Beautiful, but deaf
The grand new hall of 1888 looked stunning, but from many seats you could hardly hear or see the stage. It was rebuilt in 1897 to fix the sightlines and acoustics.
Urban Tales › Vienna › Burgtheater
Burgtheater: the history, and the theater that forgot the audience
Founded by Maria Theresa in 1741 and moved to the Ring in 1888, the Burgtheater is one of the most important German-language stages. Its first new hall had a flaw nobody expected. Here's what you're looking at.
Founded1741
On the Ring1888
Reopened1955
CeilingsKlimt & Matsch
Hear the Burgtheater story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
1
2
Klimt's early work
Before his golden period, Gustav Klimt painted ceilings over the side staircases with his brother Ernst and Franz Matsch. He included a self-portrait among the audience at Shakespeare's Globe.
3
Rebuilt after the war
Bombs and a fire in 1945 gutted the building. It reopened in October 1955, the year Austria regained its independence.
TipJoin a guided tour to see the staircase ceilings; look for Klimt, in a ruff collar, in the Globe Theatre painting. With Urban Tales running, the theater's story plays as you reach the Ring.
Nearby landmarks
Burgtheater: common questions
How old is the Burgtheater?
It was founded in 1741; the current building on the Ring opened in 1888.
Did Klimt paint in the Burgtheater?
Yes, ceilings over the side staircases, with his brother Ernst and Franz Matsch, in the 1880s.
Can you tour the Burgtheater?
Yes, there are guided tours most days.