Monday 20 September 2010

Im Kaffeehaus
The One and Only Café Hawelka


"... it must be said
that the Viennese coffeehouse

is a particular institution
which is not comparable to any other
in the world.

As a matter of fact,
it is a democratic club

to which admission
costs the small price
of a cup of coffee.

Upon payment of this mite
every guest can sit for hours on end,

discuss, write, play cards,
receive his mail, and,

above all, can go through
an unlimited number
of newspapers and magazines."

Café Hawelka
Dorotheergasse
Vienna

Images
© 2010 by Merisi

Quote:
"The World of Yesterday"
"Die Welt von Gestern.
Erinnerungen eines Europäers"
by Stefan Zweig
© Viking Press 1943
The University of Nebraska Press


14 comments:

  1. You always get me heading to my coffee jar - though it's a far cry from your kind! LOL :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this place. If I ever make it to Vienna, this is where I want to have coffee. (I've already been, vicariously through you)

    ReplyDelete
  3. The perfect place to spend the morning - at the coffe house.

    ReplyDelete
  4. OMG that is one of my favorite pictures of yours...
    Though I have so many favorites it's hard to choose.
    Are these places subsidized by the Govt?
    How do they make $$ if there is no traffic? Or is that an insanely New Yorkaise question to ask..?
    No matter.
    It all looks divine
    merci
    carolg

    ReplyDelete
  5. People are connected the world over by that mysterious cup o joe = ' )

    ReplyDelete
  6. Merisi, your Viennese coffee houses put our current New York relatives to shame. I still mourn the demise of our beloved Cafe La Fortuna. Its address is now a hardware store that moved from its long time spot on Columbus Avenue.

    La Fortuna was a very special place, without pretense, and frequented by regular. My friends and I considered it our club house. Obviously not enough other folks shared this consideration.

    And this makes me share the question of Carol (Paris Breakfasts) ... just how do these Viennese beauties survive? I think that you might take your wondrous photos during off peak hours.

    Still. How can Vienna keep these treasures, if every chair is not filled during every open hour?

    (Gorgeous late September day here, with the UN in session and traffic grid in effect.)

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Merisi...I spent some hours there in the late 70s & many years later while writing reports. I confess to having not-so-good memories of Vienna but I did love the cafes...& esp. this one. Whether for the historical nature or not, I don't know. Probably not important. As for the question others are asking, I must confess that it never occurred to me.

    Cheers (that is a wonderful photograph up top).

    xo/Susan

    ReplyDelete
  8. Even though it's almost 10 pm, I've got to go pour a cup of coffee... I must remember to visit you only in the am...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Vienna belongs to the coffee houses as well as the coffee houses belong to Vienna :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. To me that is the definition of a civilised society, no doubt. Lovely images, makes me want to be in Vienna so badly!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your shops have so much more style, age and beauty than ours. I could probably spend the day there. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  12. and tomorrow afternoon, I will be taking Melange at Hawelka with friends. There was no question in my mind which Kaffeehaus would be the first I should show them....Landemann,Mozart,The Hofburg, Central?

    No, this little gem just off the Graben is the chosen jewel, and thanks Merisi I can show them some of your lovely pictures before packing. How wonderful to read Stefan Zweig as well. You have made my day.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I keep Hawelka in my mind as a place to absolutly visit one day...

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think I'd love to visit Café Hawelka!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to leave a note.