Ringstrasse, Vienna

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The Ringstrasse is the part of Vienna I like most for its architecture and I don't know a city in Europe showing such an ensemble of beautiful buildings. The Ringstrasse is not one single street; it is a succession of large avenues with monumental buildings, parks and luxury hotels.

It starts in the north with the Votivkirche, University and Rathaus at the Dr. Karl Lueger Ring, continuous at the Dr. K. Renner ring with the parliament. Architecture is all neo-something: neo-gothic, neo-classic, neo-baroque.
Then comes the top with the Burgring with views on the Neue Burg and the two museums KHM and NHM at the Maria-Theresia platz.
Let's continue with the Opernring and the Opera to end at the Park ring. You can do the walk in day-time but also in the evening (Wien is a rather safe town).

This is a beautiful example of Greek Revival architecture, outside and inside the harmony is evident. It is huge and really impressive. It took almost ten years to build.

Originally it was built to house the Imperial Council. It is the largest building on Ringstraße boulevard and located near the Palace of Justice and the Hofburg.

It has served through years of peace and war but since 1918, meetings of the National and Federal Parliament have been held here.

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The Austrian Parliament looks like an old greek temple, but in fact it dates back to the end of the 19th century and was constructed by Theophil Hansen as a part of the Ringstrassen-architecture. You may visit the parliament with a guided tour and after the reconstruction-works that ended in 2005 they even have a shop for parliament-souvenirs there. Take a closer look at the great monument of Pallas Athene and various fine details, like the door-handle on one of my pictures. The entrance-hall is beautifully decorated with mosaiques and even the street-lamps are decorated with swans and sculptures out of the greek mythology.

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Burgtheater is one of the oldest stages in the german-speaking world, but the building that you see today dates back to the year 1888 and was built by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer.
Even when you are not interested in attending a theatre-performance there it makes sense to walk around the building and see some of the great architectonical sights - some of them are shown on my pictures : The lamps at the entrance are made by sculptured eagles, all of the facades are decorated with great stucco-works showing famous actors, poets or characters of famous plays...
Take a look also at my last picture, it is the base of a street-lamp in front of Burgtheater.

The new Townhall doesn`t look so new as the architect who built it in the late 19th century wanted it to have a neo-gothic appearance. This style was quite popular then as it symbolized the gothic late middle ages, when major cities in Germany and Austria gained a measure of freedom and independence from feudal overlords. Today it is the seat of the Vienna mayor and other public institutions. Located at the Ringstrasse.

In the mid-19th century the "Ringstrasse" was built, encircling the Inner City of Vienna. Along the ring you find many major sights of Vienna, like the Hofburg (Imperial Palace), the Burgtheater, the Parliament, the City park, the Museums of Fine Arts and Natural History, and the New Town Hall. The most interesting part of the "Ring" between the Hofburg and the New Town Hall is easily walkable.

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The Central Tower is 98 m high.
A three-meter-high statue of Alexander Nehr crowns it.
This statue is very special to the residents of Vienna.
It’s an imitation of the statue of Emperor Maximilian I.
That statue is kept in Neue Hofburg.
Maximilian's statue has long been one of the symbols of Vienna.

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This magnificent building built in 1873 in Neogothic style is the place of pilgrimage of lots of tourists from all over the world, especially in summer when film festivals and concerts are held. There is a huge screen at the building wall and you can see different films in the evening.
You can listen to different concerts in Arkadenhof (Arcade Court) in the courtyard of the City Council building.
At the approaches to the Rathaus you can see on both side of the road in the park a great number of small cafes with national banners of the countries they represent: Croatia, Germany, Italy, Cuba, etc.
You can sit at a cafe and taste the dishes of the national cuisine there.

Vienna's Rathaus is an elaborate gothic confection which you certainly can't miss. It stands on it's own platz, with the Burg Theatre opposite and this part of the Ringstrasse is about as impressive as it gets. At Christmas the Rathaus is one of the city's principal festive showpieces. Immediately to the front stands the 150-year old spruce Christmas tree with no less than 1000 lights illuminating it. In front of this there is a crib and then the 143 stalls of the Christmas market. As if this wasn't enough all the trees growing in the platz are also decorated. This year the lovliest was the Herzerlbaum - tree of hearts, hung with 280 glowing red hearts . The town hallhas seven courtyards and these are open to visitors without any retrictions. To visit the inside, however you must take a guided tour. These tours are free and take place Monday, Wednesday and Friday ( except during council sessions and holidays). Groups must register in writing a month in advance.

I had the chance to see Mozart sculpture - white, pompous. Opposite to this sculpture there is green place with flowers, and the form of tremble clef. Mozart’s life popularized Vienna as a town of musicians.