The surprising Hundertwasserhaus - Austria

Located at number 34-38 of the Kegelgasse, in the 3rd district of Vienna, a little off-centre from town and the Ring, the Hundertwasserhaus is a building of an unconventional mix of architectural influences built from 1983 to 1985 by the Viennese painter, Friedensreich Hundertwasser (literally meaning of a hundred waters), also a Gaudi disciple, who used the construction as a means of protest against the monotony of urban structures. The variety of colour and vivid imagination that refuse to be locked up are what has made Hundertwasser's fame. Furthermore, ahead of its time, this edifice is an ecological one. It is built of bricks, ceramic, natural materials and the building's façade is embellished by 250 trees and bushes. Also containing council housing, the building has become a main attraction! The somewhat two hundred tenants have only the steady flow of tourists to complain about! A little further away you will find the KunstHaus Wien which is the museum of Hundertwasser where you can find a collection of his drawings of Viennese architecture, as well as other temporary modern art exhibitions. The lobby has a surprising fountain, where the water flows upside down! Definitely one not to miss! © Photo : Carlos Rodrigues

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Staatsoper, the Vienna Opera