Austrian Parliament Building formerly the Reichsratsgebäude, Vienna. Photo:Jeff Gilbert
After the old city walls were torn down during the mid 19th century, a grand boulevard was created around the historic center of Vienna. Soon monumental buildings were erected along the boulevard, known as Ringstrasse. Five of those buildings were designed by Theofil von Hansen, of which the Parlament is the most monumental. Hansen had studied architecture in Athens and the Greek influence clearly shows in his design for the Austrian Parliamentary Building. The neo-classical architecture is an obvious reference to Ancient Greece, the cradle of democracy. The Parlament was constructed between 1874 and 1884 as the seat of the Reichsrat, the Imperial Parliament representing the Austrian part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Central Portico Inside are two large assembly halls which originally housed the two chambers of the Imperial Parliament: the Herrenhaus (upper house) and the Abgeordnetenhaus (lower house). In 1918, after the fall of the Habsburg Empire, parliamentarians declared the creation of the Republic of Austria. During the Second World War, the building was severely damaged. Reconstruction was completed in 1956. Today the building houses sessions of the Nationalrat (National Council) and the Bundesrat (Federal Council). The imposing structure is dominated by the central portico with eight monumental Corinthian columns. Sculptures on the tympanum depict Franz Joseph who grants his subjects a constitution. Wide ramps lead to the portico. At the foot of the ramps are statues of Horse Tamers, while the eight more statues on the balustrades show historians from the Antiquity: four Greek historians on the left ramp and four Roman historians on the right ramp. The building is decorated on all sides with many more statues and friezes (together more than 100) and four sculpture groups of chariot riders adorn the roof of the Parlament.
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Parliament Vienna, Auerspergstrasse 9, Vienna, 1080Austria
Photo credit: © Jeff Gilbert / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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