How to Visit Ferstel Passage Vienna (Freyung Passage)
Last Updated on 21st December 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
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Nestled within the heart of Vienna’s old town, just steps away from the illustrious Café Central, Ferstel Passage is a time-warp straight back into 19th-century Vienna. All ornate carvings with a beautiful ceiling and intricate details, the entire covered passage is filled with shops, restaurants, and cafés. Here’s how to visit Ferstel Passage, as well as what to know before you go.
Please note that Ferstel Passage is sometimes referred to as Freyung Passage. The passage is comprised of a marble arched interior culminating in a central inner courtyard with a hexagonal glass dome. At the centre of the courtyard there’s a 6 metre tall fountain with a sculpture of «Donaunixen» (a Danube water nymph).
A history of Ferstel Passage
The history of the passage dates all the way back to the 19h-century. Designed by Heinrich von Ferstel, the Palais Ferstel was constructed between 1856 and 1860. The Palais is rather unique in that it is named for the architect and not the person who funded the project. Ferstel was only 27 when he designed the Palace and another of his famous projects was Votivkirche.
The Venetian Trecento style architecture building (the only of its kind in Vienna and inspired by the architect’s recent trip to Italy) was originally intended to serve as the Austro-Hungarian National Bank and Stock Exchange but this was swiftly switched to a multi-purpose events building.
In his initial designs, having been inspired by the covered passages of Paris, Ferstel decided to add a ‘temporary’ covered passage within the Palace to act as a kind of shopping arcade. Indeed, the entrance to the passage bears the words “Bis auf Widerruf gestatteter Durchgang,” meaning “the passage is accessible until further notice”.
Of course, public access to the passage eventually became a permanent fixture. Unfortunately, the passage had fallen into disrepair and many stores started to close up shop.
Luckily, the fortunes of the passage turned in the decade that followed and today you can once more stroll around under the clear roof, admire the arches, and peruse the wares in the little boutiques which line both sides of the passage.
How to visit Freyung Passage
The passage is open from 10 AM – 8 PM on a daily basis, apart from Sundays when it’s closed. Its close proximity to Café Central (the café being located within Palais Ferstel itself) means that there are always quite a few crowds around.
With this being said, if you want to avoid the crowds, then I recommend heading to the passage first thing in the morning and mid-week if possible. If you’re trying to escape bad weather or simply want to sit and relax and watch the world go by, then I recommend heading to Café Couture.
They have a handful of tables and chairs within the passage itself, which is particularly lovely during Christmas in Vienna when the passage is decked out in fairy lights and miniature Christmas trees. If you only have a short time in Vienna, be sure to check out our suggestions on how to spend one day in Vienna.
