Kaffeehaus Culture - The Viennese Coffee House , An Intangible Cultural Heritage And The Secession, An Artist Movement!

I was visiting my hometown Vienna, the capital and largest city of Austria, 3 times this year and enjoyed every minute finding those fascinating, magnificent historical buildings, modern glass facades and its art nouveau, Jugendstil architectural gems. 

First I would like to show images of my favourite coffee houses where I enjoy my relaxing time for breakfast with fresh baked "Butter Semmel " and boiled " Ei im Glas ", it feels like meditation spending my mornings reading newspapers on a wooden stick or meet up friends to chat away with delicious cakes for some afternoons or light lunches.Second I present a few snaps from a very unique Jugendstil building called Wiener Secession.

                    

I prefer to travel light so I usually use my iPhone 5S with Muller Photo or Hipstamatic filters.

Cafe Ritter interior

Cafe Ritter exterior 

Cafe Westend interior 

I would not be a real Viennese without lounging in those charming coffee houses spread around town, drinking various types of coffee more than once per day. Its actually the first thing I do my first day after arrival. Looking for Coffee and Cake! Mokka is a small espresso and Melange is a specialty similar to a cappuccino, my favourite but the list on the menues is very long. 

                   

There is a variety of sweets such as the famous chocolate cake, Sacher Torte with Schlag ( whipped cream ) or delicious topfen & apfelstrudel, an appel-pie.           

Punch Krapfen! Topfen Strudel, Moor im Hemd ! .........Yumm! 

 

Story has it that when the Turks retreated from the gates of Vienna in  1683, they left behind sacks of coffee beans. A military officer by the  name of Kulczycki, who had spent time in captivity of the Turks,  informed the Austrians how to use the beans, and opened one of the first  coffee houses in Vienna.          

                           

I still remember the kind owners of Cafe Hawelka , this sweet couple would come to greet you at the door and since they already died, something is missing when you go to enjoy the traditional authentic ambience.

By the late 18th century, the  Kaffeehaus had become an integral part of the Viennese society, often  described as “the city’s public living rooms”. Not surprisingly, UNESCO  recently listed “the Viennese Coffee House Culture” as an “Intangible  Cultural Heritage”.

In some cafes you will be welcomed by classical music or even live jazz. 

Jazz & Gypsy Swing Zipflo Weinrich (Video Clip), Violin Virtuoso,  one of my artists I represent at Cafe Korb [email protected]

- 1683, the beginning of Viennese coffee house culture , an institution of Vienna that played an important part in shaping Viennese culture.

Even if Vienna was not the pioneer in coffee house culture, it has -  over the centuries - established a coffee house tradition like no other  city in the world. Coffee and coffee houses are at their best in Vienna! The first coffee houses already had several of the characteristics that  are still typical of a Viennese-style coffee house today. Waiters served  a glass of water with every cup of coffee and they were equipped with  card games and pool tables.

In 1720, the Kramersches Kaffeehaus coffee house  in Vienna’s city centre was the first to put out newspapers for its  guests to read. It was another big step in Vienna’s coffee house history  when warm meals and alcohol were first allowed to be served. However,  in 1808, Napoleon's Continental Blockade of England also had an effect  on Austria, where the price for coffee beans increased sharply. Coffee  house owners had to look for alternatives not to go bankrupt which led  to the development of café restaurants. 

Vienna Ballhaus

- The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who  had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the  Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and  architects. Wikipedia

I shot these photos after dancing the night away, passing by around 2 am at freezing minus 5 with crystal clear cold air and a stunning gold shimmer one top. 

What a beautiful city with fascinating architecture wherever you go. I am proud to be Viennese.   

#steemitphotochallenge

At the forefront is the contribution to the  graphic arts made the by the Vienna Secession under the Klimt Group  (1898-1905) a group of Austrian artists which included Gustav Klimt,  Koloman Moser and Josef Hoffmann who broke away from the status quo and  created what has come to be known as ‘Secession-style’.

The images collected on this site reflect the Secession, Wiener  Werkstätte, and Jugendstil style of Graphic design found in Germany and  Austria. Attention is also given to the counterpart Art Nouveau movement  in France, Belgium, and Holland;  artists like Alphonse Mucha, Henry  Van de Velde, and Fernand Khnopff whose influence played an important  part in the development of German and Austrian graphic art. Our gallery  section features the work of prominent graphic artists from the period.

The Art story about Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele’s Twisted Fates in Paint . 

Gustav Klimt is always abuzz in the pop culture world. Actress Dame Helen Mirren is starring in The Woman in Gold, a movie about Klimt’s painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer. 

Watch the trailer  

More about Vienna ....to be continued

- Spittelau and my fitting red suitcases. Read more about Spittelau waste incineration plant designed by eco-architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser 

- Subway Station  

I can't wait to be back to spend another winter to explore my town after nearly 40 years living my gypsy lifestyle abroad.

I hope you can visit Vienna one day to experience its beauty for yourself. 

Yours 

Mammasitta

http://www.mammasitta.com 

@lamammasitta on Instagram