Heaven in the Hills : Vienna’s Living Tree Circle
Lebensbaumkreis
The Living Tree Circle (“Lebensbaumkreis” in German) is definitely off the beaten path. As the name implies, the Living Tree Circle is an actual circle of live trees corresponding to different times of the year. Visitors can locate the trees that correspond to their birthdays and read and hear German descriptions of personality traits attributed to those birthday trees. Classical music can be heard on the tree description speakers on weekend afternoons, making the spot an excellent picnic venue.
The tree circle lies on the edge of the national forest (Wienerwald) in an area called Am Himmel (meaning “in heaven”). Forest and vineyard foliage surrounds the area, which affords a beautiful view over Vienna. Local rumor has it that historically, the tree circle was a place where the ancient Druids worshipped nature. To get there, take the U4 metro line to Heiligenstadt, then take the 38A bus to Cobenzl Parkplatz and follow the path that goes by the Cobenzl Gasthaus patio. For more information about Tree Circle events and a classical music schedule, visit http://www.himmel.at/
