The Spittelberg
History from 1525
Spittelberg, a former suburb of Vienna, is one of the city’s most interesting districts, with a history dating back several centuries. In the Middle Ages this area was pastureland and later became a wine-growing area.
In 1525 the Bürgerspital (citizen’s hospital) acquired the land, and in 1568 the first eight houses were built. These are the oldest known buildings in Spittelberg.
In 1675 Baron Christoph Sigmund Freiherr von Kirchberg bought the land and leased the extremely small plots to new settlers for one gulden per klafter a year (one square klafter = approx. 3.60 m2). Most of the inhabitants were Croats who laboured in the surrounding farms.
In 1692 the Bürgerspital bought the land back from Kirchberg’s heirs, and 120 houses were built in the confined area.
The elevated Spittelberg plain provided a good vantage point for armies for bombarding Vienna – a fact well exploited by the Turks and subsequently many military commanders. Time and again wars razed Spittelberg’s houses, and fires swept everything away. Only few of the inhabitants survived.
However, after every decimation of the population, there were new arrivals, in particular artists, sculptors, painters, musicians, craftsmen such as plasterers and tradesmen. Small workshops emerged, and soon there were beer and wine taverns in every house. The musicians with their satirical songs as well as the dancing Bierausschankmentscher (maids serving beer) brought the district to life. They all revelled in their new freedom in Spittelberg, far removed from Vienna and its secret police. It was a merry crowd who owed its already tarnished reputation, infamous throughout the region, to exaggerated tales in journals. Soon the nobility, bourgeoisie and court officials also began enjoying the many pleasures the Spittelberg district had to offer– to the delight of the girls and the tavern owners.
In the late 19th century Spittelberg experienced a phase of decline: a new kind of prostitution developed and prevailed until World War I began. Afterwards the world’s oldest profession disappeared completely from the district and Spittelberg fell into oblivion.
After World War II elderly people and guest workers in particular were living in the Spittelberg district. In the seventies an outrageous proposal was made to demolish Spittelberg and erect a huge council house stretching from Spittelberggasse street to Kirchengasse street. There was common consent, with district representatives and city hall in agreement.
But for the first time the citizens were galvanised into action. A then small group of architects, curators of monuments and far-sighted citizens realised that huge cultural assets were about to be destroyed, founding the city’s first public interest group named “Rettet den Spittelberg” (Save Spittelberg). At last, the City of Vienna abandoned its original plans, opting instead to revitalise Spittelberg. First, several houses were purchased and earmarked for renovations, and in 1973 the area was declared a protected zone. Today many people - both supporters and former opponents - continue to draw a financial benefit from the buildings of this area.
