Hohes Haus, Vienna

Hohes Haus, Vienna

Hohes Haus ( Parliament Building) in Vienna stands proudly on the Ringstraße boulevard within the first district, known as Innere Stadt. It's situated in close proximity to the Hofburg Palace and the Palace of Justice. The construction of this iconic building began in 1874, with its completion occurring in 1883. The brilliant architect behind its Greek revival style was Theophil Edvard Hansen. Hansen took a holistic approach to design, ensuring architectural elements and interior decorations harmonized. His exceptional work earned him the title of Baron from Emperor Franz Joseph upon project completion.

One of the most famous features of the building is the Pallas Athena fountain positioned in front of the main entrance. This fountain, crafted by Hansen from 1898 to 1902, remains a prominent attraction for visitors to Vienna.

The parliament building sprawls across an impressive 13,500 square meters, ranking it as one of the largest structures along the Ringstraße. Inside, it houses more than one hundred rooms, with the Chambers of the National Council, the Federal Council, and the former Imperial House of Representatives (Abgeordnetenhaus) being among the most significant.

In addition, the building accommodates various committee rooms, libraries, lobbies, dining areas, bars, and even gymnasiums. It serves as a site of great importance for state ceremonies, notably hosting the swearing-in ceremony of the President of Austria and the annual state speech on National Day, which takes place every October 26th. The building is inextricably linked to the two parliamentary bodies, exemplified by the use of the term "Hohes Haus" as a metonym for the "Parliament."

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Hohes Haus on Map

Sight Name: Hohes Haus
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark

Walking Tours in Vienna, Austria

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Creating your own self-guided walk in Vienna is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Famous Homes of Vienna

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Old Town Churches Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II

Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II

Characterized by ornamental and organic designs, flowing lines, and harmonious integration of various artistic elements, Vienna's Art Nouveau architecture was aimed at breaking away from historical styles and embracing a more modern, decorative approach. The city's architects of that era sought to create an absolute work of art (Gesamtkunstwerk), where all aspects of a building's...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Vienna's Historical Music Venues

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Among the...  view more

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Vienna Introduction Walking Tour I

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A city of green parks, opulent architecture, elegant shopping, crowded theaters, and boulevards for leisurely sauntering — Austria's capital Vienna is rightfully regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The origin of its name is subject to a debate in which, some say, it came from vedunia ("forest stream"), which subsequently produced the New High German “wien”...  view more

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Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Klimt Paintings Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles

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