podtour
The Habsburgs: Vienna and Spain
Spain left its mark on the Habsburg palace through marriages, names and exiles. Follow those connections through Vienna's courtyards and squares.
The Ring: Empire, Republic and Power: audio walk in Vienna
From empire to republic in a kilometre and a half: the square born of a French explosion, its two horsemen and the balcony of 1938, the palace of the Congress of Vienna and of Dollfuss's assassination, Sisi in marble, a Greek temple for democracy, 12 November 1918, the mayor who won a plot of land off the army, and a theatre where you couldn't hear a thing.
What this walk is about
You start on a huge square that only exists because Napoleon's troops blew up part of the city walls as they left. You look at a bronze horse that stands on its hind legs alone and another that needed to lean on its tail, and at the balcony from which the annexation of Austria was announced in 1938, which the same square answered decades later with a sea of candles. On Ballhausplatz, Europe was carved up in 1815 and a chancellor was assassinated in 1934. In the Volksgarten, Sisi in marble and a temple built to celebrate Napoleon's defeat. You cross the Ring to the Parliament with its Greek columns, where the republic was born amid torn flags and gunfire, and you finish in front of City Hall and the Burgtheater, facing each other, with City Hall's copper standard-bearer and a theatre auditorium that had to be rebuilt because nobody could hear.
- Start
- A Square Born from an Explosion
- Finish
- An Inaudible Theatre and a Street with Four Names
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about political history and the twentieth century.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
A Square Born from an Explosion
- 2
The Balcony of 1938 and a Sea of Candles
- 3
The Archduke Who Defeated Napoleon
- 4
A Congress and a Murder
- 5
Sissi in Marble
- 6
A Temple to Napoleon's Defeat
- 7
A Greek Temple for Democracy
- 8
12 November 1918
- 9
The Mayor Who Won the Plot from the Army
- 10
The Copper Standard-Bearer
- 11
An Inaudible Theatre and a Street with Four Names
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Vienna, before you go
The big squares can make you feel you ought to hurry. Vienna rewards looking at façades and allowing a proper pause; combine its compact old centre with transport when changing areas.
More walks nearby
The Opera and Vienna in 1900
Vienna pulled down its walls, then argued about what should replace them. Follow the changes to the artists who made a break of their own.
From Judenplatz to Café Central
Vienna's old squares witnessed conspiracies, refuge and shifts in power. Follow their stories from Judenplatz to Café Central.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.