Rathaus (City Hall), Vienna

Rathaus (City Hall), Vienna (must see)

Vienna City Hall鈥攁 place where both the municipal government and the legislative assembly get down to business. By no means a dull office block, this neo-Gothic showstopper was built between 1872 and 1883 by architect Friedrich von Schmidt, who, rather humbly, now stands in a statue form just behind the building, keeping an eye on things from his very own square.

Drawing inspiration from the medieval architecture of Flanders and Brabant, the City Hall flaunts five towers like a crown. The tallest of them pierces the skyline at 98 meters, topped with the "City Hall Man"鈥攏ot a superhero, but close... Clad in armor inspired by Emperor Maximilian I, this statue has been watching over Vienna since 1882 and has become something of a local mascot.

Inside, the building doesn鈥檛 just rest on its aesthetic laurels. There's the "City Hall Cellar"鈥攁 grand baroque dining hall where you can dig into proper Viennese culinary classics without a hint of modern guilt. 鈥淪chnitzel under chandeliers? Yes, please...鈥�

The fa莽ade is a sculptural buffet in its own right, brimming with emperors, virtues like Power and Justice, and even good ol鈥� Vindobona, the Roman forebear of Vienna, lounging surrounded by heraldic flair. Think of it as Vienna鈥檚 resume carved in stone.

And on the flanks is a lineup of statues dedicated to trades and professions鈥攂ecause in this city, bakers, builders, and bookbinders all get a standing ovation in stone!

Now, if you're feeling adventurous (and are in good shape), brave the 331 steps up to the central tower that鈥檚 worth every groan from your knees. Your reward will be the sweeping views of Vienna in all its baroque-meets-modern glory鈥攑lus bragging rights for conquering the city one stair at a time. Trust us鈥擵ienna looks even better from above.

Tip:
For the inside scoop, join the free German-language guided tour on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1 pm. Not fluent in German? No problem鈥攁udio guides are available in multiple languages. Just be ready to temporarily part ways with your passport. The view鈥攁nd the tales鈥攁re absolutely worth it.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Rathaus (City Hall)
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Vienna Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Vienna, Austria

Create Your Own Walk in Vienna

Creating your own self-guided walk in Vienna is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Vienna Introduction Walking Tour II

Vienna, the former capital of the once mighty Austro-Hungarian Empire, is the second largest city in the German-speaking world after Berlin. Steeped in history, today's Vienna is still much revered for its cultural grandeur. The abundance of it, manifested in imperial palaces, diverse museums, and historic churches, beckons annually over 6 million guests from around the world.

One of the... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles

Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour I

Vienna鈥檚 flirtation with Art Nouveau鈥攌nown locally as Jugendstil鈥攗nfolded in the late 19th, early 20th centuries. The so-called Vienna Secession movement, which emerged in 1897, was led by a group of rebellious artists and architects like Otto Wagner, Gustav Klimt, and Koloman Moser, who turned their backs on historicism in favor of bold, modern aesthetics. As the new language for buildings,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

Johann Strauss Walking Tour

Throughout the entire 19th century, Vienna was a hub of cultural and musical activity, particularly in the realm of classical music, to which Johann Strauss and his father, Johann Strauss Sr., contributed greatly.

Strauss, the son had a personal connection with Vienna deeply rooted in its cultural fabric. Not only was he born here and spent most of his life, but also he achieved tremendous... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles

Vienna Old Town Walking Tour

Vienna鈥檚 Old Town鈥攖he historic core of Austria鈥檚 capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site鈥攊s where cobblestones gossip, rooftops sparkle, and emperors still seem to whisper from the walls. Indeed, this is the kind of place where every alley seems to have a PhD in European history.

Once wrapped in medieval walls鈥攂efore they rolled out the grand Ringstrasse boulevard in the 19th... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles

Old Town Churches Walking Tour

"Vienna is the city of miracles and music" 鈥� Whoever said that must have emphasized Vienna's close association with the Christian faith. The intertwining of Christian heritage and artistry in the Austrian capital finds expression primarily in its magnificent churches.

Sitting at "the crossroads of Christian traditions", Vienna is home to various Christian... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles

Old Town Chocolate Stores

Vienna is famous for its love for sweet indulgence. And when it comes to chocolate, it stands tall among other locally-made mouth-watering confections.

Vienna's chocolate scene is deeply rooted in a rich culinary tradition. It has been sustained by several historic chocolate houses, located in the Old Town, that have been serving decadent treats for generations.

Landmark... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles

View all walking tours in Vienna, Austria

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