Visiting Vienna

All those who meet German for the first time enjoy the thought of government offices being called rat houses. For the record, Rat means “advice,” “counsel” or indeed “council,” while the German for rat is Ratte.

Vienna’s Rathaus is indeed the seat of the provincial and city government (Vienna is both a city and a state), housing hundreds of hard-working — and possibly some not-so-hard-working — officials.

More important to the visitor, though, is the Rathausplatz, the square in front of the building, which hosts various important events throughout the year.

The current occupier of the Rathaus is the elected mayor, Michael Häupl from the Social Democrats. Given the city’s prosperity and long tradition of social democratic rule, the only thing he or his party have to worry about at elections is how big their majority will be.

The building itself opened in 1883, based on a neo-gothic design by Friedrich Schmidt, who was also a resident architect at St.Stephen’s Cathedral.

The story goes that Schmidt wasn’t allowed to build the tower higher than the Votivkirche (a church erected a couple of years earlier in thanks for the failed assassination attempt on Emperor Franz Josef in 1853). To get round the restriction, he built the tower lower by about one meter, but topped it with a 5.4m statue. Sneaky.

The building has over 1500 rooms and 2000 windows, some of which are put to excellent use in the period leading up to Christmas. A charity project puts valuable works of modern art up in the windows facing the Rathausplatz, sponsored by large companies and with appropriate lighting. The result is a large and tasteful, real-life advent calendar.

Opposite the Rathaus, on the other side of the Ring, is the famous Burgtheater. To see the view from the Rathaus towers, take a peek at this webcam. Assuming there’s enough light, you’ll see the Rathausplatz in the foreground, the theatre behind and the city center in the background.

Of the various events hosted on the Rathausplatz, three stand out.

In late November and December, the Christkindlmarkt is Vienna’s largest Christmas market featuring dozens of stalls selling arts, crafts, decorations, toys and a range of seasonal refreshments, such as roast chestnuts and Christmas punch. Don’t pass up the chance to visit, since the combination of market ambiance and the lit-up Rathaus is unforgettable.

From late January to early March, the Rathausplatz turns into a 3500m² ice rink for the so-called Eistraum. There’s also a stage with live acts, and no Vienna event would be complete without a wide selection of stalls selling food and drink to keep the cold at bay.

Then in summer there’s the Rathaus Film Festival. A huge screen shows films with a musical theme, such as the great operas and ballets, as well as more contemporary jazz performances. And, again, the attractions of the celluloid screen are enhanced by a range of culinary delights from around the world. It’s hugely popular on a balmy summer evening.

Address: Rathaus, Friedrich-Schmidt Platz, 1010 Vienna
Website: http://www.wien.gv.at/english/cityhall/

This entry is filed under Entertainment, Historical, Special events.