Vienna has so much to be proud of when it comes to its history and culture. When it comes to physical structures, it boasts of numerous historical buildings that have been preserved to their former glory. In terms of its way of life, the city’s coffee house culture is well known worldwide and in fact, was included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List back in 2011.
For this UNESCO recognition, some 100 coffeehouses have been given the privilege of displaying the U.N. agency’s logo in their establishment. They can display the logo at the entrance of their cafe, on the menu as a sticker or as a graphic element on the establishment’s website.
Some of the coffeehouses already given the go signal to use the UNESCO logo are the classic establishments such as Hawelka, Landtmann and Pruckel situated in the old city center. The others are the Cafe Goldegg in the fourth district and the Cafe Sperlhof in the second district.
An expert committee was tasked to assess which cafes are worthy of carrying the UNESCO’s logo. The Viennese Coffeehouse Owners’ Club used a criteria booklet to serve as a guide in selecting the coffeehouses that can use the UNESCO logo. Certain factors were taken into consideration such as furnishings, menus, service, live piano music, presence of newspapers and magazine as well as billiard tables.
For the furnishings aspect, the committee members considered the use of traditional marble-topped tables, bentwood chairs and large chandeliers. In the service part, meanwhile, the committee members considered the attire of waiters, the breakfasts being served and whether they serve a glass of tap water for every cup of coffee.
Visitors to Vienna should never miss out on experiencing the Austrian capital’s coffee houses and what they offer. There are plenty of them spread out around the city and are great places to relax, enjoy some snacks and fun conversation with loved ones and friends.
