Why is Neu-Fünfhaus called “Neu-Fünfhaus” when it seems anything but new? Look around you. We’re surrounded by grand Gründerzeit buildings, architectural marvels from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Neu-Fünfhaus, you see, wasn’t always a neighborhood of stately apartments and bustling streets. Its story began on the northern edge of Fünfhaus, in the shadow of the vast Schmelz military training ground.
Before elegant homes lined these streets, the area was a blank slate. After the Westbahn railway was built in the 1860s, the city decided to develop the area north of the tracks. This area, newly allocated for housing, became known as Neu-Fünfhaus. It was a fresh start, a chance to create a modern neighborhood with a grid-like street plan, a stark contrast to the winding lanes of old Fünfhaus.
As Vienna grew, Neu-Fünfhaus blossomed. The military eventually released more land for development, leading to the construction of even more homes, including the distinctive Nibelungenviertel with its charming squares and romantic architectural flourishes. This wave of development solidified Neu-Fünfhaus’s identity as a residential haven for Vienna’s growing population. Today, as you stroll through its streets, admiring the ornate facades and imagining the lives lived within, remember Neu-Fünfhaus’s origin story. It is a testament to how a city evolves, how open spaces can transform into vibrant neighborhoods, holding within their walls echoes of a time when it was all brand new.