Linz Central Station

Postcity: A Splash of Color Before Demolition

The facade of the station post office—a testament to the architectural culture of the early 1950s—with its striking clock tower is also being embellished with street art.(Bild: Marlene Nemeth / Calle Libre)

Street art instead of gray concrete: Since late August, graffiti artists have been brightening up the facade of Postcity at Linz Central Station. It’s set to draw attention one last time with large murals before the wrecking ball comes. There will also be celebrations: On September 18 and 19, there will be music, workshops, and guided tours here. Admission is free.

Since late August, four national and international artists have been working on the striking facades of Postcity—or what’s left of them. Part of the building complex at Linz Central Station is already being demolished as part of the Westring construction project.

But there are still walls, and Viennese street artists are now making use of them: Spectacular murals are currently being created on a total area of approximately 2,235 square meters, exploring themes such as the future, communication, and urban transformation.

Street Art for Everyone
Behind this initiative is the “Calle Libre” festival, which is otherwise based in Vienna’s Döbling district. Now, for the first time, it’s also taking place in Linz. On September 18 and 19, it invites everyone interested to Postcity. On these two days, visitors can not only admire the completed murals but also enjoy a colorful program with free admission.

A total of four street art artists are working on the facade(Bild: Marlene Nemeth / Calle Libre)

Neighborhood Gets a Complete Makeover
The choice of PostCity as the venue was a deliberate one: The historic building was once Upper Austria’s postal distribution center and later served as a major venue for the Ars Electronica Festival. Now, before its planned urban redevelopment, it is being brought to life artistically once again.

A Linz landmark could be demolished
The facade of the train station post office—a testament to the architectural culture of the early 1950s—with its striking clock tower will also be embellished with street art. Although it is essentially a recognizable Linz landmark, it is set to fall victim to the wrecking ball.

On the site of the former mail sorting center, a completely new neighborhood is set to be built in the coming years (expected to be completed by 2033). The plans include eleven high-rises, apartments, offices, and retail space, as well as green spaces and open areas right next to the main train station—as we’ve already reported.