Venediger Au Park

The Venice Au is initially referenced in a document dating back to 1377.The term originally referred to the region encompassing present-day Praterstraße.Since 1569, individuals engaged in woodworking and game preservation have established residency in that location.The aforementioned settlement was subsequently renamed as “Jägerzeile”, while the term “Venediger Au” was henceforth employed to refer to the northeastern region.It appears that the Venice Au has not been utilized in subsequent years as evidenced by its depiction as a green space on maps until the 19th century.The Praterstern was established in 1872 at the termination of the Jägerzeile, presently known as Praterstraße. It was designed in a star configuration, with seven streets converging into it.

In the late 19th century, the area known as the “Volksprater” or “Wurzelprater” had emerged to the south of the Venice Au.In the latter part of the century, the Wurstelprater traversed the exhibition street towards the northern direction.Several entertainment establishments were established in the Venediger Au area, including the prominent Circus Busch, which was located across from the current train station.In 1890, a narrow-gauge park railway was constructed under the name “Schnackerlbahn” as a component of the “Agriculture, Forestry, Industry and Art Exhibition”.The pathway extended from the Venice Au to the southern entrance of the Vienna Exhibition Center, featuring the prominent rotunda, and served as a precursor to the subsequent Liliputbahn.During that period, the location of Venice in Vienna was situated towards the southern region on the Kaiserwiese vicinity, despite the resemblance in nomenclature.

Over the course of several decades, the Venediger Au entertainment district underwent expansion, ultimately encompassing an area of 48,250 square meters. Alongside the Circus Busch, there were equestrian facilities, beverage distribution centers, and diverse exhibition kiosks.During the Second World War, these facilities incurred significant damage from bomb attacks, with the primary target being the strategically significant Nordbahnhof located in close proximity.The Wurstelprater suffered extensive damage in May 1945.The southern portion of the exhibition street underwent successive reconstruction until 1953, while the Venice Au area was ultimately abandoned.In 1949, the City of Vienna assumed control of the area and transformed it into a park featuring sports facilities and playgrounds for children.This was the most extensive garden restoration project since the war, with a budgeted cost of 830,000 schillings.