Vienna Secession: A Must for Art Lovers

Near the Naschmarkt intersection stands the Vienna Secession, built in 1898 as an exhibition building for the artists' association of the same name, formed around Gustav Klimt. Joseph Maria Olbrich designed the cubic building with its striking gilded dome of laurel leaves, which quickly earned it the nickname "golden cabbage head" among Viennese locals.

The Beethoven Frieze at Its Heart

In the building's basement, Gustav Klimt's Beethoven Frieze is on permanent display, a monumental mural created specifically for a 1902 exhibition. The frieze ranks among the most significant works of Viennese Art Nouveau and is closely tied to the building's history.

A Motto Carved in Stone

Above the entrance, the Secession bears the motto "To every age its art, to art its freedom", a statement of artistic independence that still guides its programme today. As a pure exhibition house without a permanent collection, the Secession continually shows contemporary art and sits just steps from the Naschmarkt.