Währing

Geschichte

Währing is the 18th district of Vienna and lies in northwestern Vienna on the edge of the Vienna Woods. It was formed in 1892 from the unification of the older suburbs of Währing, Weinhaus, Gersthof, Pötzleinsdorf, Neustift am Walde and Salmannsdorf. In 1938 Neustift am Walde and Salmannsdorf were annexed to the neighbouring 19th District (Döbling). Because of several wealthy neighbourhoods (e.g. Cottageviertel), Währing is known today as one of Vienna’s upmarket districts, along with Döbling and Hietzing.GeographyLocationWähring covers 6.28 km2 in northwestern Vienna on the slopes of the Wienerwald between the Gürtel and the Höhenstraße. The district ascends from the steep banks of the (now channeled and enclosed) Währinger Stream on both sides. It is bordered to the north by the 19th District (Döbling), to the east by the 9th District (Alsergrund) and to the south and west by the 17th District (Hernals).GeologyWähring lies between two ridges to the north and south. The hills of Schafsberg and Michaelerberg belong to the Wienerwald and form part of the boundary of the Vienna Basin. The hills in Währing consist of multi-layered sandstone alternating with clay, except for the high grounds of Pötzleinsdorf and Türkenschanze, which are of sands. In the lower parts of the district one finds deposits of the stone tegel; at higher elevations mostly hard sands, rocks and boulders. On the road Schafberggasse limestone was uncovered during construction of a canal: due to the former location of the Tethys Ocean, various remnants of marine life can be found beneath the district. Numerous sand quarries in the area provided building material for centuries.