Wittgenstein House
Address 1030 Wien | Parkgasse 18ArchitectPaul Engelmann
FunctionMuseums and exhibitionsReachabilityU3 Rochusgasse, 6 minutes walkAccessibilityTo be visited only with previous registration
open house wien Ludwig Wittgenstein was not an architect. Nevertheless, he wanted to build a house with perfect proportions. Based on the blueprints by Paul Engelmann, one of Adolf Loos’s students, he himself put the finishing touches on the villa for his sister. And he took his work very seriously. In 1975, the Bulgarian government bought the house, thus saving it from demolition. Since 1976, the Bulgarian cultural institute in Vienna has been located in the building. The details of the Wittgenstein House make it so special. Wittgenstein forbade his sister the use of “imprecise” elements such as curtains, because they contradicted his strict plan of perfect proportions. To this end, he also had the door knobs mounted exceptionally high. The metal curtain walls weighing 100 kilos are also unusual: they are used to keep out the light and – thanks to an ingenious mechanism – can quickly disappear down into the cellar.
FotoRobertSaringerOHW15
