Entertainment
Musikverein
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The Musikverein is a concert hall in Vienna's Innere Stadt district, known for its Great Hall (Golden Hall) which is considered one of the best concert halls in the world, especially for Classical and Romantic music. It has housed the Vienna Philharmonic since its opening in 1870.
Don't miss
- The Golden Hall (Great Hall), a 'shoebox' hall 49 m long, 19 m wide, and 18 m high, with 1,744 seats and standing room for 300
- The Brahms Hall, a Greek Renaissance-style chamber music hall praised for its peacefulness and simple grandeur
- Four underground halls added in 2004: Glass, Steel, Wooden, and Stone Halls, each with distinct acoustic and design features
- The historic pipe organ, originally installed in 1907 by Rieger Orgelbau and rebuilt in 2011
- Annual venue for the Vienna New Year's Concert
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit Musikverein
You can usually visit on your own. A tour is worth it for transport, a guide, or combining nearby sights into one day.
Cheapest way inVienna Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone4.2★ · 61 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$12 per personSee dates →
Most bookedVienna Classical Concert at St. Peter’s Church4.7★ · 2,299 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$45 per personSee dates →
Top ratedBest of Vienna : Historic Center Walking Tour4.9★ · 1,918 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$89 per personSee dates →Getting there
A bit of history
Emperor Franz Joseph I granted land for the concert hall during the 1863 construction of the Vienna Ring Road. Designed by Danish-born architect Theophil Hansen in the Neoclassical style of an ancient Greek temple, it opened on 6 January 1870. Major donors included industrialist Nikolaus Dumba and Simon Sinas.
Common questions
What is the best way to get to the Musikverein?
The main entrance is on Musikvereinsplatz, between Karlsplatz and Bösendorferstraße, behind the Hotel Imperial on Kärntner Ring.
What makes the Golden Hall's acoustics so special?
The narrow 'shoebox' shape, thick plaster walls, and multiple diffusing surfaces create warm, rich, and clear sound, based on architect Hansen's intuition.
Are there smaller performance spaces?
Yes, the Brahms Hall is the second largest, and four underground halls (Glass, Steel, Wooden, Stone) were added in 2004 for versatile events.
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