Strong Nerves.

A gloomy day! The sun can't break through the clouds, and the same battle is going on in your own psyche, an urbie reason to walk to Vienna's darker sights. In the Torture Museum, we meet the grim instruments of medieval justice. The Crime Museum shows us the incomprehensible deeds of human cruelty. After visiting the Narrenturm [Fools' Tower] on the other hand, you might need psychiatric help to deal with its effects.

Vienna Torture Museum
1060 Vienna, in Esterhazypark
Coordinates: 48°11'52.37"N, 16°21'8.77"E

Vienna Crime Museum
1020 Vienna, Große Sperlgasse 24
Coordinates: 48°13'5.53"N, 16°22'42.16"E

The Narrenturm
1090 Vienna, Uni Campus, Spitalgasse 2
Coordinates: 48°13'6.68"N, 16°21'11.46"E 

Google-Maps

TORTURE MUSEUM VIENNA
The museum's collection focuses on medieval torture devices, some of which are demonstrated in scenes with mannequins. Don't expect creepy American theme park style action, as these are silent scenes of various horrific methods of torture. The numerous torture masks excited my urbie imagination, after all, it might do a lot of banker's attitudes a lot of good to have to walk around with a Schweinchenkopf [piglet head] for a day ;-). The simulated sound of the air raid warning in the former air raid shelters is also worth a mention. Whether from the howl of the siren, or the claustrophobic panic of the people who once sheltered here, I was overtaken by a deep feeling of fear and unease.

 
VIENNA CRIME MUSEUM
The crimes of the last three hundred years are on display as you walk through the crime museum. You might be surprised to find out that it's not only the developments of Viennese crime detection techniques, and Police history on display, but also the events themselves. There are photos of the crime scenes (not for the squeamish), original murder weapons and newspaper clippings for each crime. One of these exhibits is the skull of the poetic murderer Mr. Schenk, and another is the diabolical grin of the black widow Blauensteiner. You can also get two catalogues here which list every violent crime scene with address, for talented researchers it's a good place to start.

THE NARRENTURM

The tower was the first building in the world to be dedicated to treating the mentally ill , a revolutionary idea in 1784, but today a cabinet of horrors. You can go into the bare cells, and the treatments, such as electroshock therapy for example, are explained in detail. The techniques and devices of the doctors of the time, as well as the large collection of specimen jars containing all types of human deformity, are available for study. Architecturally, the Narrenturm has to be the strangest building in Vienna. It was built as the first psychiatric hospital in the world by Emperor Josef II, who wasn't just a reformer and proponent of the enlightenment, but also a mystic and Rosicrucian. This led to his knowledge of Kabbalah having an influence on the design, which was primarily constructed from his own funds. The building is a 360 degree ring with five floors, each with 28 rooms. Numerology considers the number 360 to represent perfection, 5 is human searching for and finding God, and 28 is God healer of illness. The building transecting the space within the ring runs to the north and has an octagon on its roof. It was the emperor's study, but we can only speculate on what he did within however.

LOCAL TIPS

Torture Museum Vienna

1060 Wien, in Esterhazypark

Daily from 10am to 6pm

http://www.folter.at

Vienna Crime Museum

1020 Wien, Große Sperlgasse 24

Thursday Sunday: 10am to 5pm

http://www.kriminalmuseum.at

The Narrenturm

Federal Museum of Anatomical Pathology

1090 Vienna, Uni Campus, Spitalgasse 2

Entrance: Van-Swieten-Gasse

Wednesday 3pm to 6pm

Thursday 8am to 11am

Saturday 10am to 1pm, closed on holidays

http://www.narrenturm.at