Hernals#

Hernals, Vienna´s 17th district, 11.35 km2, pop. 50,944 (1991). The former independent municipality of Hernals in the Alserbachtal valley between the foothills of the Vienna Woods was joined with Dornbach and Neuwaldegg in 1892 to form Vienna´s 17th district. First documented mention 1044; 1135 owned by the brothers Diepold and Neudingus (or Heudingus) von Als. Around 1600, under the barons of Joerger, Hernals was the centre of Vienna´s Protestants and, in the wake of the Counter Reformation, was given to the chapter of St. Stephen´s Cathedral, which made it the location of a Calvary in 1639 that became the destination of annual penitential processions. The "Holy Sepulchre" and the church were destroyed by the Turks in 1683, then restored (church rebuilt 1766-1769 by the Pauline order). From the traditional processions developed the popular Calvary market at Lent. Heavily damaged during World War II.

To the northwest Hernals extends into the Vienna Woods; Heuberg hill (464 m) with bird sanctuary of the Vienna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Schafberg hill (390 m), Michaelerwald wood, Neuwaldegger Park, Marswiese meadow, Rohrerhuette, both the Wiener Hoehenstrasse and the Exelbergstrasse roads start from here. Among the sights of Hernals, home of the Schrammel-Quartett, are old taverns typical of the Viennese suburbs. Former cabarets (Gschwandtner, Stahlehner, etc.); Schrammel memorial (1967); Neuwaldegg-Schwarzenberg Palace (1692-1697), with Schwarzenbergpark (tomb of M. Lacy) and Hameau hill (former "Hollaenderdoerfl"); district museum (1934) in the Bank Austria building (1911) and fiacre museum (1968) in the "Fiaker-Haus", Calvary church (1766-1769) restored 1989, former Pauline monastery; Dornbach parish church (1931); Redemptorist church (1886-1889); Schafberg chapel (1953-1970) by F. Graf; Heubergsiedlung housing estate (1920-1922, based on plans by A. Loos); Joergerbad public indoor swimming pools (1912-1914, altered 1967-1969); Engelmann skating rink; sports grounds Marswiese and Postsportverein; housing estates, Hernalser Stadttheater (Metropol) theatre.

In the 2nd half of the 19th century the centre of Hernals was quickly built up and industrialised (mainly processing industry, light and food-processing industries), declining number of businesses: 461 (1981), 358 (1991).

Literature#