A Visit to Vienna: State Hall of the Austrian National Library

I think I just saw the most beautiful historic library hall in the world. I checked out the State Hall (Prunksaal) of the Austrian National Library while I was in Vienna, and I have to say, it was fantastic!

A Visit to Vienna: Österreichische Postsparkasse

I was taking a stroll on the Viennese Ring Road, and at some point, I noticed a very majestic-looking building. It turned out to be the Österreichische Postsparkasse. I decided to take a peek inside.

A Visit to Vienna: Zentralfriedhof

So, I wanted to see the dead. Visiting the Zentralfriedhof was on my list. So one morning, I headed here.

A Visit to Vienna: The Feuerhalle

Perhaps it was a bizarre decision, but one of the things I really wanted to do while I was in Vienna was to visit the central cemetery as well as its surroundings. This area was actually close to where I was staying, in Simmering. So one day, I started by visiting the Feuerhalle.

A Visit to Vienna: The Arsenal Complex

After visiting the Museum of Military History, I explored the surrounding area. The museum is actually located in a compound that is known as the Arsenal Complex. And this compound features quite a distinctive architecture.

A Visit to Vienna: Military History Museum

While I was in Vienna, I was coincidentally reading a book about the Arctic Expedition of Julius von Payer. He was an explorer from Austria-Hungary, and led an expedition in the 1870s, which led to the discovery of Franz Joseph Land. He was also a painter, and produced various paintings with this expedition as subject material. And it turns out that these paintings are exhibited in the Military History Museum in Vienna. So I figured I pay this museum a visit.

A Visit to Vienna: Villa Beer

As I was preparing for my week-long visit to Vienna, I was told by a friend that I should book a ticket to see Villa Beer. So I did just that, and visited Villa Beer one Sunday morning.

A Visit to Vienna: Gemeindebauten

Architecture was one of those aspects which I actually didn't pay attention at all when I spent 5 weeks in Vienna, back in 2005. So now that I am slightly more aware of it, I wanted to focus on it slightly, by checking out the so-called Gemeindebauten in Vienna.

A Visit to Vienna: The Gasometer

After spending the morning in the Belvedere Complex, I had lunch. And then I ventured out, this time to the Gasometer. I wanted to see something that was architecturally significant.

A Visit to Vienna: Belvedere 21

As I had an all-inclusive ticket for the Belvedere Complex, I also went to the Belvedere 21. This building is actually new for me - it didn't exist back when I visited Vienna for the first time in 2005.

A Visit to Vienna: Lower Belvedere

I had a ticket that included access to the entire Belvedere Complex. So I visited the Lower Belvedere as well.

A Visit to Vienna: Upper Belvedere

I really wanted to see Gustav Klimt's The Kiss. I saw it once in 2005, when I was in Vienna for the first time. And I knew I wanted to see it again. So my very first action item when I was in Vienna was to book a timed-slot ticket for the Belvedere Complex. And I actually booked the earliest slot on my first day there.

Berliner Mauerweg: Schönefeld to Sigridshorst (22 km)

I continued the Berliner Mauerweg. In fact, I did the next leg across two days: I originally wanted to do this 22 kilometres but during the first day, I was just so bored, even though the weather was actually good. So I just did half of it, about 11 kilometres. And I picked up the remaining half the following weekend.

A Visit to Vienna

So, I recently spent a week in Vienna!

Berlin Boogie: Open House at the Hamburger Bahnhof

I have been to the Hamburger Bahnhof a few times before - the first time was actually in 2013. I remember liking the things that I saw back then. And I remember being there a couple more times when friends were visiting town. This time, I learned that they were hosting an Open House, and entrance was free. So I visited once again.

Interludes from the Donau-Panoramaweg: Cuvilliés Theatre

The last thing I saw before ending this trip was the Cuvilliés Theatre. This is in Munich, right in the middle of the city.

Interludes from the Donau-Panoramaweg: Dachau Concentration Camp

On my last sight-seeing day, I wanted to head to Munich again. But instead of heading directly into the city, I first wanted to check out something that was nearby. I wanted to see Dachau. In particular, I wanted to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp.

Donau-Panoramaweg: Leg 3 - Pentling to Regensburg (10 km)

This was supposed to be a longer hike. But due to the fact that I have cut short the original Leg 2, and followed that with the remainder of Leg 2 and some of Leg 3, I ended up with a nice day where I tackled the remainder of Leg 3. I wanted to continue further and tackle some of Leg 4, but given that I was staying in Regensburg, and the end of Leg 3 was right in the middle of the Old Town of Regensburg, it was such a climactic ending that I didn't want to be ruined. So I just stopped.

Interludes from the Donau-Panoramaweg: Walhalla

There was a day during this trip which I utilised to explore my immediate surroundings. I have been to Regensburg at least twice before, so I know most of the sights that are visited by tourists. However, there is one which I haven't been to yet. That is the Walhalla Monument, on the east of the city.

Interludes from the Donau-Panoramaweg: Sebalduskirche Nürnberg

After visiting the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, I had lunch. And after lunch, I took a stroll through the Old Town of Nürnberg. I have been here several times before, but nevertheless there are a few places that I still haven't visited. Like for example the Sebalduskirche.