A walk through Vienna with Gustav Klimt

Klimt was born on July 14th,1862 in Vienna in the 14th district. The house is not existing anymore.

We better start the walk at the Burgtheater. Between 1886 and 1888 Klimt created ceilingpaintings in both stairwells. You also can see works of his brother and from Franz Matsch. The Burgtheater offers special „Gustav Klimt“ tours from Friday –Sunday at 2 p.m. in german language with an english summary (www.burgtheater.at). Emperor Franz Joseph was so delighted with the paintings in the gala stairwells that he bestowed the Golden Cross of Merit on the members of the artist’s group.

We walk along the Ringstrasse to our next stop, which is the Museum of Fine Arts . This museum boasts, among other artworks, the largest collection of Bruegel paintings. But more important is that Gustav Klimt created 40 spandrel and intercolumia paintings in 1891 with his collegues. (www.khm.at)

Our next stop is just around the corner – the MuseumsQuartier Vienna. At the Leopold Museum in addition to the biggest Schiele Collection, one also finds main works of Gustav Klimt, f.e. his famous painting „Death and Life“ and „A morning at the Pond“ and „Attersee“. Not to mention all the other masterpieces they show f.e. Kokoschka, Gerstl, Egger-Lienz, Kolig and others. You may take a rest at the Cafe Leopold. (www.leopoldmuseum.org)

We continue our walk with a visit to the Secession. This is truly one of the finest buildings from this epoche. You can see one of his most famous works „The Beethovenfries“(immortalization of Beethovens 9th symphony) inside the Secession. With a length of 34 meters and a high of two meters the Beethovenfries originally greeted visitors in the entrance hall. Guided tours are on Saturday 3 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. (www.secession.at)

We walk to Karlsplatz where you can find several sights which are directly or indirectly in connection with Gustav Klimt, f.e. the Stadtbahn Pavilion, which was built by Otto Wagner, where you can find elements again, which we already have encountered elsewere in the footsteps of Gustav Klimt. Another example is the Künstlerhaus – an institution where Klimt and his friends turned their backs on. And not to forget the „Vienna Museum Karlsplatz“, which houses some important works of Klimt, such as „ Emilie Flöge“, „Pallas Athene“ and the early work of „Interior of the Burgtheater“ (1887)

Otto-Wagner Stadtpavilion: April – Oct.: Tue - Sun and public holidays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.                             Vienna Museum Karlsplatz: Tue - Sun and public holidays 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. (www.wienmuseum.at)                                                                                                               Künstlerhaus:Tue - Sun 10 am. – 6 p.m. (www.k-haus.at)           

 We keep the best for the end „The Austrian Gallery at the Belvedere“. Not only the Belvedere houses the biggest collection of Klimt with „Judith“, „Lady with the Boa“, „Johanna Staude“ and landscape paintings, but you can see his most famous painting „The Kiss“ there. For Klimtadmirers this is the most important place in Vienna. (www.belvedere.at)

We hope that you enjoy this walk!

Quelle: www.info.wien.at/ A Walk through Vienna by Paul Daniel