The Atlas Obscura Guide To Vienna

76 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Vienna, Austria

Updated April 23, 2025

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Unusual Attractions in Vienna

The library lobby.

Vienna, Austria

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)

The beautiful baroque library of the Hapsburg empire.

Vienna, Austria

Stephansdom Crypt

The crypt of the imposing Stephensdom holds royal intestines and thousands of skeletons.

Vienna, Austria

Habsburg Imperial Crypt

The final resting place for the remains of 143 Habsburg royalty.

Vienna, Austria

Schmetterlinghaus: The Imperial Butterfly Park

A tropical paradise just a short trip from the opera house is filled with beautiful winged creatures.

Augustinian Friar’s Astrological Clock - one of the hands takes 20,000 years to revolve.

Vienna, Austria

Clock Museum

A small museum filled with over 1,000 clocks, and one particular clock calibrated to run until the year 9999.

Apotheosis of St Carlo Borromeo

Vienna, Austria

Karlskirche (St. Charles's Church)

Built to give thanks for the passing of a plague epidemic, this cathedral is a one-of-a-kind architectural hybrid.

Mummified head of a murderer with blond hair

Vienna, Austria

Kriminalmuseum

Macabre museum devoted to historical Viennese murders.

Anatomical pathology collection

Vienna, Austria

The Narrenturm

This former insane asylum now holds a pathological anatomy museum.

See All 76 Things To Do in Vienna

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Vienna

Vienna, Austria

Palmenhaus

Dine amidst exotic plants at this former royal greenhouse.

The interior of the cafe.

Vienna, Austria

Justizcafe

A rooftop restaurant hides in plain sight atop Vienna's Palace of Justice.

Omas and Opas at work.

Vienna, Austria

Vollpension

Visiting this café is like visiting the Austrian grandma you wish you had.

With its high ceilings, the dining room is pure elegance.

Vienna, Austria

Café Sperl

Royals, rebels, and artists have all conversed at this grand 19th-century Viennese coffee house.

See all 5 Places to Eat in Vienna

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Architecture 20

Museums 19

History & Culture 9

Churches 8

Architectural Oddities 8

Sacred Spaces 7

Collections 6

Art 6

Memento Mori 5

History 5

Homes 4

Medical Museums 4

Unique Restaurants & Bars 2

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Stories About Vienna

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On the eve of World War II, the source for all good stories was an opulent hotel in Vienna.

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Matthias Meinharter plays the leek violin, his favorite vegetable instrument.

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Inside a group that's spent 25 years turning beets into beats.

January 30, 2024

Unveiling the Mystery of a Royal Wedding Dress Lost for 179 Years

Made famous by 'The Empress' on Netflix, Sisi and her missing garment provoked an imperial hunt over centuries.

by Ronan O'Connell

August 30, 2023

Snow globes were invented at the turn of the 20th century but didn’t often feature Christmas characters until after World War II.

This Family Gave the World the Snow Globe

But did they create the famous one with a starring role in Citizen Kane?

by Carole Rosenblat

December 15, 2022

Definitely don’t judge this book by its cover.

For Sale: A Poisoner’s Lab Secreted in a Beautiful Book

Another reminder that covers can't be trusted.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

This IUD prototype was never marketed because it didn’t have any advantages over existing models.

The Twisted History of IUD Design

Before doctors settled on the T-shape, these contraceptives came in all shapes and sizes.

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The Atlas Obscura Guide to 11 Hidden Wonders of Vienna

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Original letter of Abraham, the son of Maimonides found in the Cairo genizah.

A sculpture of the Tower of Babel, by Alan Baughman, from the Introductory Room of the Museum of the Alphabet

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