On one Sunday a year, various heritage sites in Vienna open their doors to celebrate the Tag des Denkmals: Austria’s contribution to the European Heritage Days programme.
It’s your chance to see inside buildings normally shut to the public or to take tours only offered on this one special day. And all for free.
- Large number of participating sites and organisations
- Some places really do open for one day only in the year
- Event is popular with locals
- Free entry
- 2025 date: TBA
- …traditionally last Sunday in September
- Book a historical walking tour* in Vienna
- See also:
The Tag des Denkmals
(The museums of the National Library typically participate in the Heritage Day)
Around 50 countries participate in the European Heritage Days, an initiative first launched back in 1985.
The aim is to give people the chance to enjoy their rich and shared cultural heritage for free, so they might learn to treasure that same heritage. It’s a nice thought.
In Austria, this one-day experience carries the rather impressive name Tag des Denkmals (English: Monument Day). The government department responsible for protecting the country’s many cultural and historical sites organises the event.
On this day, various locations across Vienna and the rest of Austria open their doors to visitors for free. On top of that, many also offer special guided tours or other little bonus experiences. Some participants may even remain closed to the public for the rest of the year.
What can you see?
(We enjoyed a fantastic architectural tour of the Billrothhaus at a previous event)
A number of well-known places typically get involved, such as the National Library and Jewish Museum, but also sites not normally found on tourist trails.
For example, the Hofburg regularly opens parts of the former Habsburg complex otherwise closed to visitors. At the previous event, you got to see the Ahnensaal (Hall of Ancestors) with the apartments of Emperor Francis I/II and crown prince Rudolf.
The Iraqi (in Palais Larisch-Moennich) and French embassies often participate. In past years, places such as the OPEC Fund for International Development (in Palais Deutschmeister) and the Austrian book trade association (in Palais Fürstenberg) have also welcomed sightseers.
Last time out, we visited:
- The former apartment of Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky (pioneering architect and champion of feminism)
- The refurbished Casino Zögernitz (a classic building from the Biedermeier era, now reopened as concert venue, café-restaurant, and Strauss museum)
- The Billrothhaus (home to the Gesellschaft der Ärzte in Wien and well-known set for period TV productions)
Selected locations seem to repeat each year, while others change. So keep a timely eye out for the official programme.
Tours may need advance registration, and many fill up (very) fast. So if you find something at the website you’re particularly interested in and it’s a registration-only event: sign up quickly. Expect most tours to be in German, though.
Dates, tickets & tips
They traditionally hold the event on the last Sunday in September, which would mean the 28th in 2025 but I await official confirmation at the time of writing. Entry to the locations is, as mentioned, free with no ticket required.
As you can tell, the Heritage Day has more than the odd gem or two to wander around. So, if you happen to be in Vienna on the right date, then make the most of it.
Other alternatives for those interested in exploring historical buildings are:
- Open House Vienna: another annual event with numerous behind-the-scenes tours. Featured sites are normally more contemporary than at Heritage Day
- Tours of Historical Buildings: my curated list of locations that offer regular tours of their interiors