3630 - A Room with a View


Outside of the center, Vienna’s “Underground” lines tend to rise above ground, and sometimes quite high above. On the right side you see the building of such an “Underground” station.

On the left side, you see a building that 20 years ago would have been impossible here in Vienna. The distance between it and the tracks is maybe ten meters at maximum.

I remember having seen train tracks go so near to aparment buildings when I visited Paris for the first time, maybe 35 years ago. Then I was shocked. How could you possibly sleep in such a place? Of course I also remember having seen American movies with Subway trains in New York passing near apartment windows. But here?

Well, yes, here, and obviously it’s good business. Politics seem to have given up protecting people, and if there’s space, someone will build on it. It’s not even cheap.