Viennese Coffeehouses: Memorials to a Bygone Area

The terms coffeehouse and coffee shop appear to be similar. Both refer to an establishment where one can indulge in a good cup of coffee. Coffeehouses, however, are special. Unlike Starbucks where one briefly stops in before work, or passes through a drive through, there is no sense of time in a Viennese Coffeehouse, nor a sense of commitment to the responsibilities of life. The history of coffeehouses reaches back to the 1500s, when the first one was established in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Coffee then began to spread globally. Coffeehouses in Europe have been elegant establishments where individuals have come to relax, or engage in discussions regarding the arts or politics in an inviting, yet relaxing atmosphere. Café Sperl represents the history of Viennese coffeehouses well, since it is still furnished as it was the day it opened in 1880. This project will explore how Viennese Coffeehouses are inscribed with the history of the past, and represent a memorial of Vienna\u27s varied history. This project will examine how Viennese coffeehouses provide a calming and yet engaging environment, and their importance in history and today’s culture. This ultimately raises the question, how did it become this way? Coffee shops can be found globally, so why are Viennese coffeehouses so unique? Being a member of a faculty led MSU Study Tour this spring, I will examine Viennese Coffeehouses through first-hand experience. By “reading” the Viennese coffeehouses, the project examines building’s location, architecture, the interior and its significance for understanding Viennese history