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Clock Tower at City Hall


Clock Tower at City Hall
Photo Information
Copyright: Alli Hemingway (annagrace) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 447 W: 15 N: 518] (3421)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-07
Categories: Architecture
Camera: Olympus C-4000Z
Exposure: f/5.0, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Clocks [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-09-15 15:59
Viewed: 841
Points: 8
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This photo was taken through the courtyard at City Hall in Vienna. The City Hall is one of the most splendid amongst the numerous monumental buildings along Vienna's. Designed by Friedrich Schmidt (1825-1891), it was erected between 1872 and 1883. The architecture of the Ringstraße is dominated by historicism. In Historicism various stylistic elements of the past were combined into a style in its own right. Friedrich Schmidt however orientated himself just on one particular epoch. The City Hall was built in gothical style, with a tower similar to gothic cathedrals. The gothic era saw the growth of the cities and the emergence of an urban burgeoisie.

Today the City Hall is the head office of Vienna's municipal administration. More than 2000 people work in the building. Visitors are stunned by the magnificent appointments of the state rooms, which frequently provide an atmospheric backdrop to various events such as press conferences, concerts or balls.

There are 331 steps to take you up the City Hall Tower which measures almost 98 meters. Two spiral staircases up 256 stone steps and then another 75 to the highest point, rising above the watchman's lookout of St. Stephen's Cathedral. Emperor Francis Joseph made it a condition that the City Hall Tower was not to be higher than the 99 meter spires of Votivkirche. So Friedrich Schmidt had to resort to a ruse to build higher still: the Tower itself is "only" 97.9 meters high. It is the Rathausmann statue placed on its top which makes it a total of 104.3 metres. (vien.gov.at)
lucbus, scottevers7, gas01ine has marked this note useful
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To gas01ine: Hi Phil!annagrace 1 10-22 16:35
To scottevers7: LOL!annagrace 3 09-16 16:02
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Alli,
Very well picture. I like the taken between church and the door.
It's Great. Maybe, there are against light with the sun, but It's very good. Great photo. TFS. Christéle (lapin malin).

Hi Alli,
Excellent shot. Beautiful framing, and the exposure is dead on..I think it could use just a slight rotation to the left to get the roofline level. Maybe 1 to 1.5 degrees. Started posting here because a friend talked me into it. I can't imagine how many great photos you have with your travel resume. I am still available to carry your bags on your next big trip!!!
Scott

Hi Alli,
Beautiful photo with a curious and pretty framing, of this monument in Vienna

A very nice shot but there a a few minor tiny things that make me crazy (you have to know that in some cases I am obsessed with symmetry and geometrics ;)
I would have made a light step to the left to have the clock tower's pike exactly pointing at the apex of the gothic arch. And maybe I would have taken the time to wait another 5mins so even the hands on the clockface would point up to the heavenly bright blue sky.
apart from that it is really a nice shot and different from the usual Vienna photographs you can find anywhere on the net.
I hope you travel soon and share some more of your photos around here!

Phil

PS: omg, I am starting to nitpick again - i just notices that you filed Vienna under "Lower Austria". Vienna, in its supreme state takes the liberty of beeing the capital of Austria, the biggest city and a federal state at once. Gee, I wish i come from there ;)

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