Vienna as seen in The Empress: tradition, elegance, and modern flair
The elegance of The Empress’s Austria is everywhere today.
Once at the centre of Europe, both culturally and politically, Vienna has never strayed from its reputation as a sophisticated, traditional city of neoclassical or baroque buildings, heavy food and old-school class on every gilded corner. Indeed, ostensibly, that’s why I’m here: to experience the Vienna of Empress Sisi – the Austrian Princess Diana, the tragic Queen of Hearts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and of course the subject of hit Netflix drama The Empress, back with a much-anticipated second season.
Season one of the German-language series would have pulled you in with the cake-decoration aesthetic of the city, the finery of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at its peak, with the frivolities that went along with it… and it’s all still there in the modern metropolis, albeit with more hot-dog stands, less international clout, and a clean and efficient metro system. The museums, galleries and grand hotels scream out for a nosey. The famous finery, craftsmanship and price tags can be located at such long-established nooks as footwear manufacturer Scheer, silversmiths Jarosinski & Vaugoin and piano-maker Bösendorfer. But you already know this version of the city – in fact, so many people know this side of it that the queue to visit the Sisi Museum in the Imperial Palace can be up to an hour long.
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Fortunately, among the schnitzel, strudel, concertos, whirls and wieners, there is an incredibly buzzy, modern, sophisticated, citizen-friendly metropolis out there. This modern luxury is summed up in my accommodation, Hotel Amauris (theamauris.com). Opposite the State Opera – built in the neoclassical as opposed to baroque style – it houses forward-looking Restaurant Glasswing, which uses ingredients from local producers. The hotel decor nods to the sumptuous past while being airy and contemporary.
Another excellent example of the modern lying just beneath the surface is Pramerl and the Wolf. Appearing as a traditional Viennese gasthaus (pub) from the outside, the façade belies a contemporary, small-cover Michelin-star restaurant, with imaginative twists on classics, sensational flavours and equally impressive wine pairings. If you’re of a more literal mind, then just below the city surface is the Krypt Bar (krypt.bar), where a narrow stairway opens out onto a vaulted cellar – allegedly with a history as a “semi-legal” jazz club (semi-legal jazz being my favourite genre) – that now houses a stylish-but-lively bar.
The Empress does a good job of reminding us of the geopolitical clout the Austro-Hungarian Empire had until the First World War; and a stroll through Prater park, once the exclusive hunting ground of the royals, tells a similar story. It was given over to the public in 1766, accommodating one of the world’s oldest amusement parks, with its famous Ferris wheel.
This manicured, old Europe gives way to Campus WU, not just part of Vienna University but an extension of the public space for the 21st century. It’s popular with visitors, but has also received accolades from the juries of international architecture competitions, thanks to its kooky, uplifting modern designs and environmental qualities – well worth a saunter on a sunny Sunday morning.
It is, of course, important to embrace the traditional as well as the modern… by which I mean I was looking for an excuse to have some cake. The Café Landtmann (landtmann.at), which opened the same year as the World’s Fair happened, is a popular meeting place for actors, politicians, officials and journalists. I order a sliver of Vienna’s famous Sachertorte – a heavy chocolate cake – and coffee, assuring myself that I am the modern element in this wholly traditional establishment. I settle in to watch the comings and goings from the national theatre, immaculate public park and town hall over the road.
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It’s a view that frames the Viennese mindset: well-presented, melding old and new, and embracing of its people. Yes, it’s a city fit for royalty, but its inclusivity and modernity mean that everyone can come to the ball.
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