Lange Nacht der Museen 2014

Lange Nacht der Museen 2014

One ticket to enter them all.

Last Saturday  4 October, was the Long Night of the Museums here in Vienna.

The deal was, that for the price of entry to one museum, you could go to many, and at night to boot. The centre of Vienna was full of people, both native and not, families with children and adults milling, queuing, wandering and gazing at a huge selection of museums. Many of these put on something special, which wasn’t normally available if you went during the day. We went and enjoyed ourselves. Here are mini-reports on four places.

Albertina Museum. Entrance is from first floor.

      Albertina Museum, (Albertinaplatz 1)                                                                                                   This is an important museum specializing in ‘modern’ art Impressionism, Modernism and Cubism. The temporary exhibition was Joan Miro, and the permanent Exhibition the Batlinger Collection: Monet to Picasso, plus, to add to the a Spanish flavor, live Flamenco music, dancing and singing. 

My verdict:             

Did I have a good time?                                                                      

Yes.

 If I had known what was in the Albertina, would I have gone?          

Probably not. There are better collections of these painters’ works in Paris, London, Madrid and Barcelona. The music was fun and very good, despite the Flamenco artists being from Slovakia and Poland.

Flamenco from Slovakia

Would I recommend the Albertina to people with little time to visit museums in Vienna? 

No. However, there is a Giacometti exhibition coming up soon. I like his work. And the building is spectacular.

Alberto Giacometti sculpture.

·        Demel Bakery and Café (Kohlmarkt, 14).

This is one of the great Viennese cafés, with a famous cake (small, chocolaty and round). It rivals the famous Sacher torte.

Public outdoor Demel cake making

Stirring the Demel chocolate.

We queued for 40 or so minutes to see the Café museum. The café was closed for the evening, but the staff were making fresh cakes And coffee to take away, and showing the Lange Nacht visitors around.This was a surprisingly small café. The museum was small, but interesting with unusual cakes made for special occasions.

Verdict: An interesting place. We will return when the café is open to have our Demel cake and coffee! It just didn’t seem right to eat the cake as a takeaway snack!

Inside Demel bakery.

Verdict: 

An interesting place. We will return when the café is open to have our Demel cake and coffee! It just didn’t seem right to eat the cake as a takeaway snack!

  Stephansdom 'Steffi' (St Stephen's Cathedral) Stephansplatz

Centrepiece of Dúrer Triptych.

 

The main aisle of Stephensdom.

 

·        There was a small queue. We walked up the many steps at front of the cathedral to see some statues, silver and gold treasures, cassocks and artwork, as well as the view down the aisle.  

 

Triptych of Über Saint Veit (1507)

Verdict:
For me the highlight was the Dúrer triptych, but there were many things we couldn't see at night. 'Steffi' is worth returning to.


Mozarthaus. Domgasse 5
 (Sorry, no photos.)

This was the Mozart family address for three years 1784-1787. Here the composer wrote ‘the Marriage of Figaro’. The house was big, but his apartment was smaller. 

Perhaps I was tired, but the exhibits, based on the times and other composers of the times, especially  Salieri and Haydn didn't enthuse me that much. 

Verdict: 
Would I visit it at normal times? No. There really isn’t enough to warrant a visit.  But I would go to a concert there. 

·    

 

Wiener Weinwandertag. Vienna Winewalk Day.

Vineyard with central Vienna in the distance

Here am I with a nice glass of 'Sturm'.

The other day, 28 September, we went for a  wine wander on the outskirts of Vienna.

This is an annual event ‘Der Wiener Weinwandertag’ 'Vienna Winewalk Day' when it is possible to walk on private land where the grapes are grown and drink the wine. 

Many people were drinking ‘Sturm’ or freshly made wine, which is a half-way drink between grape juice and wine and is cloudy (stormy hence the name ‘Sturm’) and tastes of yeast. It is drunk in half-pint glasses and is perhaps an acquired taste. There were many Heurigen or country wine pubs open just for this time of year, where the fresh wine can be tasted.

Heuriger, or country wine pub.

There are three routes to the North East, North and East of the city, between 6 and 12 kilometres. We chose the new route from Ottakring (where we live) and Dornbach (the end of the 44 tram route), to the west of the city. We also chose the shortest route, mindful of what wine can do to one’s hiking legs.

One of many vineyards on the outskirts of Vienna

 The route was extremely enjoyable. We saw Vienna from the hills just outside; we saw the Viennese at play, and we learned a bit about Wienerweinkultur.

Heuriger garden

Some people dressed up for the Wine Walk.