Media discourses always consider Vienna as a 'cultural city'. This study shows how such a perception is skilfully shaped by political constructions of cultural imaginaries in and of the city. The book unveils how simplistic cognitive interpretations of culture not only define an unquestioned, reductionist idea of the city's cultural character - it also explains how these imaginaries influence the recent urban development practice in one of Europe's globalizing cities.

Johannes Suitner (Dipl.-Ing. Dr.) holds a PostDoc position at the Department of Spatial Planning, TU Wien. He engages in research and teaching activities along Planning History and Planning Cultures, Cultural Planning and the Politics and Policies of Urban Development.