One of Vienna's most fascinating buildings is the Parliament, dating from 1874 and designed by the architect Theophil Hansen.
It is located along the Karl Renner Ring, directly across from the Volksgarten, in the section of the avenue that offers the most eloquent image of the eclectic-celebratory style that spread throughout much of Europe in the late 19th century, but which is undoubtedly more evident in Vienna than anywhere else.
The Parliament's stunning neoclassical facade and imposing columns are clearly reminiscent of a Greek temple. The same style is evident in the countless statues and the marble relief of the pediment, positioned above the main entrance. In the center is Emperor Franz Joseph I, depicted as a Roman emperor, with a laurel wreath on his head and wearing a white toga.
On either side of the building is a majestic ramp, embellished with impressive sculptural groups of mythological figures and horses, while in the center, in front of the facade, stands the stunning Pallas Athena fountain, with the Greek goddess of wisdom holding a spear in one hand and a statuette of Nike, the goddess of victory, in the other.
Next to the Parliament, preceded by a large square, stands the Rathaus, or town hall, built in 1872. Although it was built at the same time as the Parliament building, it has a completely different style. The architect, Friedrich von Schmidt, preferred the neo-Gothic style, with pinnacles and spires. The tallest of the spires measures a full 100 meters in height!
If you want to find out more about these two buildings, you can take an interesting guided tour.
But if you just want to have some fun, the square in front of City Hall has been home since 1995, from November through March, to a spectacular ice-skating rink, which is aptly named the "Viennese Ice Dream".
Let me leave you with an interesting fact: regarding the depiction of Franz Joseph as a Roman emperor, his Viennese contemporaries nicknamed the work "the emperor in a nightgown". This may explain why the ruler never attended a single one of the government sessions held here.
