Augarten
Kleine Pfarrgasse 28, Vienna, Vienna, 1020
One of Vienna’s most spectacular public parks, the Baroque-style Augarten is home to a former imperial palace and several excellent museums, including the Augarten Porcelain Museum. The park’s sweeping grounds cover about 10 acres (52.2 hectares), with formal flowerbeds, tree-lined walking paths, vast meadows, and restaurants.
The basics
Offering a calm respite from the bustle of central Vienna, Augarten is among Vienna’s largest and most beloved outdoor spaces. Restyled and expanded in the early 18th century by court architect Isidore Carnevale for Habsburg Emperor Joseph II, the park houses the Baroque Augarten Palace; the MuTh theater, home to the world-famous Vienna Boys Choir; a contemporary art gallery that is an outpost of the Belvedere; a film archive; a Jewish study center; and several restaurants.
The park's star attraction, however, is the Augarten Porcelain Museum, housed in a wing of a factory founded in 1718 and still going strong today. Exhibits include elaborate and historic pieces commissioned by the Imperial Family alongside more contemporary figures in Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles.
Things to know before you go
With expansive grassy lawns, playgrounds, paddling pools, and shade, this park is ideal families with kids.
There are various dining options in and surrounding the park for a leisurely lunch spot far from the crowds.
The park’s two imposing Flaktürme (Nazi anti-aircraft gun towers) are especially interesting for World War II history buffs.
Each museum in the park has its own opening hours, so check the specific website before visiting.
The Vienna Boys Choir holds regular concerts at the MuTh performance hall next to the Augarten Palace.
The garden is crisscrossed with well-maintained paved and gravel paths that are fully accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
How to get there
Augarten is in the Leopoldstadt district of Vienna, across the Danube Canal from the city’s old town. Take metro line U1 to Praterstern and then connect to tram line 5 to Nordwestbahnstrasse; some hop-on-hop-off bus lines also stop at the park. Alternatively, stroll through Vienna’s scenic old town to reach the park on the far side of the historic center in about 30 minutes.
When to get there
The park is open daily from dawn to dusk (a siren sounds at sunset to signal that the park’s gates are closing), offering a welcome break from sightseeing any time of day. The Porcelain Museum, MuTH, and other attractions keep their own hours, so check the individual websites before visiting.
How to see the Vienna Boys Choir
Established in 1498 by Emperor Maximilian I, the Vienna Boys Choir is the most famous of its kind in the world and a top musical attraction in the city. The choir performs regularly at MuTH, its dedicated training and performance center adjacent to the Augarten Palace. The choir also performs each Sunday from September to June for weekly Mass in the Hofburg Chapel.
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