Vienna’s beautiful Burggarten, commissioned in 1818 by Franz I, was only opened to the public in 1919, but since then has become a loving breakaway spot for both tourists and locals. It is a genuine green lung in the heart of the city, with narrow walkways, picturesque statues and a perfectly situated little coffee bar where visitors can rest their feet from wandering. It is centrally located, near the Hofburg and just 200 yards from the Opera house, bang in the middle of Vienna.
In the center of Vienna’s beautiful historical Burggarten, encased in an impressive Jugendstil greenhouse, lies an enclosed little tropical utopia of swirling colorful butterflies and lush rainforest - the Schmetterlinghaus. It is the perfect escape destination of the city as this little dreamy enclave offers a perfect refuge.
The Schmetterlinghaus has an area of little more than 280 square meters of ground, but one can still find more than 150 different species, with about 400 individual butterflies fluttering around at any given time. The temperature remains at a steady 26 degrees centigrade, and the air humidity around 80 per cent. Watch out for the tremendous Atlas moth, the albatross of the butterfly kingdom, whose wingspan can reach up to 30cm.The butterflies one finds here are bred in captivity, not captured from the wild, and all efforts are made to ensure that they are catered for with a stable, comfortable environment without any natural enemies.
It has become a fond breakaway spot for both tourists and locals. It is a genuine green lung in the heart of the city, with narrow walkways, picturesque statues and a perfectly situated little coffee bar where visitors can rest their feet from wandering. It is centrally located, near the Hofburg and just 200 yards from the Opera house, bang in the middle of Vienna.
The Palm House in Burggarten is considered one of the most beautiful art nouveau structures of its kind in the world. Since 1998, the building, more than 3,000 square feet in area, towers over the garden of the Imperial Palace; it houses hundreds of free-flying tropical butterflies in a re-creation of their natural environment.
A waterfall, a small pond and several bridges create a picturesque backdrop, in front of which unfolds the beauty of the butterflies - and offering an opportunity for great photos. Illustrated charts provide information about these wonderful insects and provide an overview of the life-cycle of the butterfly. In the so-called “pupa box,” one can observe how larvae turn into butterflies.
There are about 150 different species of butterflies during a one year cycle. At any time there will be about 400 butterflies to look at. The butterflies have fantastic patterns and wonderful colors. As one walks through the butterfly house one can appreciate how butterflies blend into their surroundings.Some butterflies are dark as they need to absorb the heat to be able to fly. One can experience how butterflies work together with nature. The butterflies are bred in N. Thailand, Belize, Costa Rica and the Philippines.
Anil Gupta recommends that you visit www.bookings.be/city/at/vienna.html?aid=305255 for more information on Vienna hotels. |
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