An unconventional sightseeing tour
Off the beaten tourist track there is also plenty to discover in Vienna.
Schönbrunn Palace and the Hofburg are obvious tourist destinations, but the heart of the former Habsburg Empire can also be found elsewhere in Vienna. This is true quite literally in the crypt of the Augustinian Church, where the hearts of former rulers including Maria Theresa are kept in urns. It is possibly on account of this that the Viennese are said to have a special relationship to death. In fact, the former imperial capital even has a popular Funeral Museum, where visitors can sometimes try out the coffins. Another unique museum is the Museum of Contraception and Abortion - actually not so strange, considering that the inventor of the Pill, Carl Djerassi, came originally from Vienna.
Criminal foresight
As Interpol was founded in Vienna, it is also hardly surprising that the city has its own Crime Museum. A word of warning, however: like the Pathological Anatomical Museum in the Fool’s Tower, it is not for the faint-hearted. No worries by contrast at the Aqua Terra Zoo in a former World War II anti-aircraft tower, which also offers a wonderful view of Vienna.
Animal pleasures
Vienna is not only a city of music and medicine but also of efficient waste disposal. The inventiveness of the municipal refuse department can be investigated in spring at the Rautenweg dump, which apart from its high-tech disposal facilities also offers a habitat for cats, crows, deer, rabbits and even Pinzgau mountain goats.
- Rautenweg dump (German)
wien.gv.at-English Edition
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