The Soul Of Europe In Its Coffee Houses

Coffee houses in Europe have been cultural institutions for centuries

. They serve primarily as social gathering places. European cafes serve as places to relax, for people watching, to meet friends. It was at these coffee houses where ideas, revolutions and philosophies were born as intellectuals, artists, politicians frequented these places.

Vienna, the capital of what was then the Austro-Hungarian empire was one of the first European capitals to start the cafe tradition. The cafe in Vienna was historically vital to its culture. The tradition of coffee drinking arrived in Vienna in 1683 when the Turkish army attempted to attack the Austro-Hungarian capital. Sacks of then unknown coffee beans left by the invading Turkish forces were found by the Polish army as they freed Vienna.

The cafe in Austrian culture has been instrumental to Austria's literary, artistic and medical contribution to the world. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, spent countless hours in cafes working on his innovative and unconventional theories. The painter Gustav Klimt and classical music composers such as Gustave Mahler and Strauss were regular fixtures of the cafe scene.

Viennese cafes are famous for their pastries like the Sachertorte and the Linzertorte. These decadent pastries are the quintessential treats that many Viennese indulge in to go with their cup of coffee. Such decadence harks back to the days when the Austro-Hungarian Empire's power was at its peak.

While the British have their neighborhood pubs, the French, on the other hand, have their neighborhood cafe. It is a center of one's social life, a place to unwind and relax where one can take a refuge from an otherwise hurried world. A French cafe usually has a wider range of selection since it serves not only desserts but meals as well. Parisian cafes usually have a wine list to choose from.

Like the cafes of Vienna, the ones in France have also contributed to its artistic and literary cultures. Many now famous painters like Cezanne and Picasso were regulars of the Parisian cafe scene, including such writers as Emile Zola and Victor Hugo. Cafe scenes appear on many of these painters' works as a testament to its importance in French culture.

by: Richard Louis

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