Lively Worlds.

Challenge: 1 (sandal)
Circuit: Vienna XV via Westbahnhof Station,
Auer-Welsbach-Park and Fünfhaus
Length: 6.0km
Start point: Vienna Westbahnhof, 1150 Vienna, Europaplatz 2
Coordinates: 48°11'48.35"N, 16°20'15.82"E
Public transport: U3, U6, 5, 6, 9, 18, 52, 58 > Westbahnhof    

ROUTE DESCRIPTION  
The 15th district is one of the least loved areas of Vienna. People who judge the area, associate it with deprivation, prostitution and a large immigrant community. This may be partly true, although there have been many positive initiatives recently, but Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus has a certain style. Here you aren't bothered by the usual conservative surroundings. When you get to know this district like the back of your hand, you begin to realise what enormous potential it has for development. The city planners just have to take the plunge, and redevelop the existing buildings – to bring a feeling of New York.  

An ‘Asia Town’ and ‘Little Anatolia’ in the second and third quarters of the Sechshauser Straße district, with the shops and businesses that would be encouraged, would do wonders for the look of the place. The same goes for little St. Paul, a cultivated entertainment district around the first quarter of the street, where prostitutes are respected and protected, instead of being driven out. This just leaves the last little neighbourhood, ‘Grimmwich-Village’ (starting at Grimmgasse). It's at the bottom of the district, but it's a popular magnet for visitors. Go and have a look around!  

Go to Google-Maps

ROUTE    
From the upper arrivals hall, go right and take the Felberstraße exit. Go along this street, away from the town centre, until you reach Schmelzbrücke. Cross, then go left down the steps > Rosinagasse > right into Viktoriagasse > then Würffelgasse. Head out of town along Mariahilfer Straße – cross and go left into Schwendergasse, which you follow until reaching Auer-Wesbach-Park. At the south end of the park, go onto Sechshauser Straße.

Here follow the streets in this order: right into Hollergasse > left onto Rauchfangkehrergasse and on to Sparkassaplatz > right onto Storchengasse > left onto Diefenbachgasse > left through Kauerhof > right into Ullmannstraße as far as No. 14 > through the public thoroughfare, then right onto Sechshauser Straße > left onto Fünfhausgasse > right onto Herklotzgasse > left onto Turnergasse > right into Dingelstedtgasse > left onto Hanglüßgasse > left into Robert-Hamerling-Gasse > right onto Haidmannsgasse and then back to the right onto Mariahilfer Straße. Now simply go along Gerstnerstraße, and go back inside Westbahnhof via the rear entrance.    

HISTORY  
1700: five wineries around Clementinengasse were the foundations for what was once the rural suburb of Fünfhaus. The Rudolfsheim area, which grew up later, is also now part of the 15th district, along with the Neu-Fünfhaus, Schmelz and Nibelungen districts, which appeared to the north of Bahnstrasse.  

Around 1850, Fünfhaus was one of the most elegant suburbs of Vienna. This hub provided the conditions for travellers' restaurants, hotels, entertainment and business – especially the textile industry – to flourish, and it was already an important corridor between Vienna and West Austria before the construction of Westbahnhof station.

The great depression of 1929 hit the many workers, businesspeople and factories of the district especially hard however, so that from then on the population quickly became much poorer.    

GOD, BUDDHA & ALLAH – HERE THEY LIVE SIDE BY SIDE.  
There are six Roman Catholic churches in Fünfhaus, most beautiful among them being ‘Maria von Siege’ and ‘Rudolfsheimer Pfarrkirche’, but recently these have been joined by the ‘Fo-Guang-Shan Tempel’, the largest Buddhist place of worship in Austria (on Sechshauser Straße). Various areas are also open to non-Buddhists, and it offers yoga, language and cooking courses. Another – the Thai ‘Thamnurak Tempel’ - is just a few streets further, along with Islamic places of worship and an Evangelical Methodist church. Had the racist ideologies of the Nazis not infected Fünfhaus, there would also have been a Synagogue around the corner (Turnergasse), but sadly, it was completely destroyed along with ‘Storchentempel’ (Storchengasse), where at least the facade can still be seen.    

AREA TIPPS  

Storchentempel
Former synagogue
1150 Vienna, Storchengasse 21  

Fo-Guang-Shan Buddhist temple
1150 Vienna, Sechshauser Straße 50  

Salon5 in Brick-5
1150 Vienna, Fünfhausgasse 5
http://www.salon5.at 

Technisches Museum
1140 Vienna, Mariahilfer Straße 212
http://www.tmw.at

Hollerei Vegetarian
Restaurant 1150 Vienna, Hollergasse 9
http://www.hollerei.at  

Gasthaus Quell
Old Viennese Church Tavern 1150 Vienna, Reindorfgasse 17
http://www.gasthausquell.at

Hawidere Pub
with organic food 1150 Vienna, Ullmannstraße 31
http://www.hawidere.at