On July 2, 2024, the Walking Café of the Vienna Mobility Agency invited people to take a special walk through Vienna’s city centre. Under the motto ‘Old City – New Places’, 100 people explored the first district with endowed professor Cornelia Dlabaja.
Maria Grundner, Mobility Officer for Infrastructure and Accessibility, welcomed Cornelia Dlabaja and presented the concept of the walking café: ‘Every year, we organise up to six guided walks in various Viennese neighbourhoods and thus offer a relaxed atmosphere to provide information about walking. At the end of each tour, there is plenty of room for good conversation over refreshments and small snacks in the colourful pop-up walking café.’
As part of the walking café, aspects of the Learning Journey on walking in the inner city of Vienna, which focuses on issues of everyday, barrier-free, climate-resilient urban design and sustainable tourism development, were discussed. As part of the walk, Cornelia Dlabaja provided input from her research on Albertina Platz, the Neue Markt, the currently much-discussed Michaelerplatz and, more specifically, the challenges of planning in the historic ensemble of the first district. Together with Liette Clees, head of Agenda21 in the inner city, the participants reflected on the planning processes to date and the approach to the projects that have already been realised.
From Helmut-Zilk-Platz to the University
The two-hour walk started at Helmut-Zilk-Platz (near the Hrdlicka monument) and led along the Neuer Markt, Michaelerplatz, through Palais Ferstel to Freyung. The tour ended at the Entre Hauptuniversität Wien, where the participants were able to reflect on their impressions of the afternoon at a pop-up walking café.
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