Favoriten

Favoriten, 10^th district in Vienna, 31.8 km², pop. 147,636 (1991), by far the most populated district of Vienna, separated from the 4^th district (Wieden) in 1874; extended after the addition of portions of Inzersdorf, Oberlaa and Unterlaa in 1890. Contains the Laaer Berg and Wienerberg mountains. Until 1938 the Arsenal was also located here; in 1954 Rothneusiedl and the centres of Oberlaa and Unterlaa (together 9.79 km²) were added. - The name comes from the imperial summer residence Favorita. The transformation into a working-class and industrial district began in the second half of the 19^th century, when Favoriten was inhabited primarily by Czech immigrants; today there is a large number of Turkish-speaking and Serbian or Croatian-speaking residents in the heavily built-up areas.

The Süd -und Ostbahnhof stations (originally separate buildings and terminus of the "Raaberbahn" railway to Györ, Sopron and Ebenfurt), the freight railway station Matzleinsdorf, Kaiser-Franz-Joseph-Spital hospital, Arbeiterheim Favoriten (factory workers' community centre) (built in 1901/02), the Starhemberg-Kaserne barracks, built in 1911/1912 under the name Franz-Ferdinand-Kaserne and later also called Trostkaserne; Volkshochschule adult education centre (since 1962), PädAk teacher training college (1968). - Amalienbad public indoor swimming pool (1926), Laaerberg open-air swimming pool (1959). Large parks for leisure and relaxation: Laaer Berg park (WIG grounds 1974) with Oberlaa spa (1974), Laaer forest (Bohemian Prater), Wienerberg-West, Wienerberg-Ost conservation area, Goldberg, Heubergstätten. Council housing and apartment complexes of the Municipality of Vienna: Viktor-Adler-Hof (1923), Pernerstorferhof (1925/26), Jean-Jaurès-Hof (1925/26), George-Washington-Hof (1927-1930), Per-Albin-Hansson-Siedlung-West (1947-1955), -Nord (1964-1971) and -Ost, as well as Hanssonzentrum (1966-1977), Karl-Wrba-Hof (1979-1983). City development area Wienerberg-Ost.

Oberlaa parish church (1744-1746), Laaerberg church (1984-1986), St. Salvator church am Wienerfeld (1977-1979); Waldmüller park with old tomb stones (from the 18^th and19th century) at the site of the former Matzleinsdorf Catholic Cemetery; Museum of Local History (founded in 1927); Old Matzleinsdorf Protestant Cemetery (F. Hebbel is buried there); Spinnerin am Kreuz (1375, 1451/52). - Schnellbahn suburban service; eastern railway line (Ost-bahn); Südosttangente motorway.

Several industries and businesses: Ankerbrot AG bakery factory, Philips-Haus, Computer-Center (Austrian Philips Industrie GmbH), Wienerberger Baustoffindustrie AG brick works; water tower and reservoirs; administrative offices of Austrian Airlines; Business Park Vienna in the Wienerbergstraße; high-rise office buildings belonging to the firm Porr AG.

Literature: H. Tschulik, Favoriten, Wr. Bezirkskulturführer, 1985; F. Czeike, Historisches Lexikon Wien, 5 vols., 1992-1997.