoke footwear (if you don’t mind waiting: the painstaking process of hand stitching and construction takes around 60 hours per shoe).
At Köchert, you can purchase jewellery from the same company that supplied the Austrian emperors, including the 27 diamond stars the famous Empress Elisabeth wore.
Paul Bauer © WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
A.E. Köchert / A.E. Köchert
Finally, food.
Regarding dining out, Vienna is best known for its coffee houses.
Café Landtmann first opened in 1873 to coincide with the World’s Fair and still serves excellent coffee and cakes, including a warm apple strudel that comes dusted with icing sugar and smothered in whipped cream.
If you have an anniversary of your own, you should try the Michelin-starred Pramerl and the Wolf, where chef Wolfgang Zankl-Sertl serves up a delicious seasonal menu that puts vegetables at centre stage.
Lisa Edi © WienTourismus/Lisa Edi
Trinkbrunnen / Drinking Fountain
A top tip for visitors: always ask for tap water! Viennese water is rather special, flowing along a Mountain Spring pipeline from the Alps, which was built – you guessed it – to coincide with the World’s Fair.
The water is strictly regulated and comes out of the tap icy cool, and can also be found in the city’s 1,300 drinking fountains and 175 mist showers, which reduce heat in the streets.
In fact, the city is so proud of its water supply that it’s erecting a Jubilee fountain to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
So if you’re looking for a reason to visit or revisit Vienna, now is the perfect time. The World’s Fair may have failed, but its legacy lives on in a vibrant city combining modernity and tradition. Don’t miss out!
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Where to stay? The Amauris Vienna
★★★★★
If you’re looking for a luxurious stay in Vienna, look no further than The Amauris. This boutique hotel is located on the historic Ring Boulevard, making it the perfect central base to explore the city.
The Amauris philosophy is that the perfect hotel should offer three things: knowledge, culture and fun – so expect to find a selection of books, a piece of art and a board game in every room.
At mealtimes, The Glasswing restaurant combines traditional Viennese cuisine with experimental techniques and flavours. If you really want to treat yourself, you could book one of the suites, which offer sumptuous feather beds, Italian marble floors and unique city views.
