Vienna City Hall: Explore the Neo-Gothic Rathaus in Vienna

The construction of the Vienna City Hall commenced in May 1872. By 1873, the perimeter walls were completed up to street level, and the foundation stone was laid on June 14, 1873.

The Vienna City Hall is a Gothic Revival building, designed by Friedrich von Schmidt. It is characterized by its central main facade with a large tower and four smaller side towers, complemented by open arcades on the ground floor.

German architect Friedrich von Schmidt won the commission for the new city hall in 1868. His design for the Gothic Revival building was constructed between 1872 and 1883.

The final stone of the Vienna City Hall was placed on September 12, 1883, coinciding with the bicentennial celebration of the 1683 victory over the Ottoman invaders, marking the building's external completion.

The City Council officially moved into the newly constructed Vienna City Hall on June 23, 1885, after the building's external completion.

The construction of the Vienna City Hall, costing about 14 million florins, was financed jointly by the City of Vienna and the Imperial-Royal (k.k.) government, symbolizing the rising confidence of the bourgeoisie.

During World War II, the Vienna City Hall sustained significant damage from bombing. The building was rebuilt by the mid-1950s, with interior renovations finalized in the early 1970s.

The tower of the Vienna City Hall underwent restoration between 1958 and 1959. During this period, a carillon was installed and played for the first time on May 31, 1958.

Between 1979 and 1984, the four smaller towers of the Vienna City Hall were restored. This work was followed by the cleaning of the main tower’s facade from 1984 to 1988.

The ceremonial hall of the Vienna City Hall was fully renovated and completed by December 14, 1999.

From 2012 to 2023, the facade of the Vienna City Hall underwent extensive restoration, including the refurbishment of natural stone, replacement of doors, gates, window grilles, and stained glass.

The Rathaus is a Neo-Gothic building with Renaissance elements, featuring a central Risalit with a large tower and four smaller side towers, complemented by open arcades on the ground floor.

The 98-meter high main tower of the Vienna City Hall is crowned by the Rathausmann, a symbolic figure of Vienna, and is flanked by statues of Emperor Franz Joseph I, Rudolf of Habsburg, and Duke Rudolf IV.

The facade of the Vienna City Hall is adorned with numerous statues, including representations of strength, justice, and professions like printers, merchants, and physicians, as well as historical figures and coats of arms.

The Festsaal on the first floor of the Vienna City Hall is Austria’s largest historic hall, designed with a Renaissance-style barrel vault and decorated with relief portraits of composers and statues of historical figures.

The Council Chamber in the Vienna City Hall, renovated in 1964, features a gilded coffered ceiling with rosettes, a large chandelier designed by Friedrich Schmidt, and frescoes depicting significant moments in Vienna's history.

The central Arcaded Courtyard of the Vienna City Hall has been a venue for public events, including the Vienna Festival, and since the 1990s, a major site for balls such as the Life Ball (1993–2019), Europe’s largest charity event for AIDS relief.

The new city hall was planned for a location on the Josefstädter Glacis, a former restricted area that had served as a parade ground, chosen in 1870 following interventions by Mayor Cajetan Felder.