St. Marx Cemetery in Vienna. Photo courtesy of nonanet via Flickr.
As with many refined European cities, Vienna is rich with excellent parks and gardens. They provide refuge for resident urbanites fleeing the hustle and bustle of daily life, and are a pleasant diversion for tourists taking in the landscape of the city. The following suggestions should meet the requirements of both.
1) Schweizergarten
Originally named Maria Josefa Park when it was conceived and constructed between 1903 and 1904, this gem was renamed Schweizergarten after WWI. Within the grounds, there is a sculpture dedicated to Chopin by the polish sculptor Krzysztof Bednarski (among other works of art by distinguished artists) and a landscaped English garden, with streams, ponds, a rose garden, a restaurant and a municipal outdoor pool for children.
2) Donau Auen
National Park Donau Auen stretches from the edge of Vienna along both sides of Danube River roughly 20 miles to the border with Slovakia. The park is home to hundreds of species of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, as well as 60 species of fish.
3) St. Marx Cemetery
Though not quite a park, St. Marx Cemetery is rich with history and is the final resting place of none other than the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Though the precise site of the composer’s burial remains a mystery, a memorial stands on the grounds that honors his memory. Anyone familiar with the macabre pleasures of a leisurely stroll through a park for the dead shouldn’t require any further convincing to schedule a visit to this one.
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July 20, 2012 by Viator
Free Things To Do, Sightseeing