Photos and the City

Tag: Sommerfrische

  • Südbahnhotel Semmering

    südbahnhotel, semmering, lost place, niederösterreich, austria, sommerfrische, igersaustria, kultursommer semmering

    Last week Kultursommer Semmering and the Instagramers Austria organised a trip to Semmering to visit the Kulturhaus, one of the venues of this years festival. I was lucky enough to get hold of the tickets and to spent one lovely day in Semmering.

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    “One of the venues” – when we arrived there was a lovely surprise – some days prior the owner of the Südbahnhotel decided to open it again and let the Kultursommer use it as a stage after it had been shut off for the last seven years.

    Whenever I´m passing Semmering by train, I just wish to stop and explore these amazing grande hotels, that have been left alone so many years ago and finally I got a little glimpse of them!

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    With the “Sommerfrische” getting more and more popular and common, the need or the wish for a railway to Semmering got bigger and “16 viaducts, 15 tunnels, 129 bridges and 142 special structures” were built. Semmering became a popular health resort, which it remains to this day.

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    The original Suedbahnhotel Semmering (also called “Hotel Semmering” or “First Suedbahnhotel”) was the 1st Hotel am Semmering at all and was opened in 1882 at the foot of Pinkenkogel Mountain–at precisely 1000 m above sea level. The Suedbahnhotel am Semmering was one of several grand hotels along the Suedbahn route from Vienna to Triest which were commissioned in order to stimulate the tourism in the respective regions and also the Suedbahn route from the privileged K. u. k. Suedbahngesellschaft. (Südbahnhotel-Semmering)

    südbahnhotel, semmering, lost place, niederösterreich, austria, sommerfrische, igersaustria, kultursommer semmering

    It was a juwel of the Fin de Siècle – many artists, poets, writers, socialites and nobles stayed there:

    A brief extract of prominent guests of the Suedbahnhotel:

    Erzherzog Albrecht, Eduard Ritter von Engerth (Teacher, Director of galeries, Art Writer and Artist of portraits of the imperial family as well  the gentry, Designer of the wall decoration of the Imperial loge in the Vienna State Opera House), Princess Maria of Greece with her family, His Royal Highness Prince and Princess Elmer von Lonyay, Graf Dubsky, Ida von Ferenczy (Sternkreuz – Orden lady and longtime confidante of Empress Elisabeth), Baron Franz Kubinsky, Prof. Dr. Sigmund Freud, Queen Maria of Rumania as well relevant artists like:  Gustav Mahler (Director of the Viennese Imperial Opera House) with his wife Alma Mahler, Oskar Kokoschka, Egon Friedell, Peter Altenberg, Adolf Loos with his wife Lina, Franz Werfel, Gerhard Hauptmann, Otto Zarek, Hans von Huelsen, Adrienne Gessner (Actress at the Viennese Burg-Theatre), Kolo Moser (Co-founder of the Viennese Secession and the Wiener Werkstaette resp. Vienna’s Workshops), Karl Kraus and many many more… (Südbahnhotel-Semmering)

    südbahnhotel, semmering, lost place, niederösterreich, austria, sommerfrische, igersaustria, kultursommer semmering

    The First Südbahnhotel was a huge success and was soon expanded with various extentions: Waldhof (with cheaper rooms), Zweites Südbahnhotel (“Palasthotel”), a Post- and Telegraphstation, a cinema, several restaurants and pubs, an indoor pool. There were around 400 rooms in whole the complex.

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    The reception area was renovated in the early 1930ies and even an American Bar opened. The design was developed by Hoppe and Schönthal.

    südbahnhotel, semmering, lost place, niederösterreich, austria, sommerfrische, igersaustria, kultursommer semmering
    südbahnhotel, semmering, lost place, niederösterreich, austria, sommerfrische, igersaustria, kultursommer semmering     südbahnhotel, semmering, lost place, niederösterreich, austria, sommerfrische, igersaustria, kultursommer semmering

    During World War II the hotel became a military hospital. Even so it opened up for business again after the war had endend its golden age was gone. At the end of the 1960ies the hotel was slowly closed down and the “First Südbahnhotel” (the oldest part) was adapted to private apartments.

    The “Zweites Südbahnhotel” changed the owner some times, once it was supposed to be renovated and become a private clinic but nothing has happened so far. Thanks to a new roof the building is still in a good condition and it is waiting for someone to wake it up again.

    südbahnhotel, semmering, lost place, niederösterreich, austria, sommerfrische, igersaustria, kultursommer semmering

    südbahnhotel, semmering, lost place, niederösterreich, austria, sommerfrische, igersaustria, kultursommer semmering südbahnhotel, semmering, lost place, niederösterreich, austria, sommerfrische, igersaustria, kultursommer semmering

    From 2000 to 2010 the Festspiele Reichenau used the hotel as a venue, after that it was closed down until two weeks ago, when the current owner decided to let the Kultursommer Semmering use for this years festival.

    And what an amazing place it is:

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    Visit Kultursommer Semmering to find out more about the events.

    Thanks for having us, hopefully we´ll be able to explore more of this amazing place some other time!

    Visit thepresse.com for some historic images!

  • Thermalbad Bad Vöslau

    When June is a constant heatwave with 35°celsius it´s time to find ways to leave Vienna and cool off somewhere – it´s time for Sommerfrische!

    After spending an afternoon in the Piestingtal the week before, I wanted to cool down with water. I always have liked to drink Vöslauer so why not bath in it – at the Thermalbad Bad Vöslau!

    Opened in 1873 it hasn´t changed that much and still has that special historic charm. But the history of the Vöslauer spring reaches way more back – back to the old Romans who already used it. First written mention was in 1136 as “Feselover”-spring.


    thermalbad, bad vöslau, niederösterreich, sommerfrische, baden, summer, summertime     thermalbad, bad vöslau, niederösterreich, sommerfrische, baden, summer, summertime thermalbad, bad vöslau, niederösterreich, sommerfrische, baden, summer, summertime

    Im 19. Jahrhundert war die Benützung des Bades für Damen und Herren genau eingeteilt und ausschließlich in gefärbten Badekleidern gestattet. Das Vöslauer Bad war (und ist) ein beliebter Ort, um Schwimmen zu lernen. Darunter waren auch einige Berühmtheiten: Mehrere Mitglieder des Kaiserhauses, Paul Neumann, Schwimm-Goldmedaillengewinner der Olympischen Spiele 1896 in Athen und Arthur Schnitzler. Von gesellschaftlicher Bedeutung ist, dass in Bad Vöslau die ersten Frauen Österreichs schwimmen lernten – wir sorgten also schon im 19. Jahrhundert für die Gleichstellung. (Vöslauer Thermalbad)

    During the 19th century women and men weren´t allowed to use the bath together and you had to wear dyed bathing clothes. Many people learned swimming there, members of the royal family, Arthur Schnitzler and many more – even the first women, which was quite modern.

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    Do you see these historic Kabanen and flats in which one can live in summer or all year round? They are all around the green bassin and then there are more modern wooden houses uphill in the wood – perfect place for Sommerfrische, but probably super hard to get.

    But even as a visitor you instantly feel relaxed lying under the old trees on the little island in the green bassin or uphill, where it is even more quiet.

    thermalbad, bad vöslau, niederösterreich, sommerfrische, baden, summer, summertimethermalbad, bad vöslau, niederösterreich, sommerfrische, baden, summer, summertime

     

    All photos and the little movies were made with my phone, as I didn´t wanna bring my DSLR – it was all about relaxation and not worrying about where to put the camera.

  • Sommerfrische

    sommerfrische, semmering, niederösterreich, kultursommer semmering, 20 schilling blick, viadukt, oebb, österreich

    “Sommerfrische” – outdated for “summer retreat” – when people left the cities during the summertime to escape the heat and find some relaxation in cooler areas.

    Even so terms like Sommerfrische or Landpartie (something like a picnic or little trip) aren´t that used anymore (except by me and maybe some city marketing), they were absolutely common in the 19th century. The Grimm dictionary defines it as “relaxed country stay of citizens during the summertime” and “love for the countryside of citizens during summer”.

    Having different residencies for summer and winter goes back thousands of years. During the Renaissance when cities started to flourish the aristocracy established having summer- und winterpalaces. During the 18th century the upper middle classes also adopted that custom. In the 19th century the railways made it easier and faster to travel and everyone who had the luxury of free time (and the funds) had a “Sommersitz” (a summer residence). If you couldn´t afford to have your own private villa for the summer, you just rented or stayed at inns and hotels.

    It was the start of something we call “tourism” today.

    Loved places for Sommerfrische around 1900 were Salzkammergut, the area around Semmering and Rax, Wienerwald and Kamptal and later on bathes like Bad Gastein, bad Fusch and the thermalregion in Styria.

    I was at Semmering yesterday and on this photo you see the “20 Schilling Blick” – on the backside of the old 20 Schillingnote you could find this view.