Theater an der Wien
The man who wrote The Magic Flute built this theatre because he needed a stage big enough for his spectacles.
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Emanuel Schikaneder, Mozart's librettist, opened this Empire-style house on 13 June 1801 — contemporaries called it the most lavishly equipped theatre of its age. It has hosted celebrated opera and symphonic premieres ever since and since 2006 runs its own full opera company.
What to look for
- Empire-style architecture by Franz Jäger — the original 1801 design, remodeled since, still carries that grand ambition Schikaneder demanded
- The Naschmarkt directly outside — the open-air market occupies the covered bed of the Wien River, the waterway the theatre is actually named after
- Schikaneder's own name attached to this building: the same impresario who collaborated with Mozart on The Magic Flute in 1791 conceived and built this theatre
It operates as an active opera house under Vereinigte Bühnen Wien — check listings before arriving if you want to attend a performance rather than just view the exterior.
Theater an der Wien is one of 39 sights worth the detour in Vienna, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Vienna pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Vienna
- Schönbrunn PalaceHabsburg emperors were born here, ruled from here, and died here — 1,441 rooms of Baroque ambition spanning 300 years.
- St. Stephen's CathedralA cathedral consecrated in 1147 as crusaders prepared to march — and built on top of a Roman burial ground that nobody knew was there until 2000.
- BelvederePrince Eugene built this summer palace on Ottoman campaign winnings — it is now three art museums inside a World Heritage Baroque garden.
- Hofburg PalaceSeven centuries of Austrian rulers worked from this address — the current president still does.
- Vienna State OperaThe first major building on Vienna's Ring Road, and the house where Vienna Philharmonic musicians earn their seats.
- Ernst-Happel-StadionBuilt for workers' sport in 1931, this 50,865-seat bowl also served as a transit prison for over 1,000 Jewish deportees in 1939.