Vienna City Hall

The Vienna City Hall is the Gothic Revival town hall of Vienna, located on the Rathausplatz off the Ringstrasse. It was designed by Friedrich von Schmidt and built between 1872 and 1883. The building houses the offices of the Mayor of Vienna and the city and state government. Its 98-meter tower is crowned by the Rathausmann, a symbolic figure of Vienna.

Don't miss

• The 98-meter tower crowned by the Rathausmann, a symbolic figure of Vienna
• Three equestrian sculptures above the central tower entrances: Emperor Franz Joseph I, Rudolf of Habsburg, and Duke Rudolf IV
• The Festsaal, Austria’s largest historic hall, with a Renaissance-style barrel vault and relief portraits of Mozart, Haydn, Gluck, and Schubert
• The Volkshalle on the ground floor, featuring vaulted ceilings, tracery windows, and portrait reliefs
• The central Arcaded Courtyard, which hosts events during the Vienna Festival and was the venue for the Life Ball (1993–2019)

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Vienna City Hall

Cheapest way inLight of Creation Votive Church4.8★ · 496 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$26 per personSee dates →Most bookedVienna Classical Concert at St. Peter’s Church4.7★ · 2,299 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$45 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleVienna: Silver Tour (30 min) Vienna City Center Sightseeing Tour4.7★ · 19 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$29 per personSee dates →

Getting there

Know before you go

• The city hall is located on Rathausplatz, off the Ringstrasse, in the Innere Stadt district.
• The Rathaus is set to be the site of the future U2xU5 U-Bahn station.

A bit of history

Vienna's rapid expansion in the 1850s made the old city hall inadequate. After the city walls were demolished to build the Ringstrasse, a competition for a new city hall was held in 1868. Friedrich von Schmidt won the commission. Construction began in May 1872, the foundation stone was laid on 14 June 1873, and the final stone was placed on 12 September 1883. The City Council moved in on 23 June 1885. During World War II, the hall sustained significant damage from bombing and was rebuilt by the mid-1950s. The facade underwent restoration from 2012 to 2023.