Spend an afternoon exploring the picturesque grounds of the Volksgarten (People’s Garden). Stroll between monuments like the Theseus Temple and the Elizabeth Memorial or find a spot on the lawns for a picnic. Explore the Rose Garden which blooms bright in the summer months. In the evenings pull on your dancing shoes and enjoy a night at the disco located in the park’s glass pavilion.
The Volksgarten was created between 1820 and 1823 and is one of the oldest public recreational areas in Vienna. Designed in the formal French style, with long wide paths and evenly spaced beds, the park is actually part of the neighboring Hofburg Palace. You won’t see any sign of it today, but the gardens are built over land where the city fortifications used to stand.
Head for the Volksgarten’s most impressive monument, the Theseus Temple, in the center of the park. Spend some time admiring the high, white marble columns and simple, low portico. If you have been to the Temple of Hephaestus in Greece then you may well recognize the design as this monument is an exact replica of the Greek version.
From here, head in any direction to explore the gardens further. Visit the Rose Garden and spend some time enjoying the sweet scents and bright colors of the many different varieties. In the park’s northern end pay your respects at the Elizabeth Memorial. This is a tribute to the former empress and features a sculpture of Empress Elizabeth, a remembrance garden and a small pond.
Bring a picnic, or visit the café in the Pavilion. This attractive glass building is also the setting for Vienna’s oldest disco. Locals have been coming here to dance for over 180 years. Head here after dark for a night of dancing beneath the palms and chandeliers.
The Volksgarten is located next to the Hofburg Palace in Vienna’s Inner Stadt. It is open daily from April to September and is free to enter. Several trams, buses and underground services stop nearby.
