How high is the Vienna City Hall? Who was the architect and when did the first meeting take place? Where was the seat of the mayor of Vienna located in the past? Since when has the office of mayor existed in Vienna?
Austria has nine federal states. Vienna is thus both the federal capital and a federal state. Here in the Vienna City Hall, the largest building along the Ringstrasse, is the seat of the Mayor of Vienna . The architect Friedrich von Schmidt (previously cathedral architect in Cologne) created the neo-Gothic building at the end of the 19th century. in the course of the construction of the Vienna Ringstrasse. Construction time was from 1872 to 1883 and it is one of the largest buildings on the Vienna Ringstrasse.
The tower of the town hall should not be higher than the Votivkirche with 99m. The height of the tower of the town hall is also not more than 97.9m, however, was tricked and the town hall man (a total of 6m high iron figure) placed on the tower. When the wind is strong, you can see the town hall man swaying back and forth.
The interior of the town hall impresses with the ceremonial staircase and various large ceremonial halls, where waltzes are often held. The City Hall and the square also serve major events, such as the Life Ball, Vienna Ice Dream, Film Festival, Vienna Festival Weeks, Christkindlmarkt (the largest Christmas market in Vienna), New Year’s Eve Trail . The City Hall Park is adorned with many statues and fountains.
Where was the town hall located in the past? In the center of Vienna, at the address Wipplingerstrasse 8, you can find the Old Town Hall together with the Salvator Chapel . For about 700 years, the venerable building served as the city hall and district office of the city of Vienna . The baroque portal in the style of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach dates from around 1700. Georg Raphael Donner built the beautiful Andromeda Fountain in the courtyard.
On June 20, 1885, a session of the Vienna City Council was held for the last time in the Old City Hall before it met for the first time on June 23, 1885, in the New City Hall on the Ring, which had been structurally completed in 1883 .
Today, concerts and readings are still held in the old baroque hall of the Old Town Hall . The building houses the Municipal District Office for the 1st and 8th districts, the Innere Stadt District Museum and the Documentation Center of the Austrian Resistance . The latter can be visited free of charge and takes you back to the time of World War 2.
The mayor’s office was first explicitly mentioned in the town charter in 1340 . The neo-Gothic form was deliberately chosen for the construction of the town hall, since the 13. and 14th century meant the upswing of the bourgeoisie . The town hall is very reminiscent of Flemish town halls. The city hall in Brussels was the model . However, the floor plan also features baroque palace architecture with the many courtyards. Ringstrasse architecture is most easily described as historicism , as this basically combines all architectural styles from earlier artistic periods . The architects did not invent a new style, but simply mixed existing styles in their architecture.
Behind the town hall is Friedrich Schmidt Square in honor of the architect. One statue
adorns the square.
Time Travel Tip:
There is a tourist information center behind the town hall. The free house tours, which are highly recommended and provide insight into the administration of the City of Vienna, also begin there. Of course, you will also see the most beautiful halls of the town hall.
More info: Vienna City Hall – Administration, Information and Events
