Austria, Vienna Rathaus - City Hall Exterior, HD Video Tour - Wiener Rathaus

Austria, Vienna Rathaus - City Hall Exterior, Short HD Video Tour - Wien, March 2012.

The Rathaus was designed by Friedrich von Schmidt in the Gothic style, and built between 1872 and 1883. On the top of the tower is the Rathausmann, one of the symbols of Vienna. Facing the Rathaus is a large park, the Rathauspark. There are 331 steps to take you up the City Hall Tower which measures almost 98 [m]. Two spiral staircases up 256 stone steps and then another 75 to the highest point. Emperor Francis Joseph made a condition that the City Hall Tower was not to be higher than the 99 [m] spires of Votivkirche. So Friedrich Schmidt had to resort to a ruse to build higher still: the Tower itself is "only" 97.9 [m] high. It is the statue of Rathausmann placed on its top which makes it a total of 104.3 [m].