Das Wiener Kaffeehaus

  In Vienna, we have this culture, which you will not find in any other European country, maybe not even in any other country in the world: Das Kaffeehaus.
It is a normal coffeehouse with an interesting history and many Austrian peculiarities. The Kaffeehaus culture started in 1685, after the second Turkish siege. Johannes Theodat, an Armenian citizen, founded the first Kaffeehaus ever in Vienna. Soon the new drink became hip and the Viennese couldn’t get enough of it. The number of Kaffeehäuser exploded. In 1819, there were more than 150 and around 1900, about 600 Kaffeehäuser in Vienna.

Mainly men gambled, smoked and drank coffee. Women were not invited. In the late 19th century the Kaffeehaus culture was at its best. Many writers and artists worked there, ––basically lived there.
In the 1950s the Kaffeehaus culture went through hard times. People had new hobbies like Television, which was far more interesting than hanging around in a coffeehouse all day long.
Nowadays it’s almost impossible to find a Kaffeehaus in Vienna which is not packed with people sitting, talking, working and drinking coffee. One of the good things is: you hang around all day with only consuming one cup of coffee. And nobody will bother you. There is a very special atmosphere. A good one.
The Viennese Kaffeehaus-Kultur became part of the immaterial heritage of the UNESCO in 2011