Vienna's Hidden Inner Courtyards

The Schatzkammer des Deutschen Ordens is hidden behind the unassuming facade of the Deutschordenshaus, marked by a simple coat of arms above the doorway. This is the treasury of the Teutonic Order, a religious fraternity founded during the…

The Blutgasse is a narrow, twisting lane defined by its uneven cobblestones and high, medieval house walls that seem to lean toward each other. The name, translated as Blood Alley, dates back to the aftermath of the Knights Templar…

The house at Domgasse number four holds a distinct place in musical history because of a small, cramped apartment on the first floor. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart moved his family here in seventeen eighty-four, during his most productive years…

The Zwettlhof features a courtyard enclosed by a facade of deep ochre walls and tiered, arched balconies that seem to fold into themselves. This building served as the official Vienna residence for the abbots of the Cistercian monastery in…

The Schmeckender-Wurm-Hof features a distinctive stone relief of a wriggling worm embedded directly into the facade of the building. This creature gives the courtyard its name, which translates to the Tasting Worm Courtyard. While the…

Bäckerstraße seven features a curved, ornate facade that sets it apart from the rigid, straight lines of its neighbors. This building served as the seat of the University of Vienna’s Faculty of Law for much of the eighteenth century.…

The Heiligenkreuzerhof features a facade decorated with a large, ornate statue of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, holding a model of the church he founded. This complex served as the Viennese city residence for the Cistercian monks of…

The Alte Universität is defined by the heavy, rusticated stonework of its courtyard arcade and the stark, yellow facade facing the square. Founded by Duke Albert the Third in thirteen sixty-five, it served as the heart of the University of…