The Secession Building is a landmark of Vienna and a symbol of the artistic movement that broke away from the traditional style of the 19th century. The building was designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich and completed in 1898. It features a striking golden dome made of 2,500 laurel leaves and a motto that reads «To every age its art, to art its freedom».
The Secession Building is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. The ticket price is 12 euros for adults and 9 euros for students and seniors. Children under 10 years old can enter for free. You can also buy a combined ticket with the nearby Leopold Museum for 20 euros.
To get to the Secession Building, you can take the subway line U1, U2 or U4 and get off at Karlsplatz station. Then walk for about 10 minutes along the Operngasse street until you reach the building. Alternatively, you can take the tram line 1 or 62 and get off at Paulanergasse station, which is right in front of the building.
Some tips for visiting the Secession Building are:
- Book your ticket online in advance to avoid queues and save time.
- Don’t miss the Beethoven Frieze, a masterpiece by Gustav Klimt that depicts scenes from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. It is located in the basement of the building and requires a separate ticket of 5 euros.
- Join a guided tour to learn more about the history and significance of the building and the artworks inside. Tours are offered in English and German every Saturday at 11 am and cost 3 euros per person.
- Respect the prohibitions of photography, smoking, eating and drinking inside the building.
Some of the highlights of the Secession Building are:
- The main hall, which showcases temporary exhibitions of contemporary art by local and international artists.
- The Ver Sacrum room, which displays original posters, magazines and documents from the Secession movement.
- The garden, which features sculptures by Anton Hanak and Ludwig Sturm.
