Kärntner Strasse
Vienna Pedestrian Zone
Accessibility: U-Bahn U1 und U3 Station Stephansplatz
U-Bahn U1, U2 und U4 Station Karlsplatz
Shop opening hours: Usually Monday - Friday: 10:00 to 20:00 o'clock, Saturday: 10:00 to 18:00 o'clock. A couple of shops open already at 8:00 o'clock or 9:00 o'clock and close therefore on workdays already from 18:00 o'clock.
Tip: Do not miss the Swarovski flagship store at Kärntner Strasse no. 24. The worldwide known Tyrolean company shines here with an especially impressive product presentation.
The Kärntner Strasse Vienna (C2) exists since the Roman Age and was at that time known as -Strata Carinthianorum- an important connection from the center to the city wall. The 19th century was characterizing for the present shopping street. Only a few of the noble buildings, from that time, were not destroyed during the Second World War. In the year of 1974 the Kärntner Strasse was redesigned to a pedestrian zone according the plans or architects Windbrechtinger and Holzbauer. This new function of the street should be used by the citizens and tourists for shopping, strolling and lingering and his task was without doubt very well done. Today this pedestrian zone is a perfect place for shopping in the center of Vienna. There is a diversified mix of historical buildings, traditional shops and stylish flagship stores of international companies.
Visitor Info:
The Kärntner Strasse leads straight from the Karlsplatz to the Stephansdom. The pedestrian zone starts at the Vienna opera - exactly from the corner with the Hotel Sacher. The building from the hotel was styled like a renaissance palace and was acquired from the son of the inventor of the Sachertorte (chocolate cake) Franz Sacher in the year 1876. Today the hotel is belonging to the family Gürtler, and is member of the Leading Hotels of the World. The suites which are named after operas are often used by prominent guests. In the cafe Sacher you can have a piece of an original Sachertorte but you can also buy a cake which is packed in a noble wood box and a famous souvenir from Vienna.
A few steps further you can see the palace Esterhàzy where a branch of the Casinos Austria is located in its historic rooms.
The department store -Steffl- (house number 19) offers a wide range of designer goods and branded cosmetic products. With a panoramic elevator you can reach stylish Sky restaurant, cafe and bar. If you are already impressed by looking onto the pulsing life of the Kärntner Strasse you will love the view at the Stephansdom from the top floor.
Visitor Info:
Numerous shops around are selling Mozart souvenirs and the famous Mozartkugeln which is a praline made of mainly chocolate, marzipan and nougat. The reason for that is that in the former building of the department store Steffl the famous Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart passed away in the year 1791.
Among many representative flagship stores in the Kärntner Strasse that one from the Tyrolean crystal grinder dynasty Swarovski (house number 24) is a special recommendation. This one you should not miss at your walk through this pedestrian zone in Vienna. At 3 floors you can have look at the impressing presentation of the broad range of the glittering Swarovski assortment.
In addition to these typical Austrian shops you will find here also some branches of well-known international retail chains such as Peek & Cloppenburg, Mango, Hugo Boss ...
You should also have a walk through the surrounding alleys. At the address Himmelpfortgasse 4-8 you can find the winter palace of the commander Prinz Eugen, in which he passed away in the year 1736. The building with an impressive facade and generous decorated doors is today the location of the Federal Ministry of Finance.
At the end of the walk through the Kärntner Strasse Vienna you can decide to turn left to the Graben or to continue your walk straight across to the Stephansplatz where you can also take a Fiaker (horse-drawn carriage) for a tour through the alleys of the inner city if you want.
