Vienna City Hall

The Rathaus is the seat of Vienna's municipal government, a vast neo-Gothic palace on the Ringstrasse completed in 1883. Its central tower rises almost a hundred metres and is crowned by the Rathausmann, an armoured iron figure that has become a symbol of the city. Behind the arcaded facade lie ceremonial halls used for concerts and balls. The square in front, planted with trees and lined with statues, hosts the Christmas market, a summer film festival and an ice rink through the winter, making it one of the busiest public spaces in the city.