Das Triest

Vienna

The romantic capital of Austria and former imperial city as well as the historical birthplace of the arts in Europe since the Age of Enlightenment, still possesses the traces of the period when Austria dominated the continent’s political and cultural life. Imperial Vienna is still visible on the streets of its historical center and was declared a world heritage by UNESCO in 2001. With approximately fifty-five museums including the renowned Leopold Museum whose collection of about five thousand pieces of modern Austrian art makes it one of the world’s most prestigious museums. The capital, since the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire has remained a major cultural center rich in artistic production. Vienna, a city in perpetual motion, is constantly moving between the traditional and the modern.

Modern design, imperial elegance

These former stables, which were used by travellers on their way to the city of Trieste, the former free port and primary commercial outlet of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, located on the edge of the Ring roads, a few steps from the Karlsplatz, has become, since 1995, the first design hotel in the Austrian capital. Das Triest is the work of the well-known British designer Sir Terence Conran, founder of the Habitat chain and Conran shops. He created a modern structure in contrast to the classic and Art Nouveau architecture of the facades adjacent to it. Following his own philosophy, the design of the hotel should be “modern and intelligent” in the form of “an aesthetic solution to our daily needs.” Although the original structure of the building has conserved its 18^th century charm, the interiors combine pure lines and ultra-contemporary furniture. Specifically designed for the hotel, the furniture and accessories were conceived with a meticulous attention to detail and created by the greatest names in fabrics and international design. B&B Italia, Wittmann, Artemide and Philippe Starck are among the renowned contributors who have left their mark on the walls of the hotel. To commemorate the original function of the building as a stop on the way to the Italian city of Trieste, the Collio restaurant pays tribute to traditional northern Italian cuisine, under the direction of its Chef, Josef Neuherz.

Since the 18^th century, the port of Trieste has welcomed merchants who have dropped anchor here, their ships filled with coffee beans from African, Brazilian and Middle Eastern territories. Today, Trieste is still one of the major European ports for the importation of coffee.