Bars and beats: Vienna’s historic railway arches

Above, the underground glides past. Below, drinks slide across the bars of some of Vienna’s hottest nightspots. Beneath the historic railway arches that cut through parts of the city lies one of Vienna’s most popular nightlife stretches: the Stadtbahnbögen. What began as an ambitious infrastructure project has since lived through a chequered past. Some of the venues nestled beneath these distinctive arches have long achieved cult status. Lovers of live music, in particular, will find plenty to enjoy here.

High above, the elevated railway lines carry thousands of Viennese commuters between the north and south of the city each day. The historic structure of the former steam railway has shaped Vienna’s skyline for more than 125 years. The viaducts form the boundary between the inner and outer districts, running between four-lane roads. Locals call these roads the Gürtel — Vienna’s outer ring road, literally meaning “belt” — giving the viaducts their familiar nickname, the Gürtelbögen (“Gürtel arches”).

A Milestone in urban development

Anyone spending time in Vienna can hardly miss them: the distinctive Stadtbahnbögen and striking underground stations that help define the cityscape. At the end of the 19th century, Vienna experienced a period of rapid growth. To keep pace with its expanding population, the city needed a more efficient transport network. While metropolises such as London, Berlin and Budapest were already introducing underground railways, Vienna — true to form — opted for the tried and tested. For cost reasons, the city decided on an above-ground steam railway. Around the turn of the century, nearly forty kilometres of track — along with bridges, tunnels and the now much-admired station buildings — were completed within just a few years. Yet smoke, noise and endless construction work also stirred up the city’s trademark Wiener Grant — that familiar Viennese grumpiness. A quarter of a century later, the railway was finally electrified.

A fresh breeze beneath old arches

Strolling through the Stadtbahnbögen today is to experience Viennese history at its most captivating. The project’s artistic design was entrusted to the renowned city architect and visionary Otto Wagner, who sought to unite functionality with beauty. His distinctive style remains unmistakable: sweeping lines, wrought-iron floral railings, and the clear geometric forms of Viennese Jugendstil (Art Nouveau). Many of the arches still feature the original brickwork, carefully restored and adapted over time. Contrary to popular belief, however, the complex’s distinctive green-and-white colour scheme does not date back to Wagner. Today, parts of the arches are protected monuments and stand as architectural landmarks in their own right. Between these historic walls, modern urban life now thrives — bars, galleries and workshops breathe new life into the old viaducts.