Vienna is Euro 08: A city is turned upside down

More Securities, less parks, many flags: As the mega event live outside Fanzone and public viewing leaves traces.

Even at the gates of Vienna announce posters, which is currently the face of the city, especially the City, characterizes the euro. "Jubilation and mood" as the guests promised the city with 280 gardens to life in flowerbeds Metallkickern football flair spread. In addition, in the Uefa stadium near and within the belt Euro 1600 official flags raised - a trifle compared to the estimated 1.5 million of those red-white-red flags, which flutter ever more cars.

A sign of hospitality to the ten oversized drinking fountains and spray stations, which recently visited much in places such as digging and Rotenturmstraße. But not only the (prescribed) anticipation, the fear of riots leave traces: the Swiss house in the Prater, at the Kohl market and the MuseumsQuartier more patroullieren Securities. There are probably other entrepreneurs on board, finally, the Euro-prevention police officer, Peter Jedelsky, all hosts have recommended that security personnel. The police also has video surveillance in the city to Stephansplatz and digging expanded, including the Wiener Linien equip major subway stations such as Sweden place with more cameras.

Park benches in the inner city remain contrary to initial considerations while the euro on Vienna's streets. Fear that they (admittedly bulky) throw projectiles could be misused, there is no more. "We are looking forward to our guests!," Said a spokesperson of the Garden City office. However, the banks are partly in Grüppchen zusammengehängt - "so that they are not so easily tip over."

The rule of thumb is: What you can throw, it away. Is it to the police and the Chamber of Commerce, will be in all Schani objects, as litter floor could be misused, the tables disappear: glass ashtrays, candle holders, salt and pepper pots. Beverages are not in jars, but in cardboard or plastic cups are served.

Even construction sites and scaffolding, according to Uefa a security risk. The logical consequence: While the euro is a construction site halt in parts of Vienna. 1st and parts of the 2nd District and the city highways, there is no work on roads. They are either broken or were - like the redesign of the Kärntnerstraße - right after the end of the Fußballspektakels applied. About the city during the euro Bauverbot imposed. Although there were individual exceptions, a spokeswoman from City-Bezirksvorsteherin Ursula Stenzel. In this case, however, those responsible - as around the stadiums also - strict safety requirements meet (surveillance by Securities, etc.) in the districts 2 to 9, there is no early June, civil-apply for building special security requirements.

Also Fiacre and markets in the city have the expected onslaught soft fan. Heroes' Square, Josef Meinrad Square and Maiden Lane in June are Fiacre-free zone (see article below). The markets at the court and on the Freyung settled on the Naschmarkt (height Kettenbrückengasse). People's castle and garden are all locked, Federal Gardens director Brigitte Mang fears about the historical and shrubs and garden architecture. The restaurants in addition to the fan zone parks are accessible.

(source; "Die Presse", print edition, 07.06.2008)