The New York Times - In Vienna’s bohemian Seventh District, craftspeople, artists and shopkeepers are breathing new life into a handful of old cobblestone streets known as Spittelberg. Steps from the MuseumsQuartier, the city’s museum district, the neighborhood overflows with Old World charm and hidden garden restaurants. It wasn’t always picturesque. Named after a hospital built here in the 1500s, the hill filled in over the centuries with low-rent housing, taverns and brothels. By the 1970s, the red light district was headed for demolition, but locals insisted on preservation instead. Restored Biedermeier buildings on pedestrian lanes now house galleries, boutiques, bars and restaurants. With summer tourists gone, Viennese enjoy strolling and dining outside on pleasant autumn evenings.
|