Vienna, Austria’s capital city, cultural and economic hub of Austria has often being regarded as one of the best cities to take up residence because of the high quality of life, economic prosperity and cultural diversity. Vienna has been referred to in many different ways over the centuries from the “city of music” because of it’s deep musical legacy, to the “red city” due to it’s socialist ties in the early 20th century and “the city of dreams” because of the world’s first psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.
Freud, one of the greatest minds of the 20th century is one of those thinkers who will have no doubt influenced your life in some way, even if you are unaware of who he was. The pioneering work he did into psychoanalysis, the subconscious mind and the interpretation of dreams changed how modern society thought of the human mind. Vienna, being the birthplace of Freud and his home for the vast majority of his life until Nazi Occupation forced him to England in exile a year before his death in 1939, is the logical place to house the greatest collection of works which pay tribute to his life.
There is a wealth of things to do in Vienna, you could write volumes on the subject in fact, but for those who are interested in Freud’s work and life, whether you really agree with his ideas, the Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna is certainly a must-see if you are in the position to stop by.
The Museum itself is no illustrious state building, or grand gallery, but in fact the place where Freud called home for over 40 years. The museum is larger than just his rooms, it has grown to encompass his practice the shop front of the building and the adjoining rooms became Europe’s largest psychoanalytic research library.
Over 2,000 documents and photos can be found as well as Freud’s extensive antique collection and paintings as well as the some 35,000 volumes housed within the research library. Alas the famous couch where he conducted many a probing therapy session was moved to London, to another of the three world-wide Freud museums, the other being at his birthplace in the Czech Republic.
Besides being able to walk through the annals of psychoanalysis and the charting of the human mind and gaining an insight into the personal life of Freud, those who visit the museum can take in the contemporary art which is also exhibited there. The works kept at the museum are all in keeping within Freud’s theories and add-to or work with the ideas of psychoanalysis manifesting through the visual, artistic medium – as vibrant and fascinating display if there ever was one.
Whilst not located in the very centre of Vienna, the Freud Museum is still close enough to the other sights, sounds and attractions the city of dreams has to offer. For a well situated, quality hotel, the Hotel Das Tigra finds itself within the very thick of it, a great vantage point to get the most from Freud’s Museum and the rest of Vienna.
About the Author:
Olga Leleka is a content writer for http://www.booked.net/, a hotels booking website which specialises in world-wide bookings including holidays in Vienna or the rest of Austria.