Seniors Enjoy Leopoldstadt In Vienna

Leopoldstadt, the 2nd municipal District of Vienna (The City of Dreams), abounds in historic sites among its 100,000  inhabitants. Senior travelers will find it in the heart of Vienna and, together with Brigittenau, forms a large island surrounded by the Danube Canal and, to the north, the Danube. It is named after Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor.

Before the Holocaust, Leopoldstadt, which had gained the nickname Mazzesinsel (“Matzo Island”) was the hub of Jewish life in Vienna. Some of the town’s finest synagogues were to be found there, also a wide array of Jewish shops, clubs, theaters and coffeehouses, and the Grain Exchange as focal point of Jewish commercial interests.

Leopoldstadt was also a central-European stronghold of Zionism and Chassidism. The Leopoldstädter Temple was the largest synagogue of Vienna. It was built in 1858 in a Moorish Revival style by the architect Ludwig Förster.

 Seniors Enjoy Strolling

A big hit with vacationers and visitors alike is The Volksprater amusement park in the Wiener Prater and the Hauptallee in the Prater is a great place for seniors to take a good stroll. While I have walked under the London Eye Ferris Wheel, I would talk my wife into a fun ride on the Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel.

Galopprennplatz Freudenau is a favorite place for the locals to gather. The “Mexico Church”  is an awesome site. It is best known as St. Francis of Assisi Church, Mexikoplatz in Vienna’s Second District.

Other places of interest in Leopoldstadt include the Wiener Prater (from Latin pratum “meadow”), former imperial hunting grounds to which the public was denied access until 1766. The Leopoldstadt Museum has a particular emphasis on the arts. A sightseeing guide might be of help to senior visitors.

Seniors Learn Of Notable Residents

The Notable Residents listing that includes Sigmund Freud, Johann Strauss I and II and American film director Billy Wilder. TripAdvisor has lined up nearly 500 attractions for senior visitors to consider. The Historic Center of Vienna is where most visitors commence their visit and then many soon head off for Schoenbrunn Palace.

My brother-in-law is a “Big Time” train enthusiast. I would want to shoot a few photos for him of the miniature steam railway (“Liliputbahn”) which, on its track through the woodland parallel to the Hauptallee, passes Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion. It’s a favorite for kids and the younger crowd. Seniors will have a great time strolling in Leopoldstadt taking in the historic sites, dining in some great restaurants and enjoying the Austrian atmosphere.

I’ve been to Vienna with my daughter and enjoyed every part of the city. I feel that you will as well. -jeb