# Kohlmarkt, Vienna

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{{short description|Shopping street in Vienna, Austria}}{{coord|48|12|31.7|N|16|22|3.7|E|region:AT-9_type:landmark|display=title}}

thumb|upright=1.2|The Kohlmarkt facing southwest toward the Michaelerplatz
The '''Kohlmarkt''' (English: Coal Market) is one of the most famous streets in the center of [Vienna](/source/Vienna). It stretches from [Michaelerplatz](/source/Michaelerplatz) to the [Graben](/source/Graben%2C_Vienna). The street is considered to be Vienna's luxury shopping street due to a high density of jewelers and branches of international fashion labels. Together with the Graben and the [Kärntner Straße](/source/K%C3%A4rntner_Stra%C3%9Fe), the Kohlmarkt forms Vienna's so-called "Golden U" of inner-city shopping streets, which offer upscale stores and are pedestrian zones.<ref>[https://www.wien.info/en/see-do/shopping/old-city/for-connoisseurs-346210 High-caliber from Kohlmarkt] Wiener Tourismusverband, accessed 04.08.2023</ref>

==History==
The history of the Kohlmarkt dates back to the time of the Roman legionary camp [Vindobona](/source/Vindobona). The southwestern gate of Vindobona, the Porta Decumana (later known as the Peiler Gate), which was located at the intersection of the modern Graben and the Tuchlauben and led to the [Limes road](/source/Limes_(Roman_Empire)), could be reached via the Kohlmarkt. The Kohlmarkt led southwest from the Porta Decumana, connecting the gate to the Limes road.<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Kohlmarkt Kohlmarkt] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 31.01.2023</ref><ref>[https://www.wien.gv.at/archaeologie/projekte/legionslager.html Römisches Legionslager Vindobona - Stadtarchäologie Wien], City of Vienna, accessed 06.08.2023</ref><ref>[https://www.wienmuseum.at/de/standorte/ausgrabungen-michaelerplatz Ausgrabungen Michaelerplatz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630075830/https://www.wienmuseum.at/de/standorte/ausgrabungen-michaelerplatz |date=2023-06-30 }} Wien Museum, accessed 06.08.2023</ref>

By 1255, the street was known as the ''Witmarkt'' (Wood Market). When a new city gate was built to the southwest of the market during the 13th century, it was named the ''Witmarkttor'' (Wood Market Gate). The name ''Witmarkt'' fell out of use during the 14th century, with the street now being mentioned by the name ''Kohlenmarkt'' (Coal Market), named after its many [charcoal](/source/charcoal) merchants. After the construction of the [Hofburg](/source/Hofburg), the palace of the [Habsburg](/source/Habsburg) emperors, the proximity of the coal market to the imperial residence favored the settling of producers and sellers of high-quality and luxurious goods instead. Over time, the Kohlmarkt transformed into a highly representative shopping and [processional street](/source/Procession). Still, the old name was kept, eventually transforming into the moniker ''Kohlmarkt'' (English: Cabbage Market) – effectively a [misnomer](/source/misnomer), since the market has never been noted for its sale of cabbages.<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Kohlmarkt Kohlmarkt] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 31.01.2023</ref>

[[File:Kohlmarkt 11.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Großes Michaelerhaus, former home of [Joseph Haydn](/source/Joseph_Haydn), [Pietro Metastasio](/source/Pietro_Metastasio), and [Ludwig Bösendorfer](/source/Ludwig_B%C3%B6sendorfer)]]
After becoming a highly representative street, the Kohlmarkt would be home to several important cultural figures. In the 18th century, composer [Joseph Haydn](/source/Joseph_Haydn) spent several years living in the street while working as an accompanying musician for singing lessons and dances.<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Joseph_Haydn Joseph Haydn] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 23.11.2022</ref> Poet [Pietro Metastasio](/source/Pietro_Metastasio) and piano manufacturer [Ludwig Bösendorfer](/source/Ludwig_B%C3%B6sendorfer) lived and died in the same house over 100 years apart.<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Pietro-Metastasio-Gedenktafel Pietro-Metastasio-Gedenktafel] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 16.12.2021</ref><ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Ludwig_B%C3%B6sendorfer Ludwig Bösendorfer] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 30.06.2023</ref> During his time in Vienna from 1830 to 1831, [Frédéric Chopin](/source/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Chopin) lived at Kohlmarkt as well.<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric-Chopin-Gedenktafel Frédéric-Chopin-Gedenktafel] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 13.04.2023</ref>

The Kohlmarkt is and has been the location of several high-end stores and former [royal warrant holders](/source/Royal_warrant_of_appointment) over time, including warrant holders such as the pastry shop and chocolaterie [Demel](/source/Demel), the tobacco store Mohilla, the bookshop Manz, and the jeweler Rozet & Fischmeister.<ref>János Kalmár, Mella Waldstein: K.u.K. Hoflieferanten Wiens. Stocker, Graz 2001. ISBN 3-7020-0935-3</ref> However, with the end of the Habsburg monarchy as well as with increasing competition and rising rents, many traditional businesses have been forced to close their stores. In their place, several international luxury brands have moved in. With an average rent of €4,620 (as of 2016), the Kohlmarkt is the seventh-most expensive street for business owners in Europe and the most expensive in Austria.<ref>[https://www.trend.at/branchen/immobilien/europas-einkaufsstrassen-wiens-kohlmarkt-platz-6241319 Europas teuerste Einkaufsstraßen: Wiens Kohlmarkt auf Platz 7] Trend, 22.02.2016</ref>

In 1989, the Kohlmarkt became a [pedestrian zone](/source/pedestrian_zone) during the pedestrianization of the adjacent Graben, which took place in stages during the 1970s and 1980s. One of the later stages of the Graben's pedestrianization included the Kohlmarkt as well, which led to the redesign of the street.<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Kohlmarkt Kohlmarkt] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 31.01.2023</ref>

==Main sights==
[[File:Kohlmarkt 16 Portal Manz 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Portal of the Manz'sche Verlags- und Universitätsbuchhandlung designed by [Adolf Loos](/source/Adolf_Loos)]]
thumb|upright=1|Palais Blankenstein
* Several buildings (partially) designed by [Adolf Loos](/source/Adolf_Loos), including:
** [Looshaus](/source/Looshaus) (one of the most significant buildings of [Viennese modernist architecture](/source/Wiener_Moderne))<ref>[https://www.wien.info/de/sightseeing/architektur-design/jugendstil-349482 Jugendstil und Moderne] Wiener Tourismusverband, accessed 07.08.2023</ref>
** [Manz'sche Verlags- und Universitätsbuchhandlung](/source/%3Ade%3AManz%E2%80%99sche_Verlags-_und_Universit%C3%A4tsbuchhandlung) (portal designed by Adolf Loos)
* [Palais Blankenstein](/source/%3Ade%3APalais_Blankenstein) ([Neoclassicist](/source/Neoclassicist) palace)<ref>Dehio Wien, I. Bezirk – Innere Stadt, S. 752, ISBN 3-85028-366-6</ref>
* [Demel](/source/Demel) (pastry shop and chocolaterie, former supplier to the royal court)<ref>János Kalmár, Mella Waldstein: K.u.K. Hoflieferanten Wiens. Stocker, Graz 2001. ISBN 3-7020-0935-3</ref>
* [Artaria-Haus](/source/%3Ade%3AArtaria-Haus) ([Art Nouveau](/source/Art_Nouveau) building)<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Zum_englischen_Gru%C3%9F Zum englischen Gruß] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 05.06.2017</ref>
* Großes Michaelerhaus (18th-century apartment building, former home of [Joseph Haydn](/source/Joseph_Haydn), [Pietro Metastasio](/source/Pietro_Metastasio), and [Ludwig Bösendorfer](/source/Ludwig_B%C3%B6sendorfer))<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Joseph_Haydn Joseph Haydn] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 23.11.2022</ref><ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Pietro-Metastasio-Gedenktafel Pietro-Metastasio-Gedenktafel] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 16.12.2021</ref><ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Ludwig_B%C3%B6sendorfer Ludwig Bösendorfer] [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 30.06.2023</ref>
* Husarenhaus (with a life-size bronze statue of a [Hussar](/source/Hussar) on the roof)<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Zur_gro%C3%9Fen_Bethen Zur großen Bethen][Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 25.04.2021</ref>
* Former [department store](/source/department_store) Pollak (with ornaments designed by [Koloman Moser](/source/Koloman_Moser))<ref>[https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Gustav_Pollak_(Warenhaus) Gustav Pollak (Warenhaus)][Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki), 24.04.2021</ref>

==Sources==
* Felix Czeike: Historisches Lexikon Wien, Band 3. Kremayr & Scheriau, Wien 1994. ISBN 3-218-00545-0
* Reinhard Engel: Luxus aus Wien I. Czernin Verlag, Wien 2001. ISBN 3-7076-0121-8

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Kohlmarkt, Vienna}}
* [https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Kohlmarkt Entry for Kohlmarkt] on the [Vienna History Wiki](/source/Vienna_History_Wiki)

Category:Innere Stadt
Category:Shopping districts and streets in Austria
Category:Streets in Vienna
Category:Pedestrian streets in Austria

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kohlmarkt, Vienna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohlmarkt%2C_Vienna) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohlmarkt%2C_Vienna?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.