Vienna Art Nouveau: 3-Hour Guided Walking Tour

Embark on a 3-hour guided tour of Vienna’s Art Nouveau metro stations and other iconic Jugendstil buildings with a professional guide. Learn about the design elements and the political and aesthetic philosophy of this elegant turn-of-the-century style.
During the late 19th century Vienna experienced a rapid population expansion, and a modern system of public transportation became essential. The city’s leaders engaged urban planners to draw up metro lines to connect the suburbs with the city center along the Ringstrasse.

The architect chosen for this assignment was Otto Wagner. From the beginning, his aim was to create a metro design that would be iconographic, easy to recognize, and highlight Vienna’s cosmopolitanism. It was not surprising that he chose to work in the international avant¬-garde Art Nouveau style.

On this 3-hour guided tour you’ll visit 2 of the remaining stations, where you’ll begin a discussion about Viennese Art Nouveau and its ideological underpinnings.

Starting out at the beautiful pavilion at Karlsplatz, you’ll visit the small Wagner Museum and then walk to the Stadtpark station, which is the best-preserved of the original metro stations still in use.

Your next metro stop is Kettenbrücke station. Along the way you’ll visit the famous Sezession House, the icon par excellence of Viennese Jugendstil. You’ll also see 2 beautiful apartment houses designed by Otto Wagner. Learn more about the philosophy behind Art Nouveau and consider the symbols and materials favored by its practitioners.

From Kettenbrücke station, step onto the metro for your last stop, which is a visit to the imperial station. This outstanding building was erected outside Schönbrunn solely for the emperor to use.

The crown jewel of the line, this station had a symbolic meaning as well, namely to show critics of Vienna’s metro that the emperor supported the line. Note the methods used by Wagner to translate the generally bourgeois style of Art Nouveau into an aesthetic with imperial grandiosity.

To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.

This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 48 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 48 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.