The shoebox
The Golden Hall is long, narrow and tall, a shape later called a shoebox. With wooden floors, a hollow space under the stage and lots of decoration to scatter the sound, it was built before acoustics was a science.
Urban Tales › Vienna › Musikverein
Musikverein: the history, and the hall built like a shoebox
Home of the Vienna Philharmonic and the New Year's Concert, the Golden Hall is often called the best-sounding concert hall in the world. Here's what you're looking at, and what to listen for when you get there.
Opened1870
ArchitectTheophil Hansen
Golden Hall seats≈ 1,700
New Year's Concertsince 1939
Hear the Musikverein 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
Golden women
The gilded caryatids along the walls are more than decoration: their curved surfaces help spread the sound evenly across the hall.
3
The concert on every screen
The Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert, played here every New Year's Day, is broadcast to around 90 countries.
TipEven without a concert ticket, the guided tour lets you stand in the Golden Hall; notice how quietly a voice still carries. With Urban Tales running, the building's story plays as you reach Karlsplatz.
Nearby landmarks
Musikverein: common questions
Why is the Musikverein's Golden Hall famous?
For its acoustics, among the best in the world, and as the home of the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert.
Can you visit the Musikverein without a concert?
Yes, on a guided tour.
Who designed the Musikverein?
Theophil Hansen; it opened in 1870.