Hundertwasser House in Vienna – how to get there and what to watch

To the famous Austrian artist Friedrich, Hundervasser belongs in different ways. Some consider him a genius, and some crazy. The famous house in the center of Vienna fully shows all his artistic and philosophical ideas. This is a very unusual building that is a residential building and works of art at the same time.

Interesting moment! If you love the Hunderwasser and are going to Austria, now just the best time. In Krems in the recently open (in May 2019), the state gallery of Lower Austria passes the exhibition of models of all architectural creations of the artist. The exhibition will last until 19.04.2020. Do not miss.

This most unusual residential building in Vienna is located in the Landstra region (Landstraße). This is a very small area in the city center, where one more very important landmark of the city of Belvedere is located.

Hundertwasser House is at the intersection of Kegelgasse Streets (Kegelgasse) and LEVENGASS (LöWengasse). The exact address does not make sense, since this structure cannot be confused with any other, and it is also not possible to notice it.

If you came to Vienna to an organized excursion tour, then it will be rendered to you and bring it here the entire group by bus. The organizers of the tours are very like this attraction, primarily due to the fact that it is possible to look at the House of Hundertwasser.

If you arrived in the capital of Austria yourself, you can get here in several ways. You can reach the station Vienna Metro Swedelenplatz (Schwedenplatz) and then travel on the tram number 1 four stops. You need a stop of Hetzgasse (Hetzgasse). The most important thing is not to confuse the direction of movement and sit on the tram in the right direction.

Each tram is written in front, to which stop he rides. You need a tram number 1 with the inscription "PRATER HAUPTALLEE", as the end station of this route to the right side you need is the Park Park. Once you leave at Hetzgasse stop (Hetzgasse), you will need to go about 50 meters along the tram movement.

The second way is more difficult. It is necessary to get to the Metro RochusGasse (Rochecass), and from there walk 10 minutes walk. From the subway you need to go down the street RasumofskyGrasse (RasumofskyGrasse) right before the intersection with LEVENGASS (LöWengasse), and on this crossing to turn left.

The most difficult thing in this way is to find a reasonableness after exiting the subway. If problems arise with this, you can ask someone. Further you are no longer lost, the street is straight, and you need to go to the intersection with a large marxergrasse, go through it and roll to the We needöWengasse.

Focus on the signs, and you definitely do not get lost. But we still recommend going to the tram, it’s easier and more reliable.

Before describing the Hundertwasser House itself, it is worth talking about the most famous Austrian artist. For most tourists who are not familiar with him, the house just seems to be a wonder, as if specifically built here for tipping tourists. Of course, it is not.

The name and surname of Friedensraich Hundertwasser are not real, in fact the artist called Frederick Stovasser. He was born in Vienna in 1928. His father was German, he died immediately after the birth of the son.

Mother brought up his one, and on the eve of the joining of Austria to the Third Reich baptized him to Catholicism, which saved the boy. He was able to survive the war, but the mother and all his relatives from the motherboard were killed in the Nazi concentration camps.

Frederick himself hid his origin, and even served some time in the organization of Nazi youth "Hitler Yugen". It is this terrible time in the history of Austria formed a Hundertwasser worldview. He loved the most and fought for peace and the reunification of a person with nature.

Right photo of the artist in adulthood. It was done at a time when he was not famous. Such photos are a bit.

The new name of the Friedesraich Hundertwasser, the artist formed from several words, which can be literally translated into Russian as: "Peaceful Water Country". In painting, Hundertwasser tried to use curves and variety of paints. The style of the artist in the visual arts is very similar to Egon Shile and Gustav Clima (their work can also be viewed in Vienna in the Belvedere Palace), which were for him samples for imitation still in childhood.

Most of all, the Hundertwasser became famous on the basis of architecture, although he himself was not architect himself and did not understand the construction of buildings. House of Hundertwasser in Vienna was designed together with the real architect Joseph Kravin, with whom he quickly quit and asked the authorities of the Vienna to replace him with another. The second co-author of the house was Peter Pelican.

Hundertwasser hated straight corners and straight lines. There are many of his statements on this topic, some very aggressive:

– "Nature has no straight corners"

– "Square is similar to the shape of the column of soldiers on the march"

– "Straight lines – Devil tool"

He created all his buildings in this vein. Minimum direct and maximum curves, lack of direct corners and a variety of paints. Hundertwasser sincerely believed that the faded paints of modern cities and direct geometric shapes make people unhappy.

Hundertwasser actively used multicolored mosaics in all its architectural projects. Mosaic was made up of a bit of ceramics and designed to decorate the house with a variety of paints. Another Hundertwasser reception was the dome that he created on the roofs. On the roof of the house in Vienna there is one dome, but it is quite difficult to notice it from below.

The desire for nature is manifested in the House of Hundertwasser in the abundance of greenery. Trees and shrubs grow on the terraces of the house, and the roof is a big lawn with grass and bushes. This is how the artist represented a house in which people should live. And they really live in it. This is a real residential building in which 52 apartments are located.

Log in inside tourists are not allowed, since it is still a private property, but to look at how the house looks inside. For this in a nearby building, a special shopping center was organized across the road. It is called Hundertwasser Village (Hundertwasser village) and it was specially built for tourists in 1991.

Inside, he repeats the home of the Hundertwasser, the same uneven floors, the abundance of curves and the lack of direct corners. Inside the center there is a cafe, bar and several shops selling souvenirs.

The only major disadvantage of this shopping center is its very small size, often just here not to push. Free only in benches that sell paintings by reproductions, they are not very interesting to most visitors. Bar, for example, is much more popular, free places for the rack does not happen.

Hundertwasser Village has a toilet that will surprise many visitors. Perhaps the other toilet of contemporary art in the world is not. By the way, he is called "Toilet of Modern Art".

This house glorified the Hundertwasser to the whole world, but he was not home to his dreams. For this project, the artist did not take money, but simply stated that he was glad that at this place did not build something ugly.

At the end of life, the artist took the citizenship of New Zealand and lived and worked in this country. It was in New Zealand that he built his dream house and died here in 2000.

Own house of artist in New Zealand you see on the photo on the left.

Note: In 2001, a long trial began on the recognition of the authorship of the Hundertwasser House. The first architect with whom the artist worked, Joseph Kravina declared his rights to the co-authorship of this work of art. In 2010, the process was won, and by the decision of the court Kravin is a co-author.

Important advice

– If you arrived on the subway, then you have a validated ticket on your hands, and on the tram have the right to drive on this ticket. You do not need to pay for the tram;

– If you think that it will be easier to come by taxi, then see the tariffs in our article "Taxi in Vienna and other cities";

– To properly pick up a wardrobe on a trip, read our article "Weather in Vienna for months".

Have a good visit to Vienna, good impressions from its attractions. Read the other articles about Austria (Links below).