Vienna Town Hall
Every city has its own town hall, but in the Austrian capital it is a building of amazing beauty. It is located in the Inner Historical City. It is occupied by the offices of the mayor, as well as meetings of the zemstvo parliament and the city parliament are held here. The beauty of the building is especially emphasized in the evening, when the lights turn on. You can see the Vienna City Hall Tower from afar, it serves as a lighthouse for lost tourists.
Until 1885, the building where the old town hall was located, with a beautifully decorated Baroque facade, housed the local parliament, the municipal administration and the office of the mayor. After the annexation of the suburbs to the capital in the 19th century, the number of city residents increased, and the old town hall became crowded. 64 architects competed in the competition to present the best embodiment of the design project of a new building for the city administration. The winner of the competition in 1868 was the architect Baron Friedrich von Schmidt. In 1896, a monument to the outstanding Austrian and German architect was erected on the reverse side of the city hall, and Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz Square was named after him. In 1873, the construction of the building began, which lasted 10 years.
Architecture of the Town Hall
The Vienna City Hall was designed and built in the Neo-Gothic style, which is characterized by: battlements, stained glass windows, delicate details, elongated structures, columns holding arches and vaults. It was built on the model of the town hall in Brussels. The building is 152 m long and 127 m wide. On the main facade of the building, along its central axis, a risalite stands out, extending beyond the main line of the facade to its entire height. There are 5 towers on the side of the main facade: the tallest reaches 103.3 m, the other 4 towers are 65 m high. A sculpture of the iron guardian Rathausman stands on the central tower. This is a 3.5-meter statue of the guardian of freedoms and privileges. At the foot of the sculpture there is a viewing platform, which can be reached by climbing 256 steps.
The interior of the Vienna City Hall
There are 1,575 rooms and halls in the town Hall, which are illuminated by 2,035 windows. Most of the rooms are offices of officials. The 71-meter-long and 20-meter-wide main hall is decorated with figures of city dwellers who have glorified their city. One of the most luxurious and large halls is the Community Council Hall, which occupies 2 floors. A three-ton chandelier, made in 1873, hangs on the gilded ceiling. There is a 25-meter sculptural frieze, which depicts the most significant events that took place in Vienna. Annual balls are held in the Hall of Celebrations, and you can get here by several grand staircases. Under the tower there is an equally luxurious Folk Hall, made in a combination of different styles. The building has 2 libraries and 2 archives belonging to the Land Parliament and the Vienna Municipality. The Vienna City Hall has 7 small courtyards, the largest of which is the arcade courtyard. Concerts of music festivals are held here annually in the summer.
Events and excursions
More than 800 events are held annually in the town hall: festive and themed fair bazaars, culinary festivals, balls, parties, carnivals and other celebrations. Guided tours are held 3 times a week for guests of the capital and all comers, except on the days when meetings are held, on holidays, December 24, 31 and on Good Friday. The Rathauspark is located in front of the Vienna City Hall. The park covers an area of 40,000 square meters. m. Round fountains have been built in both parts of the park, and monuments of prominent personalities have been erected along the road passing through the park.
In summer, the square in front of the town hall (Rathausplatz) becomes a playground for musicians and dancers. During festivals, the square turns into an open-air cinema. In winter, an ice rink is flooded on the square, and before Christmas, the entire square is decorated with garlands and beautifully illuminated. The Christmas market in front of the town hall is considered the best in the city. When going on a tour of Austria, be sure to visit the Vienna City Hall, especially if the tour falls on public holidays.
