All things Christmas in Vienna
- lindaglamour
- Dec 20, 2017
- 3 min read
Stephenplatz Cathedral is the focal point of central Vienna. The Cathedral seems somewhat awkwardly positioned in the town square, but perhaps that is an impression caused by the metro station arising from the depths directly in front of the church entrance. Convenient if not particularly visually pleasing. Around the base of the Church, a small number of Christmas markets stalls were set up, with these featuring a more religious bent of wares for sale. Inside seemed dark and foreboding I have to say. Busy with both worshippers and tourists, the Cathedral was impressive in scale but I couldn’t connect with it in any way, so I was happy to wander and show my respects but then leave.
Outside, the streets radiate out from the square. A line of horse drawn carriages offered to take one for a ride however I was drawn to the city centre for two things and it was these which were my priority. Firstly, a block or so from the Cathedral and near the delightful Hotel Bristol, is the location of what must be the most instagrammed building decorated for Christmas ever! On Karntner strasse, the Popp & Kretschmer fashion store is wrapped in a large, sparkly red bow trimmed with gold. Thousands of pictures have been uploaded on to IG as it truly seems to scream Christmas! I couldn’t resist the impulse of joining in and I too have my own IG post but most importantly, memories of a place that seemed to embody for me the true picture of a European Christmas.
The Graben is also heavily featured on IG. The length of the street which curves from the main Stephenplatz location is decorated with large chandeliers. It is estimated that the giant chandeliers contain around 200,00 LED lights and they do indeed sparkle! Mid afternoon when I was there, the sky seemed to be a soft pastel blue, the buildings a soft green and golden glow adding to the overall impression of being part of an impressionist painting. In the evening, the chandeliers glowed bright in stark contrast to the black sky. Each side street had its own Christmas lights theme; stars and sparkles along Karntner strasse, glittery balls of varying sizes down another. Everywhere you looked there was lights and the reflection of lights in windows and on the wet pavement at one’s feet. “Beautiful” I told myself repeatedly, and it was, but for Christmas lights that would take my breath away, I had high expectations for London.
There was so much more that I discovered in Vienna. The Karlskirche Church on the south side of Karlsplatz, with its two large columns decorated with carvings of medieval plague victims winding their way up the column to heaven. Inside, the lift to the peak of the Church dome to see the colourful fresco paints of religious leaders and angels was a terrific experience.
The Belvedere Palace houses the works of Gustave Klimt; the famous The Kiss is as beautiful up close as it is in pictures, more so to be truthful as it sits on the gallery wall away from other ephemera and the marketing which reproduces the picture ad nauseum. The Woman in Gold movie tells the story of the painting of Judith, the seductive brunette beauty with diamond choker, stolen by the Nazis and then later reclaimed by its original owning family. It too, vibrant and gorgeous against its muted backdrop at the Belvedere.
Café Raimond named after a local, ill fated playwright who, thinking the dog that bit him had rabies tries to commit suicide, but dying many days later from his gunshot wound, knowing that the dog and he, did not have rabies. A true Viennese schnitzel, potato salad and glass of white wine under the light of another chandelier and surrounded by locals made for a remarkable evening in Vienna.
Ultravox quite rightly sang ‘oh Vienna!’ and I think it too. The city holds a certain allure that makes me wish to return in warmer days so that I can see the gardens in bloom, to waltz through the park, to hear an opera under the ubiquitous chandelier and to wander the streets and admire the architecture in brighter light.
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