The house “Zum Reichsapfel”, built in 1788 and completely renovated in recent years, contains the two apartments “Maria Theresia” and “Joseph II”. Below is a brief history of “Zum Reichsapfel” and its apartments.
“Zum Reichsapfel” at Karmeliterplatz 3 (distinct from the Karmelitermarkt), is located on a small square near the church of St. Joseph, which stands close to the 1st district, the city’s center. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the heart of Vienna, is only a 15-minute walk away.
The apartments, named “Maria Theresia” and “Joseph II”, evoke Austria’s history. Maria Theresia was Austrian Empress from 1740 to 1780, a modern ruler at the head of a multiethnic state and mother of 16 children. Her son, Emperor Joseph II, ascended the throne after Maria Theresia’s death, and ruled Austria between 1780 and 1790. His reign saw the introduction of a modern professional civil service as well as the dissolution of contemplative monastic orders.
One of these dissolved orders was the Carmelites. The Carmelite monastery in Vienna’s Leopoldstadt district once stood on the grounds where “Zum Reichsapfel” was built in 1788. In the 18th century, almost all homes bore a name and posted a house sign (the nobility hung their coats of arms). The Reichsapfel or imperial orb, is part of the imperial regalia presented to a ruler upon coronation. The orb, representing the globe, sits atop a scepter carried by a monarch to signify power and authority.
Taborstrasse, the oldest street of the 2nd district, leads you to the center of Vienna via the Schwedenbrücke and Schwedenplatz. From Schwedenplatz, you take Rotenturmstrasse to Stephansplatz, the heart of the city. This entire walk requires only 15 minutes at a comfortable pace.
Vienna offers excellent public transportation, and almost anywhere in the city can be reached easily at reasonable cost.
You can easily travel to Karmeliterplatz by car – but as with many areas of Vienna, finding long-term street parking poses a challenge. Three public parking garages can be found about 300 meters from Karmeliterplatz, but they are expensive. If you do not need your car daily, a convenient and less costly recommendation is to park in a Park & Ride facility near subway lines U2 or U3, and then use public transport.
Short-term parking zone: Taborstrasse is a short-term parking zone until 6 p.m. at Karmeliterplatz, but short-term parking extends to 10 p.m. on the side streets. Parking vouchers are available in every tobacco store.
Regardless from which direction you arrive, take the motorway to the Prater junction, the intersection between A4 and A23, then drive along the Danube Canal towards the city center, turn right into Hollandstrasse, then take the first street to the right after the traffic light – Krummbaumgasse, which leads to Karmelitergasse. Turn into the small dead-end street on the right; this is the entrance to Karmeliterplatz: number 3 is the newly renovated house on the right.
From the airport, take the S-Bahn (departs every half hour) in the direction of Vienna to the station “Wien-Praterstern”. This takes 30 minutes. Next take the subway line U2 – direction Karlsplatz – and get off at the first stop “Taborstrasse”. Then walk (about 7 minutes) or take the tram line 2 – direction Dornbach – to the next stop “Karmeliterplatz”. All transfers can be made using the same ticket.
There is also a faster train from the airport, the CAT, which costs twice as much as the S-Bahn, and stops at “Wien-Mitte”. At Wien-Mitte, purchase a subway ticket and take the U4 line towards Heiligenstadt to the “Schwedenplatz” stop, then change to tram line 2 – direction Friedrich Engels-Platz – and get off at the 2nd stop “Karmeliterplatz”.
There is a shuttle bus from the airport to “Schwedenplatz”, but it’s more expensive than the S-Bahn. From Schwedenplatz, it is either a 7-minute walk or 2 stops on tram line 2 (direction Friedrich Engels Platz) to Karmeliterplatz.
From Westbahnhof take subway line U3 – direction Simmering – to “Stubentor”, then cross the Ring and take tram line 2 – direction Friedrich Engels-Platz – to the stop “Karmeliterplatz”.
From the new Central Station take subway line U1 – direction Leopoldau – to “Schwedenplatz” and then tram line 2 two stops to Karmeliterplatz, or continue 7 minutes on foot.
If you arrive by S-Bahn or train from the North or East of Austria, go to station “Praterstern”, then take subway line U2 – direction Karlsplatz – to “Taborstrasse” (one stop), then proceed 7 minutes on foot or travel one station with the tram line 2.
Coming from the Northwest or the Southeast (Donauradweg), cross the Reichsbrücke in the direction city center and continue along the bike paths to Praterstern, then follow the path along Praterstrasse; at Nestroyplatz turn right, go straight to Zirkusgasse, then turn right and take the first left into Schmelzgasse, continue to Taborstrasse, cross, and you arrive at Karmeliterplatz.
If you enjoy biking, but leave your bicycle at home, you can use Citybike Wien. In front of the house, you will see one of the 120 bicycle racks of Citybike Wien. You can register for Citybike Wien on the Internet, which costs 1 EUR. Use of the bike is free for the first hour. www.citybikewien.at
Schedules for Wiener Verkehrsbetriebe can be found at https://www.wienerlinien.at/eportal3/ep/tab.do?tabId=0, information on rail and bus connections at www.oebb.at.
A city map with a marked bike path network can be found here.