Augarten – walk the gardens known by Mozart on the Vienna Bus Tour
The Augarten is a strange mixture of contradictions. Look one way and this beautiful park seems to be steeped in time – all baroque elegance and elaborate flower gardens. Look the other way and you’ll see battle towers built during the Second World War.
Stroll past the sites where Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert performed their music. Take a look at the 400-seat MuTh hall, where a modern-day arts collective performs. Everywhere you look you’ll find Vienna is a mix of the old and the new, the classical and the modern. That’s what Augarten encapsulates, as you’ll discover when you hop off here on your Vienna Bus Tour.
Open to the public
The Augarten was originally set aside for Emperor Matthias as a hunting ground. Over the years the gardens went in and out of favour with the Emperors, until Charles VI decided to renovate them in the French style. They were finally opened to the public in 1775, although the entrance was guarded by soldiers to maintain law and order.
On a war footing
During the Second World War, the authorities built massive buildings across Vienna to defend the city from air raids. The Augarten is one of the few places where these buildings still stand. These days they don’t serve any purpose. But every so often the people of Vienna propose new uses for them, such as modern art centres.
Other interesting facts about Augarten
- You can grab a bite to eat in the restaurant, which is housed in a bunker from the Second World War
- Mozart conducted morning concerts in the Garden Hall
- From time to time the park has hosted an open-air cinema
- If you fancy a game of ping pong, there are free table tennis tables in Augarten
