Donaustadt - 22nd district

Donaustadt at the north side of Danube River, is the district with the largest amount of highrises and small skyscrapers in Vienna, together with Wienerberg district. It is also where Donauturm, the TV tower that is Vienna's tallest structure is situated. The atmosphere of the highrise part of the district, called Donau City, is a bit cold since it was originally a district with many commie blocks and mostly highways and large roads are surrounding the complex. Ugly tunnels and skybridges are what meets the pedestrian. Even if the highrises looks good from a distance, the architects have failed to create a personal atmosphere. The large Donaupark is also situated here. It is Vienna's largest district in area and has 149 000 inhabitants. Since Donaustadt consists of 6 former villages there are also older, more smallscale parts of Donaustadt that I didn't visit.

Donaustadt skyline seen from Donauturm. From the left: IZD Tower, UNO City´s VIC Towers, Saturn-Tower, Hochhaus Neue Donau, Andromeda Tower and Mischek Tower. Donaupark is in front.

Donaustadt from the North from a local bus, including Donauturm.

Donaustadt seen from Leopoldstadt. I walked over the bridge Reichsbrücke's pedestrian section over Danube to Donaustadt.

River Danube is very wide. Taken during my walk over Reichsbrücke.

Danube is so wide it has a thin island in the middle, Donauinsel.

Hochhaus Neue Donau. At 150m and 34 floors it is the second tallest skyscraper of Vienna and the tallest in Donau City, since it was completed in 2001.

The backside of Hochaus Neue Donau.

Hochhaus Neue Donau is famous for its curved roof.

UNO City complex, also called Vienna International Center (VIC), is Vienna's branch of United Nations, consisting of beige curved highrises. The tallest of these so called VIC buildings is127m. To the right: IZD Tower from 2001. 130m, 37 floors. Vienna's 3rd tallest skyscraper.

Note the highway that takes you to famous cities like Budapest, Graz, Prague and Brno.

Vienna International Centre was built in 1978. Albert Wimmer was the architect.

A glass building and UNO City.

Donauturm.

 

Mountains and Millennium Tower seen from Donau City. Millennium Tower is Austria's tallest skyscraper, but located on the other side of the river in Brigittenau.

Andromeda Tower.

Austria Center: the stairway to this congress center is pretending to be a flag.

Austria Center congress center with Donauturm in the background.

Ares Tower.

UNO City again.

Saturn-Tower from 2004 has 23 floors.

Donau City is Vienna's answer to Paris La Defènse. To the right: Andromeda Tower from 1998, 110m, 29 floors.

Mischek Tower from 1999. In my opinion this residential building doesn't fit in to the concept of Donau City, since it reminds a bit of the ugly commie blocks from the 60s. 36 floors, 108m.

DONAUPARK

This large park is a contrast to the stiff atmosphere of Donau City's cool skyscrapers. On the other side of the park you will reach Donauturm, Austria's tallest TV tower.

When you enter Donaupark you see this warning sign for small locomotives that drives around the park on a min railway.

The train from Donauturm.

Millennium Tower seen from Donaupark.

Donau City skyline from Donaupark. From the left: IZD Tower, UNO City, Saturn-Tower and Mischek Tower.

Donauturm TV Tower seen from Donaupark. Donauturm, that opened in 1964 is the tallest structure in Austria at a height of 252m to the top. It was built for the Horticultural Show that took place in Donaupark in 1964.

Donauturm (Danube Tower) has a revolving rooftop restaurant and an outdoor observation deck.

Looking up Donauturm, the highest TV tower in Austria. A fatal accident happened in 1968 when
an American balloon crashed into the tower.

From Donauturm's highspeed elevator there is a glass window in the roof so you can look up to the top of the elevator shaft while it is moving.
It takes only 35 seconds to the top.

It is 152m to the observation deck. There is also a revolving restaurant.

 

Views of Donaustadt from the outdoor observation deck of Donauturm, at 152m height:

For views from Donauturm other areas than Donaustadt, visit the Vienna skyline section (highly recommended).

This is a bungee jump site, that is used in the summer if the views are not enough!

Villas in Donaustadt.

Urban Donau City seen from Donauturm.

The future of Donau City:

A new master plan for the remaining empty plots have been drawn by the French architect Dominique Perrault. The focus point of this project will be two skyscrapers called DC Towers. The 60-storey Tower 1 will be Austria's new tallest building at a height of 220m and the 46-storey Tower 2 will be somewhat lower, 160m, but still taller than all existing buildings in Donaustadt. A 3rd 100m tower will also be built plus a large aquarium and other highrises.

Update 2014: Tower 1 completed, 250m tall to the antenna!