Palais Ferstel, Renaissance heritage building in Herrengasse, Vienna, Austria
Palais Ferstel is a Florentine Renaissance building in Vienna's first district, connecting Herrengasse to Strauchgasse and the Freyung square. Inside, a covered passage runs across several levels and contains shops, a café, and large halls.
The building was completed in 1860 by architect Heinrich von Ferstel and originally housed the Austrian National Bank and the stock exchange. From 1878 it served as the headquarters of the Austro-Hungarian Bank, until it eventually ceased its banking functions.
Café Central, inside the passage, was once a meeting point for writers and thinkers such as Peter Altenberg and Leo Trotsky. The tall vaulted ceilings and marble columns of the café are still visible today, giving the space a character unlike most Viennese coffeehouses.
The building and its covered passage are freely accessible without any reservation. If you plan to visit Café Central, keep in mind that it tends to get busy around midday and early afternoon, so arriving earlier in the morning is a good idea.
The passage entrance carries the inscription 'Bis auf Widerruf gestatteter Durchgang', which has indicated public right of way since the 19th century. This sign shows that the passage was designed from the start as a public walkway, even though it runs through a private building.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
