Schönlaterngasse in Vienna's Medieval Core

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For a generally fairly old city, Vienna has preserved very little of its Medieval heritage. This is mostly due to the Turkish Siege of 1683: Everything outside of the city walls (which ran approximately along today′s Ringstraße, the circular boulevard around the first district) was completely flattened by the Ottoman armies.

As a result, only the first district still contains significant neighbourhoods that pre-date the late 17th century. The most remarkable area for Medieval and early Baroque buildings can be found around Bäckerstraße and its many side-alleys. I took the picture above in Schönlaterngasse, one of my favourite spots in Vienna: A narrow lane with cobbled streets, old burgher houses and cosy cafes nearby - all typical features for any historic city in Austria, except for Vienna.

In the Medieval corner around Schönlaterngasse, you will also find the Heiligenkreuzerhof and the Bernardiskapelle, supposedly Vienna′s oldest apartment block. The chapel is a hidden gem of the city and usually closed. This is unfortunate, since it is among the most impressive sacral Baroque buildings I know in Vienna. Another Baroque "island" in this otherwise Medieval hood is the Alte Aula and the Jesuite church, the two buildings that made the beginning of this photo gallery.