Author in library

Urban Stories

Based on an idea by Wilhelm Gockner, stories by Simon Kovacic

 

Urban (from Latin urbanus, 'belonging to, or relating to, a town or city', from urbs 'city')

"Urban Sketchers" is a worldwide community of artists who draw pictures of the places they live in or travel to. "Urban Stories" tell stories about the City of Vienna.

Drawing: Man in the reading room of the Vienna City Library

My world from the past … and from the future

When I was young, there was no internet yet. At least not in my world. I´m not a grandfather telling his children about the good old days. However, I'm old enough that I still handed in my first papers at university in a handwritten way. And as a first-ye
13.4.2021
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Drawing: People spending time in Türkenschanzpark (park in Vienna´s 18th district)

Margerita´s parade

ErwinIt was Monday, November 2nd, 2020 in the early afternoon. Erwin, a Viennese-born passionate waiter who had lost his job due to the pandemic, sat in his small flat in Vienna´s 18th district Währing* and strung toilet paper rolls in the colours white,
3.12.2020
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Drawing: Attractions and hustle and bustle in the Viennese amusement park called Prater

A very quiet attraction

A female couple is standing arm in arm under the Ferris wheel waiting for the world-renowned iron construction to start spinning. "A very quiet attraction", one of the two women say. She is wearing a black T-shirt, bright red trousers and has blond hair.
15.9.2020
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Drawing: Well-attended municipal open-air swimming pool

Municipal swimming pool veterans

There is always something happening at my grandma´s and grandpa´s home in Wiedenhoferhof. They have the greatest balcony in the world. All day long we can look down at the "Kongreßbad" over some high trees. We also see when boys or girls climb over the fe
1.7.2020
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Drawing: People strolling along the Danube Canal

Distance, concern, routine, help

"I think I have seen enough", Sarah said and switched off the TV, automatically picked up her smartphone but put it aside straight away and even stood up to place it somewhere where she couldn´t see it. Stefan sat on the sofa still viewing the screen wher
1.4.2020
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Drawing: Street scene in the shared space zone Lange Gasse

Rendezvous in the shared space zone

Adrian from London, a tall and handsome 45-year-old unmarried man, visited a congress in Vienna. It was spring, warm and sunny. For Adrian it was more important to spend several consecutive days in Vienna, the city of his childhood and youth, than attendi
4.3.2020
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Drawing: View from the huge flight of stairs of Vienna's Main Library over the roofed Urban-Loritz-Platz

Magic of Christmas in the Main Library

I have always had the feeling that there is something special about the tarps that are stretched over large sections of the Urban-Loritz-Platz as a protection against rain, sun, and snow. To me they look like bat wings had inspired the architects. One nig
2.12.2019
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Drawing of market stands on Vienna's Brunnenmarkt

The fountain on the Brunnenmarkt

I live in the Brunnenviertel in Ottakring in the 16th district of Vienna, which in the Western part of the city extends to the hills of the forest Wienerwald. There is a Brunnengasse and a Brunnenmarkt.Until recently I never thought of fountains or wells
22.7.2019
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Urban Sketch of Wientalterrasse

"And we all communicate with each other", the crab said

 This terrace in Vienna which sits right on top of the underground train, do you know it? I am referring to this big wooden terrace between the fifth and the sixth district under which the U4 is speeding along and that has this brook right next to it in a
8.5.2019
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