Vienna City Hall

Just opposite the theatre stands Vienna’s beautiful City Hall. It feels like every building in Vienna is part of a beauty contest — each one trying to be more majestic, more ornate, and bigger than the last! You may think that this Gothic city hall looks more like a cathedral than a government building… Maybe that’s because its architect also designed the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. He was inspired by the Brussels Town Hall, a fine example of Flemish Gothic architecture. The building was completed in the 19th century, along with the other monuments lining the Ring. At the top of its tower stands the Iron Knight statue, rising 98 metres high, representing one of the city’s symbols. The central balcony has a darker history too: it was built for Adolf Hitler, who gave a speech there on April 9, 1938, after Nazi Germany annexed Austria. Today, though, the square in front of City Hall is full of life. During winter, the square hosts the city’s Christmas market and a vast outdoor ice rink. As for the summer months, there’s an open-air cinema with free film screenings and beer stands dotted around. You can also stroll through the gardens to see statues of several key figures from Vienna’s history. The City Hall is a protected building, and one of Austria’s national cultural heritage sites.