Volksgarten (People's Garden), Vienna

The Volksgarten, also known as the People's Garden, is a public park located in the first district of Vienna, known as Innere Stadt. This garden, which is a part of the Hofburg Palace, was designed by Ludwig Remy back in 1821. Interestingly, this park was constructed on the site of the city's fortifications, which were demolished by Napoleon in 1809. It was subsequently made accessible to the public in 1823.

In the heart of this park, you'll find the Theseus Temple, a neoclassical structure crafted by Pietro di Nobile, which was completed in 1821. This temple, resembling a smaller version of the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, was initially intended to house Antonio Canova's sculpture of Theseus. Canova himself played a role in the temple's creation.

Another noteworthy feature within the park is the Cortisches coffee house, constructed between 1820 and 1823, also designed by Peter Nobile. It hosted performances by Austrian Romantic composers Johann Strauss I and Joseph Lanner. In 1890, the Cafè Meierei was established, initially serving as a water reservoir but later converted into the Milchtrinkhalle in 1924.

Moving towards the northern section of the park, you'll come across the Empress Elizabeth Monument, a creation of Hans Bitterlich and Friedrich Ohmann, completed in 1907. This monument features a statue of Empress Elisabeth seated at its center, sculpted from an impressive 8000-kilogram block of Laaser marble, standing at a height of 2.5 meters.

Finally, at the southern end of the park, there's the Franz Grillparzer Monument, designed by Carl Kundmann and completed in 1875. This monument portrays the Austrian writer Franz Grillparzer in a seated pose, deep in contemplation, holding a book in his left hand.

Why You Should Visit:
A park to rival any with its rich tree canopy, rose gardens and benches placed throughout.
Very cozy and lovely place to sit down and have a rest or a little picnic.