KG Speising

Journey back to 1365. Duke Rudolf IV made a generous gift. He granted the estates of Speising and Lainz to the Vienna Chapter of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. KG Speising, as it’s known today, has a rich history. This history is deeply entwined with Vienna’s own story. The first documented mention of Speising dates to this generous gift. KG Speising wasn’t always a peaceful haven. Its somewhat exposed location made it vulnerable to attack. During the first Turkish siege of Vienna in 1529, the residents of KG Speising suffered greatly. KG Speising’s story took a turn in 1892. The village, along with several other suburbs, became part of Vienna. It was incorporated as the 13th district, Hietzing. KG Speising still retains a sense of its village past. The old village center, with its charming older houses, can be found at the beginning of Speisinger Straße. Look for it between the Verbindungsbahn railway line and the intersection with Feldkellergasse. It continues along the beginning of the odd-numbered side of Gallgasse. The Vienna tramway lines 60 and 62 crisscross KG Speising. Line 60 originally ran to Mödling as part of a steam tramway company. Today it terminates in Rodaun in the 23rd district. Line 62 connects the Ringstraße, near the Vienna State Opera, to Lainz. The Hetzendorfer Straße houses the Speising depot of the Wiener Linien, Vienna’s public transport operator. KG Speising is also home to a piece of Roman history. An underground section of a former Roman aqueduct lies in the east. This aqueduct supplied water to the Roman legionary camp of Vindobona. Several sections of it have been discovered and documented. This adds another layer to KG Speising’s multifaceted past. From a ducal gift to a bustling part of Vienna, KG Speising continues to evolve. Yet it whispers tales of its past to those who listen closely.