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Vienna marks centenary of artistic golden era

Vienna is marking 100 years since the death of a string of luminaries from its fin-de-siecle glory days with an avalanche of exhibitions of modernist art, design and architecture that still inspire and shock today.

Vienna marks centenary of artistic golden era
Visitors walk past a painting titled "Venus in the Grotto" by Austrian artist Koloman Moser during the exhibition at the Leopold Museum titled "Vienna 1900!" Photo: AFP

The year 1918 did not only mark defeat in World War I and the end of the Austro-Hungarian empire but also saw artists Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and Koloman Moser and architect Otto Wagner pass away.

Klimt died from a stroke at 55, an infection claimed Wagner's life at 76 and cancer killed Moser aged 50. Schiele survived being conscripted into the war only to die in the Spanish flu pandemic, three days after his pregnant wife Edith. He was just 28.

All were leading lights in the revolutions in art, literature, architecture, psychology, philosophy and music that made the imperial city on the Danube the buzzing intellectual hub of the world at the time.

“It was a unique collision of all forms of art and science — the literature of Hofmannsthal, the atonal music of Schönberg, psychoanalysis with Freud and even economics with Schumpeter,” Hans-Peter Wipplinger, director of the Leopold Museum, told AFP.

“Vienna was not always a trend setter, but always good at making something special out of something which already existed,” said art historian Alexandra Brauner. “We made something really special out of it.”

Stairway to Klimt

The Leopold kicked off the anniversary year this week with the first of its six special exhibitions — in Vienna and around there are around 20 — focusing on Klimt, Moser as well as Richard Gerstl and Oskar Kokoschka.

It also showcases examples of classic 1900-era design such as furniture, artisan craftwork and posters created by Moser and others in the Wiener Werkstätte community of artists that he co-founded.

From February a special Leopold show shines the light on Schiele, whose tortured eroticism still causes blushes to this day — as witnessed by the prudish covering up of genitals on advertising posters in London last year.

The Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) will from December 19 show off some of its Wiener Werkstätte treasures and from May 30 looks at the influence of Wagner's influence on contemporaries, pupils and subsequent generations of
architects and designers.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum will next month erect again its “Stairway to Klimt” allowing visitors to examine up close some of the works painted by the artist between the pillars and arches of the building early in his career.

Nazi looters

The Bank Austria Kunstforum will explore Japanese influences, the Jewish Museum will from May hark back to the artistic salons of the time, while the Klimt Villa will look into the looting of many works by the Nazis and what
happened later.

Vienna's thriving Jewish community were big drivers in the city's flourishing intellectual, scientific and artistic scene, not least in buying up artworks to fill their homes.

In his later years Klimt's studio had “two separate entrances. One for models who would then wait in an antechamber, often with next to no clothes on, and another for his rich customers,” said Baris Alakus, director of the
Klimt Villa.

By 1918, Vienna was already starting to be eclipsed, and 20 years later Hitler — rejected as a young man by the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts — annexed his native country, first robbing and then destroying the Jewish population.

The postwar restitution of artworks to their former owners' descendants, now spread around the globe, has been tortuous and in some cases incomplete, with many paintings controversially ending up in state hands.

It took until 1998 for the Austrian parliament to pass a law allowing some 10,000 works to be returned.

In one of the biggest cases, five Klimt masterpieces were returned in 2006 to the descendant of the Jewish family they were stolen from after a legal battle with Austria's Belvedere Museum.

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Everything you need to know about renting a car in Vienna

If you want to rent a car in Vienna, you can choose from a variety of options, including car-sharing services, rental companies, and platforms for comparing offers.

Everything you need to know about renting a car in Vienna

In the Austrian capital, you can find different types of car-sharing services. In fact, the city operates its own affordable car-sharing service with many different sustainable cars ready to be used.

If you prefer a rental company, there are alternatives to choose from with multiple pick-up locations all over the city.

Car sharing services

WienMobile Auto is a car-sharing service offered by the city of Vienna and operated by Wiener Linien, Vienna’s public transportation company. This service offers flexibility with all-inclusive packages and stations all over the city where you can pick up the cars. The service mainly offers electric and hybrid cars at an affordable price starting from €2.60 per hour.

Through the service, you can rent a car for a couple of hours, one day or maximum a weekend (Friday to Monday). You are only allowed to drive inside of the state of Vienna. 

If you plan to rent the cars more often, you can sign up for a membership and pay a monthly fee which gives you discounts on your rentals.

Gomore.at is another platform for car sharing. Here, you can rent a car directly from its owner. The platform offers convenient filters to help you find the type of car you search for. After reserving the car, the owner will confirm whether the days are available and then send you the necessary information. 

The car owners tend to be flexible, and you can rent cars for just a few hours, a couple of days, or even a week or two.

You are usually allowed to drive the cars outside of Vienna, and maybe also outside of Austria, it depends on the specific terms and conditions set by the car owner.

SHARE NOW is a car-sharing service also operating in Vienna. Using a mobile app, you can easily locate and rent cars for short periods. The service offers a wide range of cars, including compact cars and electric and hybrid cars, making it convenient for various needs. You can unlock the cars through the app, drive to their destination, and drop off the car at any designated parking spot around the city. 

Through the service, you can rent a car for just a few minutes or even up to two weeks. You are in general allowed to drive wherever you feel like, although with some reservations. To make sure that your planned trip is accepted, contact the service directly to ask.

READ ALSO: The best websites for buying a used car in Austria

Cars on a road during sunset in Austria. Photo by Michael Pointner on Unsplash

Car rental companies

Vienna’s many car rental companies offer a wide range of options. They also offer loyalty programs where frequent car renters can get special deals. 
 
 
With a car from a rental company, you can travel wherever you want and rent the cars for extended periods, even for weeks.
 
Here we list Vienna’s five most popular car rental companies:
 
Avis Car Rental offers a wide selection of different cars at multiple locations across Vienna, including the airport. The service also has a loyalty program, where you can enjoy different services and rewards for frequent rentals. Booking is made through the company’s website or mobile app.

Sixt Rental has a great variety of cars. You can book and manage your rental easily through their app, and they often have special deals. The company is flexible with how long you can rent a car, and they offer extra services such as GPS monitors if you need it.

Budget Car Rental offers affordable rental options with pick-up locations all over Vienna. Here, you can choose from a wide range of cars to fit various travel needs and preferences, from compact cars to SUVs and vans. Booking is easy through their website or mobile app.

Hertz has lots of different types of cars available to rent in Vienna, and you can find them in many places around the city. If you sign up for their loyalty program, you can get faster service and maybe even a better car without paying extra. The company is also known for being reliable.

Europcar is another company offering a great variety of different cars for rent. You can easily choose how long you want to rent them for, and the rental locations are found in various places all over Vienna, including larger train stations. If you join their loyalty program, you can get free rental days and other benefits.

Compare rental offers

If you want to compare offers from multiple car rental companies, it is a good idea to use platforms such as Expedia, Rentalcars.com, and Kayak.

Here, you can compare different offers and find the most suitable one in terms of price, location, and other factors.

The platforms also often present you with discounts and promotions.

READ NEXT: Everything you need to know about Austria’s driving exam

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