Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
architectural ensemble, Vienna's neo-Gothic City Hall was completed in 1883 by
Friedrich von Schmidt of Cologne Cathedral fame and modelled on Flemish city halls.
From Rathauspark, where fountains dance and Josef Lanner and Johann Strauss I, fathers
of the Viennese waltz, are immortalised in bronze, you get the full-on effect of its facade
of lacy stonework, pointed-arch windows and spindly turrets. The main spire is 102m
high if you include the pennant held by the medieval knight, or Rathausmann, guarding
its tip. Tours are quite interesting, taking you through the building to see highlights like
the enormous arcaded inner courtyard and elegant banquet hall.
CHURCH
Votivkirche
(Votive Church;
www.votivkirche.at
; 09, Rooseveltplatz; 9am-1pm & 4-6pm Tue-Sat, to 1pm Sun; Schot-
tentor, D, 1, 2 Schottentor)
In 1853 Franz Josef I survived an assassination attempt when a
knife-wielding Hungarian failed to find the emperor's neck through his collar. The
Votivkirche was commissioned in thanks for his lucky escape; in stepped Heinrich von
Ferstel with a twin-towered, mosaic-roofed, neo-Gothic construction, completed in 1879.
The rather bleak interior is bedecked with frescoes and bulbous chandeliers; the Antwerp
Altar from 1460 is a prize exhibit in the small church
museum
.
Museum für Angewandte Kunst
MUSEUM
(MAK, Museum of Applied Arts;
www.mak.at
; 01, Stubenring 5; adult/under 19yr €7.90/free, 6-10pm Tue free, tours
€2; 10am-6pm Wed-Sun, to 10pm Tue, English tours noon Sun; Stubentor, 2 Stubentor)
MAK is de-
voted to craftsmanship and art forms in everyday life. Each exhibition room showcases a
different style, which includes Renaissance, baroque, orientalism, historicism, empire, art
deco and the distinctive metalwork of the Wiener Werkstätte. Contemporary artists were
invited to present the rooms in ways they felt were appropriate, resulting in eye-catching
and unique displays. The 20th-century design and architecture room is one of the most
fascinating, and Frank Gehry's cardboard chair is a gem. The collection encompasses
tapestries, lace, furniture, glassware and ornaments; Klimt's
Stoclet Frieze
is upstairs.
The basement
Study Collection
has exhibits based on types of materials: glass and ceram-
ics, metal, wood and textiles. Here you'll find anything from ancient oriental statues to
unusual sofas (note the red-lips sofa).
