Graben, Vienna Plaza

Address: Graben, Innere Stadt, 1010 Vienna, Austria

Website: https://www.wien.info/en/shopping-wining-dining/shopping/graben-and-kohlmarkt

The Graben is a historic pedestrian street in the Innere Stadt, Vienna’s central district, noted for its shops, cafés and preserved historic façades. The name Graben means “ditch” and reflects the street’s origin as a former city trench.

The street is lined with retail frontage, cafés and several notable monuments and façades, the most prominent being the baroque Plague Column (Pestsäule) in its central stretch. It functions as one of Vienna’s principal ceremonial and retail promenades.

The thoroughfare evolved from a Roman and medieval defensive ditch into a street and marketplace in later centuries, acquiring much of its present urban fabric in the Baroque period. The Pestsäule was erected as a memorial after the 1679 plague.

The Graben runs through Vienna’s 1st municipal district, close to St. Stephen’s Cathedral and connecting to other major pedestrian axes such as Kärntner Straße and Kohlmarkt. It is in the historic core of the city and is readily accessible on foot from surrounding squares.

• Location in the city centre: The street is pedestrianised and located in Vienna’s 1st district between Kärntner Straße and Kohlmarkt, forming part of the historic city centre.

What to See#

• Pestsäule (Plague Column): A baroque plague memorial erected in the late 17th century that stands in the middle of the street and is its best-known monument.

Graben sits in Vienna’s Innere Stadt, within walking distance of Stephansplatz (St. Stephen’s Cathedral). Take the U1, U3, or U4 lines to Stephansplatz or nearby Karlsplatz; numerous tram lines serve the Ring road adjacent to the Graben.

• Visit early morning to watch shopkeepers and florists arrange displays - the street is quieter and the light better for architecture photography.
• Look up: the baroque facades and the Plague Column (Pestsäule) carry tiny sculptural narratives often missed by hurried visitors.
• Combine the walk with a stop at Café Central or Demel for a Viennese coffee and pastry - the area is dense with heritage cafés.