Viennese / Jewish Urban History

Viennese / Jewish Urban History

Redesign of Judenplatz
Architekten: Jabornegg + Pálffy (in German)

The monument by the London artist Rachel Whiteread to be erected at Judenplatz commemorates the 65,000 Austrian victims of the Schoa. Following the pending handing over, after repeated postponements, the museum area with the archaeological finds of the Or Sarua Synagogue (1421) is now open to visitors. The stones were used for the building of the old university and the synagogue has consequently vanished from the minds of the people. The complex design issues confronting Judenplatz provided the architects with a stony path, too. A carefully analysis of the planning is what is called for on the Sunday of this tour.

Jewish Museum Vienna
Architects: Eichinger oder Knechtl (in German)

In 1995 the converted Palais Eskeles was opened. The courtyard, which has been covered with a parabolic glass roof (orientated on the cupola of the city temple by Joseph Kornhäusel), forms the new centre of the building. A white textile foil has been spanned to curve from the floor at ground level up to the third floor and provides both a screen from observers and protection from the sun, as well as improved acoustics.

The old fabric embraces the new architecture in this listed palace. One meets ‘a memory’ on all four storeys, while the place of encounter opens, providing opportunities for contemporary forms of communication and discussion, for exhibitions and many other activities.

Meeting Point: 1:45 P.M. at the Misrachi Haus, 8 Judenplatz, 1st District

Architects:
Jabornegg + Pálffy, Eichinger oder Knechtl

Guides:
Michael Diem, Hannah Helsch

Tickets: Euro 7.30 (ATS 100.-)

Links:
Jewish Museum Vienna
Jewish Museum Vienna – on “nextroom – architektur im netz” (in German)
The Judenplatz Vienna in VRML – Work done at the TU Vienna by Thomas Hayde
The Judenplatz Vienna – on the Jewish Museum’s website