Parks and Gardens in the Center of Vienna

If you are looking for a place to take a break in the center of Vienna, you can visit one of the beautiful inner-city parks at any time. It’s well worth it: Finally, around 400 types of rose in full bloom await you in the spring in the Volksgarten alone.

Stadtpark

If you are looking for the ideal place for a souvenir photo, then Vienna's Stadtpark is the spot - at the foot of the golden Johann Strauss memorial, one of the world's most photographed monuments. Also located in the Stadtpark, are monuments to Franz Schubert, Franz Lehar and Robert Stolz, a marble statue of the painter, Hans Makart, bronze busts of composer, Anton Bruckner, Vienna Mayor, Andreas Zelinka, under whose governance the Stadtpark was laid out, and many more. This makes the Stadtpark the richest park in Vienna for monuments and sculptures. Meadows, flowerbeds, the occasional exotic tree and a large pond make the Stadtpark a green oasis in the center of the city. The park was opened in 1862, following the demolition of the old city wall and the construction of the Ringstraße, and was Vienna's first public park.

Did you know that until 1956, visitors to the Stadtpark had to pay a fee to use the chairs provided?

The Volksgarten and Burggarten

If you are a fan of the Empress Sisi, you should not miss the Sisi Monument in the Volksgarten. Mozart lovers make pilgrimages to the statue of the musical genius in the Burggarten. These gardens ("Burggarten") were once the private gardens of Emperor Franz Joseph I., the husband of the Empress Sisi. In 1919, three years after the monarch's death, the Burggarten was opened to the public. Today it is the location of the only monument to the emperor; it was constructed here in 1957 following a private initiative. The gardens of the Imperial Palace also contain the Palm House, one of the most beautiful art nouveau glass houses, built according to plans by Friedrich Ohmann. This tropical oasis includes the Butterfly House where hundreds of exotic butterflies reside today, along with a very atmospheric coffee house and restaurant.

Did you know that the Volksgarten and the gardens of the Imperial Palace are designated World Heritage sites?

City Hall Park

After visiting the Parliament and Burgtheater, it is worth making a side trip to the Vienna City Hall Park. The park has a symmetrical arrangement and lies between the University and the Parliament. The two halves of the park are separated by the City Hall Square, which hosts events nearly all year round. The most well-known are probably the Vienna Ice Dream in the winter and the Music Film Festival in the summer.

Sigmund Freud Park

The Sigmund Freud Park is situated between Vienna's main university and the Votiv church and is particularly popular among the Vienna city center parks as a sunbathing lawn. A bonus in the summer: 100 comfortable sun loungers are delivered each morning on a daily basis (and removed again at 9:00 p.m.) and are available for free lounging enjoyment.