The Innere Stadt (German pronunciation: [ˈɪnərə ˈʃtad]; Viennese: Innare Stod; "Inner City") is the 1st city district of Vienna (German: 1. Bezirk) and is located in the center of the Austrian capital. The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Before the city expanded its borders in 1850, the Innere Stadt matched exactly with the city of Vienna. Traditionally, it was divided into four areas, each named after important city gates: Stubenviertel (northeast), Kärntner Viertel (southeast), Widmerviertel (southwest), and Schottenviertel (northwest).
The Ringstraße surrounds the Innere Stadt along the path where the old city walls once stood.
The first district has the largest number of workers in Vienna, with 100,745 people employed there. This is partly because of tourism and the presence of many large company offices, which are located in the district due to its central position.
Geography
Innere Stadt is the central district of Vienna. It is located next to Leopoldstadt in the northeast, Landstraße in the east, Wieden and Mariahilf in the south, Neubau and Josefstadt in the west, and Alsergrund in the north. The district’s border begins at Urania and follows Wienfluss, Lothringerstraße, Karlsplatz, Gedreidemarkt, Museumsplatz, Museumstraße, Auerspergstraße, Landesgerichtsstraße, Universitätsstraße, Maria-Theresien-Straße, and the Donaukanal.
History
The Innere Stadt began as a Celtic settlement and later became a Roman military camp called Vindobona and its canabae. Until 1850, when the suburbs were added to the city, Vienna's history was mostly the same as today's 1st district. The Innere Stadt remained the main place for government, business, and religious activities. It is home to Vienna City Hall, the Hofburg Palace, the official residence of the president, and St. Stephen's Cathedral, which is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Vienna.
Places of interest
- Albertina
- Burgtheater
- Friedrich-Schmidt Square
- Graben Street
- Hofburg Imperial Palace
- Kapuzinergruft
- Kärntner Straße
- Lutheran City Church
- Museum of Art History
- Museum of Natural History
- Maria am Gestade Church
- Palais Ephrussi
- Pestsäule (a plague column)
- Peterskirche
- Rathaus (City Hall), Vienna
- Ruprechtskirche
- Schottenstift
- Stadtpark, Vienna
- Stephansdom
- Vienna State Opera
- Virgilkapelle
- Parliament Building
- Palace of Justice
- Main Building of the University of Vienna
- Volksgarten
Demographics
The population of Innere Stadt has been decreasing since its highest point of 73,000 in 1880, reaching the lowest recorded number of 15,774 in 2025. Although the population increased slightly in the early 2000s, Innere Stadt remains the least populated district in Vienna.
In 2001, 28.1% of the district’s population was over 60 years old, higher than the city average of 22.2%. The percentage of people under 15 years old was 9.8%. The female population, at 53.3%, was also higher than the city average.
In 2001, 15.5% of residents were foreign-born, which was 2% below the city average. Of these, 2.8% had EU citizenship (excluding Germany), 2.7% were citizens of Serbia and Montenegro, and 2.2% were German citizens. In total, 25.6% of the population were born outside of Austria. Seventy-nine percent of residents listed German as their main language. Four percent spoke Serbian as their primary language, 1.8% Hungarian, and 1.4% Croatian. Fourteen point three percent spoke other languages.
In 2001, 51.3% of the population identified as Roman Catholic. Protestants made up 6.6%, Orthodox Christians 5.1%, and Jews 3.3%. Twenty-two point seven percent of residents listed no religious affiliation.
Politics
The district director has been a member of the conservative ÖVP since 1946. Former district director Ursula Stenzel has opposed holding events in the city because she was worried about noise pollution. Her comments have been criticized by other political groups, especially the social democratic SPÖ.
Coat of arms
The first district's coat of arms shows a white cross on a red background. This same design is also the coat of arms for the City of Vienna and the State of Vienna. The current coat of arms was first used around 1270, appearing on coins called "Wiener Pfennige." It may have been inspired by the flag used by the King of the Romans' army during the Middle Ages, as the battle flag of Rudolph I of Germany had a similar design.