A tour through this neighborhood is best started at the centrally located Karlsplatz. In this part of Vienna, you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a bit and go exploring at the same time. Since December 2023, there's another reason why you should not miss this area: the completely renovated Wien Museum, which documents the city's history from Roman times to the present in a fascinating way. It shines in completely new splendor after several years of renovation and expansion.

Karlsplatz Rendezvous

Karlsplatz is located right on the Wien Museum’s doorstep. An urban space that is filled with life around the clock by people of all ages, it is also connected to one of Vienna’s key central transportation hubs. Once the sprawling Resselpark is included, the area comprises almost 50,000 m² of mostly green space. Karlsplatz is increasingly distancing itself from its once slightly down-at-heel image. Bars and restaurants and cultural facilities (such as the Kunsthalle) complement the cast of temporary attractions that set up shop here. 

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These returning highlights on Vienna’s event calendar include the Art Advent Christmas Market, which is famed for artisan handicrafts and organic-certified food, as well as the free, multi-day Popfest Wien, during which local musicians bring the square to life every July. Lots of other events also draw in countless visitors, such as Kaleidoskop, a free open-air cinema festival, and Karlstag, when nearby cultural institutes serve up a packed program.

And in the gaps between, people also like to meet up here to enjoy a drink by the pond, or relax on one of the benches and watch the world go by. Or to visit one of the most beautiful sights in Vienna: the Karlskirche church, which was completed in 1739. Its monumental green dome and opulent interiors put this epitome of Baroque architecture in a class of its own.

Off to the Chic Gusshausviertel

Right behind Karlskirche, a fantastic Viennese neighborhood opens up: the Gusshausviertel in Wieden, Vienna’s fourth district. A typical, fairly densely populated part of the city defined by late-19th-century apartment buildings, it is sandwiched between some of the city’s most important landmarks. The quarter is framed by Karlsplatz and the grounds of the Belvedere, as well as the site of the Hauptbahnhof, Vienna’s main railway station.

The perfect starting point for any foray into the local neighborhood is Argentinierstrasse, which leads off Karlsplatz. The name memorializes the financial support provided by Argentina after the First World War. And it quickly becomes clear how international this area is. In some places, one embassy and consulate follows the next. Many are housed in magnificent buildings. “In the Gusshausviertel we see wonderful streets and late-19th-century Gründerzeit buildings, many of which are in pristine condition. There is a considerable density of former city palaces and mansion houses here, and, by contrast, hardly any social housing developments,” says Dr. Philipp Maurer, director of the delightful Wieden District Museum, which is located in a former municipal public bath.

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Looking along Argentinierstrasse, the magnificent neo-Gothic Elisabethkirche – set in its own space – hoves into view. Many Viennese enjoy the sight from their bicycle, because this street is one of the busiest cycle paths in the city, since it connects the main station with the city center. Argentinierstrasse will be converted into a Fahrradstrasse, or bicycle street, by fall 2024, at which point the entire width of the carriageway will be opened up to bicycle traffic. Landscaping and traffic-calming measures will also be introduced. Although cyclists are bringing movement into the neighborhood, life plays out at a rather relaxed pace here. With everything shifted down a gear, all that is left is to savor the surroundings and the neighborhood’s culinary and cultural delights.

Colorful Foodie Scene

A few meters behind the Karlskirche is Gusshausstrasse, once the location of the former imperial and royal cannon foundry (Gusshaus), which gave the neighborhood its name. Today, a faculty building of the Vienna University of Technology (TU) is located on the site. The post-war architecture of the TU and other buildings provide an interesting visual contrast in the neighborhood. Many of the district’s culinary highlights can also be found here – and anyone looking for Viennese cuisine will not be disappointed. Family business Buchecker & Son serves up delicious old Viennese specialties, including offal dishes. Its “Viennese tapas” is the pinnacle of refinement. Things continue in a traditional vein at the Wiener Wiazhaus, a quaint restaurant with retro charm and divine-tasting Viennese classics. Viennese cuisine can also be enjoyed at Gasthaus Artner on Wieden, which recently reopened after renovation. The restaurant specializes in pork dishes.

But the Gusshausviertel also has a cosmopolitan side. At Z’som, a Tyrolean-Chilean couple serve up innovative dishes that change monthly – bistro culture at its best. It’s hard to miss Gorilla Kitchen, which is a hybrid café, bar and restaurant serving Mexican street food. Talking of bars: five brothers, the Casolaro Bros, serve up good vibes and delicious specialties from their Neapolitan homeland at their eatery of the same name. Aperitivo ambience in the heart of Vienna. Another family affair, Wein & Kunst is a small but perfectly formed wine bar run by a father and son duo. And Carl Ludwig Cafe on Favoritenstrasse also warrants a visit. Located in the grounds of Palais Erzherzog Carl Ludwig, it offers specialty coffees, sweet treats and a wonderful terrace with colorful seating. 

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Even More Highlights …

As in all Vienna’s neighborhoods, the best experiences are to be had by going with the flow and soaking up the atmosphere. The Gusshausviertel is home to numerous other exciting institutions of all stripes. The ORF RadioKulturhaus, located in the Funkhaus Wien broadcasting house (a heritage-listed building from the interwar period), provides a rich cultural diet for the neighborhood. Events of all kinds take place here – from concerts to meetings. Just a few meters away is Theater Akzent, a theater built in the postmodern architectural style, and which opened in the late 1980s. Its three halls host a regular line up of theater, cabaret, dance and much more.

On the way there, Anton Benya Park provides the perfect spot to pause and sit down. This popular green space was recently modernized, with various measures introduced to help address climate change. Re-energized after a break, it is worth taking the time to explore the adjacent Elisabethviertel, where al fresco coffee and snack options can be found near the Elisabethskirche church. Heading towards the main railway station, a time-honored coffeehouse institution awaits on the next corner: Café Goldegg – an ideal setting to finish off a tour of the neighborhood, over Viennese coffee-house cuisine and pastries. The interior design is glorious – wood paneling, dark green plush upholstery, brass chandeliers and more.