Secession Building
Secessionsgebäude
An exhibition hall of the Vienna Secession, topped by a dome of golden laurel leaves. Its basement houses Klimt's 34-metre "Beethoven Frieze", a manifesto of the Art Nouveau movement.
The Secession Building was designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich and completed in 1898. It was the exhibition space for young artists such as Klimt who broke away from the academic tradition. The lintel bears the motto "To the age its art, to art its freedom". The dome of 3,000 gilded laurel leaves is nicknamed the "Golden Cabbage" by locals. The basement displays Klimt's Beethoven Frieze, created in 1902 for an exhibition on Beethoven. Upstairs hosts contemporary art shows. Admission is about 12 euros, and the building is closed on Mondays. It is a 3-minute walk from Naschmarkt and Karlsplatz.
Opening hours
10 am–6 pm (closed Mondays)
Nearby sights
- Naschmarkt
- Vienna State Opera
- Albertina
- Hotel Sacher & Original Sachertorte
- Kunsthistorisches Museum
- Austrian National Library State Hall
- Musikverein
- Karlskirche