Unesco for Viennese coffee houses

Selected coffee houses in Vienna will be putting up the Unesco label in November to mark them as part of Austria's intangible cultural heritage.

It is not yet certain which coffee houses will be able to use the logo on their façades and marketing material but there are about 100 being considered. The short list includes Hawelka, Landtmann, Prückel, Cafe Goldegg and Cafe Sperlhof.

The Viennese Coffeehouse Owners' Club has outlined a number of criteria to be used in the selection, such as furnishings, menus and service, as well as the provision of newspapers, live piano music and billiard tables.

The Viennese Coffee House culture, which dates back to the late 17th century and which has left an indelible mark on the city's history and culture, has been described in the Unesco report as a place "where time and space are consumed but only coffee is found on the bill.”

See Intangible Cultural Heritage in Austria for more details. The Viennese coffee houses were awarded the Unesco intangible cultural heritage status in 2011.