Loos Haus, Vienna
Designed by Adolf Loos and erected in 1910-12 on imposing Michaelerplatz, this building so outraged the Emperor Franz Joseph, who lived across the road, that he not only avoided it for the rest of his life, but also ordered the curtains of his windows to remain permanently shut. The source of the emperor's indignation was the starkly functional upper façade, which contrasts dramatically with the imperial square's ornate Baroque exuberance. The Viennese called it "the house without eyebrows", since the usual window roofing/detail was missing entirely. Work was allowed to continue only after Loos agreed to add the 10 bronze flower boxes adorning the façade today.
Despite its aesthetic functionalism, the building is not as merely functional as it may seem – especially in the materials used for the ground floor (Cipollino and Skyros marble) and the Tuscan columns on street level, intended as an allusion to the portico of Saint Michael's Church. The interior decoration remains a breathtaking surprise, having been restored and brought as close as possible to its original condition, with no fear of cost. Because the building now houses a bank, one can only 'tour' the ground floor exhibition of its history, and gaze wistfully at the magnificent wooden staircase.
Tip:
To really get up close and personal with Adolf Loos, head to the splendor of his LOOS AMERICAN BAR (12pm–4am daily), about six blocks east at No. 10 Kärntner Durchgang. Come have a classic cocktail as they were crafted over a century ago; stay for the ambiance and the design.
Despite its aesthetic functionalism, the building is not as merely functional as it may seem – especially in the materials used for the ground floor (Cipollino and Skyros marble) and the Tuscan columns on street level, intended as an allusion to the portico of Saint Michael's Church. The interior decoration remains a breathtaking surprise, having been restored and brought as close as possible to its original condition, with no fear of cost. Because the building now houses a bank, one can only 'tour' the ground floor exhibition of its history, and gaze wistfully at the magnificent wooden staircase.
Tip:
To really get up close and personal with Adolf Loos, head to the splendor of his LOOS AMERICAN BAR (12pm–4am daily), about six blocks east at No. 10 Kärntner Durchgang. Come have a classic cocktail as they were crafted over a century ago; stay for the ambiance and the design.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: 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.
Loos Haus on Map
Sight Name: Loos Haus
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
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.
Vienna Introduction Walking Tour
A city of green parks, opulent architecture, elegant shopping, crowded theaters, and boulevards for leisurely sauntering — Vienna, the capital of Austria, embodies a blend of regal tradition and contemporary vibrancy. The origin of the city's name is rooted in Roman times, stemming from the Celtic word Vedunia, meaning “forest stream”, which later evolved into Vindobona, a Roman... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Mozart Walking Tour
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart spent a significant portion of his life in Vienna. Here, he achieved recognition, and the city holds enormous historical and cultural significance for his legacy. Mozart first visited Vienna as a child prodigy in 1762, and in 1781 came here to stay.
The city met the composer with a vibrant and cosmopolitan atmosphere brought about by some of the top musicians and artists... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
The city met the composer with a vibrant and cosmopolitan atmosphere brought about by some of the top musicians and artists... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour I
Among the plethora of other things, the capital of Austria, Vienna, is renowned for its contribution to Art Nouveau – the popular art movement emerged and flourished at the turn of the 20th century. Stemming from it the Viennese Secession movement, also known as the Austrian Art Nouveau, or Jugendstil (in German), gave rise to a number of architectural marvels.
By far the most colorful of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
By far the most colorful of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 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
Among the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Old Town Churches Walking Tour
"Vienna is the city of miracles and music" – 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
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
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'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
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
7 Ultimately Austrian Foods to Taste in Vienna
Once the center of the vast Hapsburg Empire, stretched from France in the West to Russia in the East, Austria has embraced many ethnic influences in its cuisine over the course of centuries. Many of the country's distinctive dishes reflect its multinational heritage. Coffee culture, for...
Top 16 Austrian Things to Buy in Vienna
Vienna stool, Viennese schnitzel, Viennese waltz, Vienna sausage, Viennese apple strudel... There's so much Vienna to it, that you might think you've heard it all. Luckily, chances are that you haven't and there's much more in store left to be discovered about this fascinating...