2 years of living in Vienna’s 2nd district.
Since day one, I set a foot and moved in Vienna, I’ve been living in second district. Now that I am looking around the city for a new place, I realize that I really like my district and that it is worth writing some words about it.
Second’s district name comes from a tragedy; by the mid-17th century the Jews had found a place to establish their central Jewish community. Jewish ghetto was an active part of Vienna’s second district (Im Werd, back then). However the hatred that Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor held for the Jews, led to the forceful expulsion and destruction of the Jewish community. The non-Jewish inhabitants renamed the area Leopoldstadt, as a thanksgiving present to the emperor. Until these days, second district holds the biggest amount of Jewish population in Vienna.
Highlights.
The fact that second district is surrounded by the Danube Canal (Donaukanal) and the Danube (Donau), gives it the form of an urban island. Joggers regularly use Donaukanal to exercise but it is also a public street art exhibition for the ones who prefer to promenade, since Donaukanal is a graffiti tolerating area. In the summer there are numerous places to enjoy
a drink along the canal as well as the Donaukanaltreiben, a yearly event of mainly Austrian professional and amateur bands, is slowly becoming an establishment.
Prater, the huge public park in Vienna, is also part of Vienna’s second district. It is amazing how close from home inhabitants can escape from the urban jungle to a green, calm public area. The Wurstelprater amusement park stands in the corner of Wiener Prater and includes the worldwide famous WienerRiesenrad. Another great example of second’s district public places is Augarden. The park is designed in the French Baroque style with elaborate flower gardens. The Augarten hosts a variety of facilities and two significant testimonials of the World War II; two high anti-aircraft bunkers (flak towers, Flaktürme).
Maybe my most beloved place of second district is Karmelitermarkt. Karmelitermarkt reflects the ethnic diversity of its neighborhood. It is also the perfect place to drink a melange on a sunny Saturday morning and enjoy the architecture of the surrounding area. Karmelitermarkt is like a mini Vienna to me; urban, ethnic, quiet, a square with architecturally picturesque surroundings.
Nightlife.
I know Vienna’s nightlife is not the city’s high spot; however, second district has some very cool places to enjoy the night and Fluc is definitely my favorite one. Fluc, an architectural eye-catcher that is located directly on Praterstern, has an interesting story; a pedestrianized passage was transformed to a music/artsy place and later, on top of that already transformed place, the new Fluc was built by a team of young architects. As a result, Fluc is basically contained of two different parts: the Fluc Wanne (underground) and Fluc café (above-ground). Fluc Wanne, with its crazy interior and artsy environment, hosts on Friday and Saturday nights electronic music events of all sorts, while on the other hand Fluc café offers a calmer atmosphere, most of the times free of entrance, a great place for enjoying some drinks and dancing to great music. Fluc is a good representative of the underground, more experimental scene of Vienna.
Another favorite of mine, similar to Fluc, is New Bar in Zirkusgasse. New Bar is a more industrial place compared to Fluc, but at the same time, as contradictive as it sounds, it reflects a wonderful cozy atmosphere; a must-to-be for people with a more alternative taste in entertainment (as alternative as Vienna can be).
Last but not least, Flex, another great example of Vienna’s nightlife is exactly on the border of first with second district. It is located directly on the Donaukanal, between the underground station Schotterring and Augartenbrücke. Flex’s soundsystem is widely considered as one of the best. The club has been around for over a decade and has already provided venue for many international and local music acts and DJs. Due to the increase of drug dealing in and around Flex, the police determined a curfew.
Nothing feels like home and second district feels exactly like home to me. It is a great place to live in Vienna, with differences, beauty and a great variety of things. Along with Prater, a symbol of Vienna, there are hidden treasures for everyone to pick up, which I guess I have already picked up.
