Majolika-Haus (Majolica House), Vienna

Majolica House is one of those rare spots in Vienna (and probably further afield, too) where you can see flowers bloom not in the garden, but across the fa莽ade. This eye-catching beauty is the work of Otto Wagner, Vienna鈥檚 poster boy for the Secessionist movement. During his 鈥淚鈥檓 done with Baroque鈥� phase, Wagner decided to ditch the frills and go full-on floral with clean lines and tiled elegance. The building鈥檚 name comes from its ceramic tiles, dripping with pinks, greens, and blues in swirling botanical glory. Think wallpaper for the outside walls, only waterproof and wildly photogenic.

Wagner鈥檚 architectural rebellion was all about simplicity with flair. No ornate carvings, no dramatic cornices鈥攋ust smooth surfaces and windows that mind their own business. The outside hinted at the inside: clean, modern, functional. Still rectangular, sure, but very much a rebel in a world of curvy cupolas and frilly stonework. Today, it鈥檚 still considered a top-tier Art Nouveau masterpiece, minus the ego...

Not far off is House No. 38, where Wagner teamed up with fellow art renegades. You鈥檒l spot Koloman Moser鈥檚 bold reliefs and Othmar Schimkowitz鈥檚 gilded stucco medallions catching sunlight like they know they're fabulous. Then there鈥檚 a more modest building at No. 3 K枚stlergasse鈥攔umored to be Wagner鈥檚 own residence. Understated, of course, because nothing says 鈥渁rchitect鈥檚 ego鈥� like hiding in plain sight.

And when you鈥檙e ready to change levels鈥攍iterally鈥攈ead down into Kettenbr眉ckengasse subway station, also a Wagner design. It鈥檚 where style meets utility with such grace, you might forget you鈥檙e just waiting for a train.

Now, onward鈥擵ienna doesn鈥檛 admire itself...

Pro tip:
Go on a bright day, and bring binoculars. Seriously. The details tucked under balconies and along the eaves are worth the squint. Wagner wasn鈥檛 just designing buildings鈥攈e was composing symphonies in ceramic and stucco.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Majolika-Haus (Majolica House)
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II

Walking Tours in Vienna, Austria

Create Your Own Walk in Vienna

Creating your own self-guided walk in Vienna is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Old Town Chocolate Stores

Vienna is famous for its love for sweet indulgence. And when it comes to chocolate, it stands tall among other locally-made mouth-watering confections.

Vienna's chocolate scene is deeply rooted in a rich culinary tradition. It has been sustained by several historic chocolate houses, located in the Old Town, that have been serving decadent treats for generations.

Landmark... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles

Vienna Old Town Walking Tour

Vienna鈥檚 Old Town鈥攖he historic core of Austria鈥檚 capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site鈥攊s where cobblestones gossip, rooftops sparkle, and emperors still seem to whisper from the walls. Indeed, this is the kind of place where every alley seems to have a PhD in European history.

Once wrapped in medieval walls鈥攂efore they rolled out the grand Ringstrasse boulevard in the 19th... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles

Vienna's Historical Music Venues

Austria is synonymous with classical music almost to the point of obsession, and to call Vienna the "Musical Capital of the World" would be hardly an exaggeration. Indeed, over the past centuries, the city served as the home and workplace for many great musicians like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Strauss, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, and others.

Among the... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles

Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour I

Vienna鈥檚 flirtation with Art Nouveau鈥攌nown locally as Jugendstil鈥攗nfolded in the late 19th, early 20th centuries. The so-called Vienna Secession movement, which emerged in 1897, was led by a group of rebellious artists and architects like Otto Wagner, Gustav Klimt, and Koloman Moser, who turned their backs on historicism in favor of bold, modern aesthetics. As the new language for buildings,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

Old Town Churches Walking Tour

"Vienna is the city of miracles and music" 鈥� Whoever said that must have emphasized Vienna's close association with the Christian faith. The intertwining of Christian heritage and artistry in the Austrian capital finds expression primarily in its magnificent churches.

Sitting at "the crossroads of Christian traditions", Vienna is home to various Christian... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles

Johann Strauss Walking Tour

Throughout the entire 19th century, Vienna was a hub of cultural and musical activity, particularly in the realm of classical music, to which Johann Strauss and his father, Johann Strauss Sr., contributed greatly.

Strauss, the son had a personal connection with Vienna deeply rooted in its cultural fabric. Not only was he born here and spent most of his life, but also he achieved tremendous... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles

View all walking tours in Vienna, Austria

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