History of Viennese Coffeehouses

The Viennese coffeehouse is far more than a place to drink coffee. It is a cultural institution that has shaped European intellectual life, provided sanctuary for artists and revolutionaries, and created a unique social space that exists nowhere else in the world. This is the story of how it all began.

The Legend of 1683

The history of Viennese coffee culture begins with the Battle of Vienna in 1683, when Ottoman forces laid siege to the city. According to the most popular legend, a Polish-Ukrainian merchant named Georg Franz Kolschitzky played a crucial role in the city's defense by carrying messages through enemy lines disguised as a Turk.

When the Ottoman army retreated after their defeat, they left behind sacks of mysterious green beans. While others thought these were camel feed, Kolschitzky recognized them as coffee beans from his time in Ottoman territories. He reportedly received these beans as a reward for his services and opened one of Vienna's first coffeehouses, "The Blue Bottle" (Zur Blauen Flasche), in 1685.

The Viennese Innovation

What made Viennese coffeehouses distinctive from the start was their approach to preparing and serving coffee. Unlike the strong, unfiltered Turkish coffee that was common elsewhere, Viennese coffeehouse owners began experimenting with filtering methods and additions.

Kolschitzky himself is credited with introducing the practice of filtering out the coffee grounds and adding milk and honey to create a smoother, sweeter beverage. This innovation made coffee more palatable to European tastes and laid the foundation for the many distinctive Viennese coffee preparations that would follow.

Timeline of Development

The Golden Age of Coffeehouses

The 19th century represented the golden age of Viennese coffeehouse culture. The establishments that opened during this period, many of which still exist today, developed the distinctive characteristics we now associate with traditional coffeehouses:

• Elegant interiors with marble tabletops and bentwood Thonet chairs
• Large windows for people-watching and natural light
• Newspapers from around the world on wooden holders
• Billiard tables and chess sets for patrons
• The tradition of serving water alongside coffee
• Waiters in formal attire providing attentive but unhurried service

Intellectual and Artistic Hub

What truly set Viennese coffeehouses apart was their role as gathering places for intellectuals, artists, and political thinkers. The permissive atmosphere, where one could spend hours over a single coffee, made these establishments ideal venues for discussion, debate, and creative work.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw an extraordinary concentration of intellectual talent in Vienna's coffeehouses. Cafe Central alone hosted:

• Sigmund Freud - Father of psychoanalysis
• Leon Trotsky - Revolutionary who reportedly played chess here before the Russian Revolution
• Adolf Loos - Pioneering architect
• Peter Altenberg - Poet who used the cafe as his mailing address
• Arthur Schnitzler - Playwright and novelist
• Theodor Herzl - Founder of modern Zionism

Challenges and Survival

The coffeehouse tradition has faced several existential challenges over the centuries. World War I disrupted established social patterns, while the 1938 annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany devastated the intellectual culture that had thrived in these spaces. Many of the Jewish intellectuals who had made the coffeehouses famous were forced to flee or perished in the Holocaust.

The post-war period brought new challenges as espresso bars and American-style coffee culture competed for customers. Many historic coffeehouses closed, unable to compete with faster, more modern alternatives. By the late 20th century, there were serious concerns about the survival of traditional coffeehouse culture.

Renaissance and Recognition

Beginning in the 1990s, renewed interest in authentic experiences and cultural heritage sparked a coffeehouse renaissance. Historic establishments were renovated, and a new generation discovered the appeal of the traditional coffeehouse experience.

This renewed appreciation culminated in 2011 when UNESCO added Viennese Coffee House Culture to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The UNESCO citation noted that coffeehouses are places "where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is found on the bill."

The Living Tradition

Today, Viennese coffeehouse culture continues to thrive. Historic establishments like Cafe Central, Cafe Sperl, and Cafe Hawelka maintain their traditions while welcoming new generations of patrons. At the same time, contemporary coffeehouses have emerged that blend traditional values with modern sensibilities.

The essential elements remain unchanged: the unhurried atmosphere, the careful preparation of coffee, the glass of water served alongside, and the understanding that a coffeehouse is a place to linger, think, read, write, and connect. In an age of rushed coffee-to-go culture, the Viennese coffeehouse stands as a reminder of a more civilized approach to both coffee and life.

As you explore Vienna's coffeehouses, you are participating in a tradition that has survived wars, revolutions, and cultural upheavals. Each cup of coffee connects you to three centuries of history and to the countless artists, thinkers, and ordinary citizens who have found in these establishments a second living room.