“Imagine if a neighborhood had a name that echoed through generations.” That’s Volkertviertel. This district in Vienna’s Leopoldstadt owes its identity to the Volkertmarkt. The market is central to the area.
But who were the Volkerts? They were a family of counts. The Volkhra, Volkra, or Volkert family owned land here. They even had a palace. Sadly, it was torn down in the early 20th century.
Volkertviertel is bounded by Nordbahnstrasse, Heinestrasse, Castellezgasse, Scherzergasse, and Am Tabor. Think of it as the residential area sprouting from Praterstern. Once upon a time, people merged it with the Allied Quarter calling it Nordbahnviertel. Since the 2010s, Nordbahnviertel refers to the new development across Nordbahnstrasse. It sits on the former freight station site.
Many buildings in Volkertviertel have special status. Especially around Volkertmarkt. The city of Vienna protects them as part of the Leopoldstadt building zone.
The area is home to several schools. One is the Bundesrealgymnasium Lessinggasse. It was formerly in Vereinsgasse. It even had predecessors of the Sigmund-Freud-Gymnasium. You could find those in Pazmanitengasse and Holzhausergasse. The Volksschulgebäude in Vereinsgasse 29-31 is remarkable. Built in 1905, it features neo-Gothic forms.
The oldest building in Volkertviertel stands on Am Tabor 2. It’s the old toll building. It was built in 1698. It marked a bridge over the Fahnenstangenwasser. This was a former arm of the Danube that has since dried up. After a fire, it was rebuilt in 1730. A statue of Saint John of Nepomuk was once in its chapel. In 1879, they moved it to the Linienkapelle Am Tabor nearby. This building functioned like a customs office. Its lower position compared to the street is striking. Nearby stands the Verklärungskirche. It is an Evangelical church built from 1912 to 1965.
An eye-catching structure is the ÖBB administrative building. You’ll find it at Nordbahnstrasse 50. It faces the former Nordbahnhof. In 1873, it opened as the Hotel Donau. It’s now a protected monument. Another notable building is the Haber-Hof. This late historicist apartment complex was built in 1891. Its address is Nordbahnstrasse 46-48. It also fronts Darwin- and Mühlfeldgasse. The corners boast unique domes. The former Römische Bad is also part of the district. This Roman bathhouse opened in 1873. It closed in 1953. Architectural remnants are visible in Holzhausergasse.
Heinestrasse still has some late historicist buildings. Although often simplified. The house at No. 13 was built in 1912 by Viktor Klima. Neo-Baroque balcony parapets connect the oriel windows. Wilhelm Stiassny designed No. 21 in 1874. Its column portal transitioning into an oriel is distinctive.
Castellezgasse saw construction of middle-class apartment buildings in the 1870s and 1880s. The Maschinenfabrik Hoerde is at Castellezgasse 36-38. Built around 1890, its gable faces Lessinggasse. It’s the most important former industrial building in the area. It’s a remnant of a larger complex. Today, it mainly houses apartments.
The Volkertmarkt has shrunk. It has only about half the stalls it had in 1970. The brick stands along Rueppgasse have disappeared.
Several prominent figures once lived here. Around 1880, Lise Meitner grew up in Heinestrasse 27. It was then Kaiser-Joseph-Strasse. A plaque commemorates her. Richard Neutra lived near the Nordwestbahnhof around 1900. He was a student. He later became a successful architect in the USA. His address was Taborstrasse 72.
Getting around Volkertviertel is easy. Tram line 5 runs along the eastern and northern edges. The U2 subway line has stations just outside the district. These are Taborstrasse and Bahnhof Wien Praterstern. Tram line 2 runs through Taborstrasse. Bus line 5B also serves the area. Before the U2 extension in 2008, a tram line branched from Taborstrasse. It ran through Heinestrasse and Mühlfeldgasse. It ended at Nordbahnstrasse and Praterstern. This section was used during a diversion in 2019.
Volkertviertel has evolved. It honors its history. The area’s buildings tell stories. From the old toll building to the Haber-Hof. Its famous residents left their mark. Come explore Volkertviertel. Discover its unique Viennese charm.