Secession Building

The Secession Building (German: Secessionsgebäude) is a contemporary art exhibition hall in Vienna, Austria, and one of the most significant structures of the Austrian Secession style, a branch of Art Nouveau (Jugendstil). Completed in 1898 by architect Joseph Maria Olbrich, it stands in the Innere Stadt district on Friedrichstraße, near Karlsplatz. The building was conceived as an architectural manifesto for the Vienna Secession, a group of rebel artists who broke away from the established fine arts institution to pursue new artistic freedoms. Today it remains an artist-run kunsthalle focused on international contemporary art, while also preserving one of the era's most celebrated artworks, Gustav Klimt's Beethoven Frieze.

The Vienna Secession was founded in 1897, and the building was constructed in 1897-1898 after plans for a site on the Ringstraße fell through. According to the German Wikipedia, Josef Engelhart reportedly made a personal appeal to Mayor Karl Lueger, after which the municipal council resolved on 17 November 1897 to grant a plot near the future Wienzeile by the Academy. The location was connected to the city's regulation of the Wien River and redesign of Karlsplatz, though plans for an allée between Karlskirche and the Secession Building remained incomplete. The building was largely financed by the members of the Association of Visual Artists of Austria, with significant support from Karl Wittgenstein, father of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. During World War II, the building suffered bomb damage, and retreating Wehrmacht soldiers set fire to tires stored inside, causing the steel roof structure to collapse and destroying large sections of the exterior walls. Post-war looting compounded the losses. Reconstruction lasted until 1964, with Josef Hoffmann responsible for the interior design. A renovation led by Adolf Krischanitz took place in 1985-86, and from August 2017 to September 2018 Krischanitz directed a major facade and dome restoration costing 3.5 million euros, with the city of Vienna and the federal chancellor's office each contributing 1.2 million euros and the remainder coming from the Secession and private donors. This work included making the Beethoven Frieze accessible by elevator, reconstructing Koloman Moser's destroyed wreath-bearer figures, and creating a new event space.

The Secession Building functions primarily as a kunsthalle rather than a traditional museum with a permanent collection. Its programming centers on international contemporary art, presented through temporary exhibitions. The institution's historical identity as a venue for cutting-edge, non-academic art continues to define its mission. The building itself, as an architectural manifesto, remains integral to its identity as a space for artistic freedom and experimentation.

The most significant work associated with the Secession Building is Gustav Klimt's Beethoven Frieze, created in 1902 for a temporary exhibition and now installed as a permanent loan from the Belvedere in the basement level. This 34-meter-long work is one of the most widely recognized artworks of the Secession style. The building's decorative program also constitutes a collective artistic achievement: Georg Klimt designed the bronze entrance doors; Robert Oerley created the mosaic bowls flanking the entrance stairs; Koloman Moser designed the six owls on the side facades and originally created a procession of wreath-bearing women for the rear facade; and Othmar Schimkowitz executed the three gorgons above the entrance representing painting, sculpture, and architecture. Arthur Strasser's bronze statue of Mark Antony, originally made for the 1900 Paris World's Fair, stands beside the building and is colloquially known as the 'Löwenfiaker.' The building's appearance on Austrian currency, including the national side of the €0.50 coin and a 100 euro commemorative gold coin issued in November 2004, further attests to its cultural significance.

Joseph Maria Olbrich's design deliberately subverted classical conventions, resting on eight-meter concrete pillars that extend down to the underground course of the Wien River. The structure's smooth walls and cubic form earned it the derisive nickname 'Assyrische Bedürfnisanstalt' (Assyrian convenience). Its golden dome, a leaf-work of gilded and painted wrought iron, references Karlskirche and was nicknamed 'Krauthappel' (cabbage head) by the public; another popular name was 'die vergüldte Kool' (the gilded cabbage). The laurel is the central decorative motif throughout, with thousands of gilded laurel leaves and hundreds of laurel berries forming the dome. Above the entrance, the movement's motto appears in golden letters: 'Der Zeit ihre Kunst. Der Kunst ihre Freiheit' (To every age its art, to every art its freedom), a phrase coined by Ludwig Hevesi. To the left of the door stands the Latin motto 'Ver Sacrum' (Sacred Spring), the title of the association's art journal, expressing hope for a new flowering of art. The building has been selected to appear on Austrian currency, including the €0.50 coin and a 100 euro commemorative coin.

The Secession Building is located at Friedrichstraße in Vienna's first district, Innere Stadt, near the edge of Karlsplatz and the beginning of the Naschmarkt. It is operated by the Vereinigung bildender Künstler Wiener Secession (Association of Visual Artists Vienna Secession). The building is open to the public for exhibitions, with the Beethoven Frieze accessible in the basement. The 2017-2018 renovation improved accessibility by installing an elevator to the Beethoven Frieze level. Visitors can find further information at the institution's website, https://www.secession.at/.