![]() ![]() In the winter months, the loggia is glazed with a special structure The names of the architects are also immortalized here The ceiling of the loggia with frescoes by Moritz von Schwind Only the front part of the building survived, which had already been bricked up for security reasons. On March 12, 1945, the US Air Force hit the opera house during a bomb attack that was originally intended for the Floridsdorf refinery. The new theatrical season was not opened any more, the propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels ordered to close all theaters on the territory of the Reich. The beautiful vestibule decoration Rich decorations with the busts of famous composers No one at that time knew that the scenic remark about the hall falling apart in the flames of fire at the end of this musical work symbolically foresaw the future of this historic building. On June 30, 1944, the last performance before the summer break was played – Wagner’s opera Twilight of the Gods. During World War II, the opera was still in operation. The greatest flourishing time was under the leadership of Gustav Mahler in 1897 – 1907 when a generation of singers was replaced and Mahler introduced various practical reforms. The inhabitants of the capital of the monarchy have become accustomed over time, the opera has gradually built up its reputation. The Emperor was so shocked by the architect’s suicide that since then he always used to say the same at any opening ceremony: “It was nice, I was very pleased…” ![]() His colleague August Sicard died of tuberculosis two months later. Eduard van der Nüll didn’t endure this mockery and committed suicide. Only two visits by Emperor Franz Joseph I to the opera are documented The imperial lounge was preserved in its original conditionĮven the Emperor said that the opera was sitting somehow low. ![]() What happened? Based on the initial errors in the construction plans, the level of the Ringstrasse had to be raised, making the opera look like a “versunkene Kiste” – a sunken box, as the local people said. They thought the monumentality and dignity of the opera house were not shown enough. However, neither of the architects attended this opening night. The new building began its history on with the premiere of Mozart’s Don Giovanni opera which was attended by Emperor Franz Joseph I. The 109-bulb central chandelier weighs 2.5 tonnes The chandelier offers a Phantom opera view (but actually, they replace the burnt-out bulbs from here)Īn architectural competition was announced for its construction in which the project of two Austrian architects – Eduard van der Nüll and August Sicard, in the style of French Neo-Renaissance, won. The opera house was the first public building on this ring street. The Ringstrasse, which today many call the most beautiful boulevard in the world, was opened in 1865. Andreas Groll: The opera building in a construction process in 1865, © Wien Museum Karlsplatz informed about the city’s development plans – about the intentions to break down the useless walls and rebuild the area into a splendid street as Paris or Barcelona had already done long ago! From the very beginning of this project called Ringstrasse (Ring Boulevard), it was determined what should be built here: an opera house, an imperial archive, a library, a city command office, and also museums and galleries for the rich imperial collections, residential and rental houses, gardens and parks. On December 25, 1857, the newspaper Wiener Zeitung surprised its readers with a letter from Emperor himself, which began with the legendary phrase: “Es ist meine Wille…” (It is my will). Nevertheless, it still was not allowed to build at the glacis in the summer it turned into a dusty wasteland and in rainy weather, it became a muddy slurry. When Napoleon marched into Vienna in 1805, the weathered walls would hardly survive his howitzers. Although the city fortifications proved to be useful during the siege of Vienna by the Turks, they gradually lost their importance. It provided a clear view so that the approaching enemy could be spotted immediately. Along the walls, there was a strategic free area of 300 meters, the so-called glacis. In the Middle Ages, the town was surrounded by the walls built by the Babenbergs in the 13th century. This habit seems to have been preserved from the time when the visit of the inner city was connected with “crossing border”. “How is it possible?”, a stranger wonders as the person has already been in the city. “I’m going to town,” says a Viennese, located outside the Ringstrasse, but still inside Vienna, and intends to go to the 1st district. ![]()
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