Pötzleinsdorfer Schlosspark

The Pötzleinsdorfer Schlosspark (also known as Pötzleinsdorfer Park) is a park in Vienna’s 18th district, Währing.

The park is located in Währing’s Pötzleinsdorf district and spans in an oval shape along the north slope of the Schafberg between Pötzleinsdorfer Straße and Geymüllergasse in the north and Ladenburghöhe and Schafberggasse in the east and south.It is bounded on the west by an unidentified route that connects the west end of the Ladenburghöhe to the west end of the Pötzleinsdorfer Straße.

The four figures on the pilasters of the attic of Vienna’s Ringtheater, known as the “Singing Quartet” (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), survived the fire on December 8, 1881 by more than 100 years and are now figurines at the front parking area.They were installed in the theater by architect Emil von Förster in 1874, and were later purchased by Max Schmidt and relocated to the park following the fire.

Rare animals and flora may be found in the castle park’s green spaces.The stock dove, Aesculapian snake, slowworm, field cricket, and middle spotted woodpecker are among the species found here.In addition to its near-natural meadows and woodlands, the park has biotopes that should be preserved.A protection and care concept was established as part of the network nature by the Vienna environmental protection department MA 22 and the city garden office MA 42, whose protective measures are utilized, to promote the distinctive species and ecosystems.

The park is also part of the Währing – Wienerwald landscape protection area (part A, LSG 9, total 154 hectares).In the park, several natural monuments have been named.

History

Until 1935, the roughly 354,000 square meter site was privately owned and developed in the form of an English landscape garden.Philippina von Herberstein created the park in the 18th century, which was revised by Johann Heinrich Geymüller in 1797 and realized by gardeners Konrad A. Rosenthal and Franz Illner.

The park became a favorite gathering place and summer retreat for the Viennese upper class in the early nineteenth century.Following the collapse of the Geymüller bank in 1841, the entire property was sold and had many owners who allowed the facilities to fall into ruin.The Ladenburg-Ellisen family acquired ownership of the property in 1868.When proposals to subdivide the park surfaced after World War I, furniture maker Max Schmidt purchased it and became its final private owner.He left it to the Vienna Municipality, which opened it to the public in 1935.During World War II, aircraft bombs decimated the park, which was restored in June 1949 in the presence of Mayor Theodor Körner.

A classical summer house and a swimming grotto have been preserved, as has a memorial stone to the poet Johann Baptist von Alxinger.The Swiss House, which has since been demolished, used to provide a panoramic view of the city from the hill.

A huge fire damaged part of the agricultural buildings on the site on June 18, 2012.

The park is a popular local recreation area and tourist destination.For this reason, a big camp meadow with a children’s playground and petting zoo, as well as an outdoor aviary, was erected.There are two tiny soccer fields on the property as well.From night until sunrise, the park is walled and locked.It is one of the most significant garden architectural monuments in Austria and is protected by monument law (see No. 50 in the annex to 1 Paragraph 12 of the DMSG and on the list of monuments).

Pötzleinsdorf Castle, located in the park’s eastern section, now houses a Rudolf Steiner school.

Vienna, Austria