48°11′55″N16°21′03″E / 48.198611°N 16.350833°E /48.198611; 16.350833
Mariahilfer Straße is the largest and one of the most famous shopping streets inVienna,Austria. It connects theInnere Stadt with the 15thdistrict,Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus, and theWestbahnhof railway station. The street was named afterMariahilf, Vienna's 6th district, in 1897, and is commonly referred to as "Mahü".[1]
Mariahilfer Straße served as an important route during the Roman era, as evidenced by archaeological discoveries in 1914. The area remained sparsely populated until the 15th century when the first houses were constructed along the street. During theOttoman sieges of 1529 and1683, much of the area was destroyed but was subsequently rebuilt in the following decades.[2][3]
In the 19th century,industrialization led to the transformation of the formerlyagricultural suburb into a majorcommercial district. The construction of theWestbahnhof railway station in 1859 further enhanced its significance. A period of rapid construction followed, replacing the original suburban houses with apartment blocks. During theSecond World War, the road sustained significant damage, but post-war reconstruction efforts ensured its continued development as one of the city's most popular shopping streets. The street's first shopping centre, the Generali Center, opened in 1968. Shops that settled on the street includeC&A,Thalia,Levi's, andForever 21.[4]
In 2010, theRed-Green coalition government decided to gradually convert sections of inner Mariahilfer Straße into apedestrian zone. On August 16, 2013, the section between Kirchengasse and Andreasgasse became a pedestrian zone following minimal construction. The 13A bus initially operated on a red-painted lane but was later rerouted.Cyclists were allowed to ride at walking speed, andtaxis could access the zone between 06:00 and 13:00. Other sections were converted into shared spaces with a 20 km/h speed limit for vehicles and no parking allowed.[5]
In early 2014, a citizen survey in the districts ofMariahilf andNeubau supported maintaining the traffic-calmed area, allowing car crossings, and keeping cycling permitted. Construction for permanent changes began on May 19, 2014, incorporating wide lanes for delivery vehicles and cyclists, as well as accessibility improvements. The project, which was led byGreen deputy mayorMaria Vassilakou, faced criticism, including from their coalition partner, theSPÖ, although it was ultimately successful.[6]
The street consists of the inner and outer Mariahilfer Straße. These unofficial names are nevertheless used colloquially, as well as by the media and in traffic announcements or underground station entrance signs to distinguish between the sections either side of theGürtel.[7] However, "Mariahilfer Straße" is sometimes used as a synonym for the shopping street within the Gürtel. The road is 3.7 kilometres long.
Fourmetro stations servicing three separate lines lie along the Mariahilfer Straße,Museumsquartier (U2) and theWestbahnhof (U3,U6) on either end, withNeubaugasse andZieglergasse (both U3) in between.
The 1.8 km long inner Mariahilfer Straße stretches from the Museumsquartier to the Mariahilfer Gürtel. This stretch of the road forms the border between Mariahilf and Neubau. The trams, which used to run along the street, were replaced by the underground.
This 1.9 km long section stretches throughRudolfsheim-Fünfhaus from the Mariahilfer Gürtel to the Schlossallee, the road leading intoSchönbrunn Palace. At the end of the road are theVienna Museum of Science and Technology and theAuer-Welsbach-Park. Although there are also numerous shops in the outer Mariahilfer Straße, almost no large or international brand shops have settled in this section. The trams still run here.
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