Vienna Photos: View on Ringturm & Leopoldsberg

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View from Stephansdom Cathedral to Mount Leopoldsberg & the Ringturm Tower


The Ringturm is a tower by the Ringstraße, Vienna′s circular boulevard. It is the only "proper" skyscraper in central Vienna and was built in the early 1950ies to become the headquarter of an Austrian insurance company. That way, the Ringturm has also become a symbol for the reconstruction and the recovering economy of the early post-war years. After the Stephansdom cathedral, the Ringturm is the second-highest building of the first district (the so-called "Innere Stadt"). It was refurbished in 1996 and is often decorated with panels designed by Austrian artists (or with tree-shaped lights for the Christmas season).

I took the picture above from the Stephansdom Cathedral in summer 2008. The bits of green seemingly surrounding the Ringturm is actually the vegetation along the Donaukanal canal; the red-brick-chimneys left of the Ringturm are part of the Rossauerkaserne. From the picture, you can clearly see how Vienna merges with the vineyards that surround it.

The white ball in the background is a radar that is used by an institute of meteorology for the weather forecast; it is situated in the Hohe Warte area, one of Vienna′s most exclusive neighbourhoods. I like the Hohe Warte for walks, it is easy getting there by tram. On the horizon, you can see the hill of Leopoldsberg with the Kirche am Leopoldsberg, a Baroque church and great look-out.



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