Landstrasse (which, in German means a country road) is Vienna’s third magnificent district that comprises the center of the city. It was founded during the 1800’s and became densely populated when that comprised of many laborers as well as residential. This town has been in existence for a long time, since around the 1200’s.

This is perhaps a city that will be remembered for when the famous King Richard the Lionheart from England was held captive in the area of Erdberg when his allies in the Third Crusade fell back. Richard the Lionheart is one of the only kings known not by number but by epithet. He was known to be a righteous, brave, pious King that was also a brilliant military leader. His capture that left England without a pious leader was what inspired stories of heroes such as Robin Hood and Ivanhoe who were heroes in the great king’s absence.

Tourists will also know Landstrasse primarily because of the eighteenth century erected castle and the beautiful gardens of Belvedere which is the home of the monarch Eugene of Savoy. The Belvedere garden had gorgeous view, and was surrounded by manicured hedges. Even in the past, it was already arranged in the French style with gravel paths. Its construction began as it was first designed as a villa. And it had galleries for painting. The designer of this caste was Johann Lukas, an influential architect of the Baroque period. This beautiful old castle is now the home of art: the Austrian Gallery.

A more recent day tourist attraction in Landstrasse is the surreal and mind boggling architecture of the Hundsertwasserhaus. This is an apartment block that was dreamed up by the painter and architech Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Its floors seem to be rolling, uneven like waves. The roof has earth and plants, trees, and grass grow out from the apartment rooms reaching out from the windows. All in all, there are around two hundred fifty bushes and trees growing in there. The block is made up of fifty two apartments and four offices. There are also three communal large terraces and sixteen private terraces. The architect designed this apartment block without pay; it was purely for art and it is now a landmark cultural heritage in Vienna.

Vienna is truly a city of history cultural heritage. It has been one of the centers of intellectuals and artists in the past century. Landstrasse is near the center of this center and an amazing place to visit.