Vienna Rathaus

Friedrich von Schmidt designed Vienna's City Hall in the neo-Gothic style because he wanted to invoke the great medieval town halls of Flanders and Belgium — the places where European civic democracy first flourished, independent of kings and emperors. Built between 1872 and 1883, the Rathaus was a deliberate counterpoint to Hansen's Greek Parliament just down the Ring: two buildings, two visions of democracy, competing for the skyline.

The central tower rises 98 metres and is topped by the Rathausmann, a knight in armour holding a lance and banner. At 3.4 metres tall, he's become an unofficial symbol of Vienna — the figure you see on beer mats, tourism posters, and the city's coat of arms merchandise. The tower was deliberately designed to be shorter than the nearby Votivkirche's 99-metre spires, because a regulation prohibited secular buildings from being taller than churches. Schmidt's solution was to put the Rathausmann on top of the tower, making the overall structure 101.3 metres. Rules were followed. Rules were also subverted.

The Rathausplatz in front is Vienna's largest public events space and transforms throughout the year: a Christmas market in winter with over a hundred stalls, a film festival in summer with free outdoor screenings, an ice-skating rink, and political rallies of every persuasion. The Arkadenhof — the internal courtyard — hosts free summer concerts, from classical to jazz to pop.

Inside, the grand staircase and council chambers are open for guided tours, and the ceremonial halls are where Vienna's official events take place, from citizenship ceremonies to state receptions. The building is still the working seat of the city government, which means the politicians sitting in Schmidt's Gothic chambers are literally surrounded by a 150-year-old argument about what democracy should look like.