The Casinos of Vienna
The Danube River attracted the Romans and the Celts, while in the middle ages the Babenberg dynasty made Vienna it’s central home. In 1440 the Habsburg dynasty had its ruling seat in the city. For approximately four centuries it was the de facto capital city of the Roman Empire. At the onset of the 20th century it was probably the most populated German speaking country on the planet, and certainly representative of a peak of European culture. The composer Mahler lived there, as did the painter Klimt and the writer Robert Musil.
Like all old cities Vienna has a long history of gaming and gambling. There are records of the Romans playing dice and other chance based games in the area. Tablets and inscriptions have been unearthed from archaeological excavations, listing odds and stakes. The court of the Babenberg’s was supposedly filled with all manner of card games.
These days the tradition continues. The Casino Wien is a location of considerable historical interest. Even those who have no passion for gambling visit it, marvelling at its fascinating decoration and styling, which is a result of numerous rebuilds and renovations over the years. This beautiful building is situated on District one, right inside the Esterhàzy Palace, on the famous Kärntner Straße. The site has been owned by royalty since the early 15th century. Unfortunately the historical site suffered from considerable fire damage in 1968, but many say, somewhat contentiously, that this was the best thing that ever happened to it, for it attracted a large number of investors during its renovations, when it was greatly expanded into a fully fledged casino. During the 1990’s it was expanded once again, though with careful consideration of it’s historical importance. Government officials were actually on site to ensure it’s precious old empire features remained intact.
The Casino Wien draws people from all over the world – many would include it in such a prestigious list as the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut, the Monte Carlo in Monaco, and numerous sites in Las Vegas as one of the world’s great casinos. It houses nearly 100 slot machines, along with about 30 games such as, Mini French Roulette, American Roulette, Black Jack, French Roulette, Tropical Stud-Poker, Poker, Easy Poker, Red Dog, Punto Banco and Easy Hold’em. The casino has a restaurant, two bars, a Jackpot Café, and is open for 12 hours every day, from 3am till 3pm.
Approaching the Danube River you will find the Casino Admiral Prater. This is famous for having more than 500 gaming machines. Nearby is the Merkur Casino, which is owned by the Gauselmann Group, from Germany’s East Westphalia. The Casino Baden in Baden bei Wien is located in the countryside just outside Vienna. It has nearly 300 gaming machines, and about 30 table games. These include American Roulette, 7-Card Stud Poker, French Roulette, Poker, Seven Eleven, Punto Banco Wheel-of-Fortune, and of course Blackjack.
If you are in Vienna another casino you must visit is the Poker Royale Card Casino. This was constructed as recently as 2007, and is located in Wiener Neustadt. Any well travelled casino lover will know this location, as it has the proud distinction of housing the largest card room throughout Europe. A stupendous 7,200 square feet is the area of this room, which draws people from all over the world.