The Rotunde () in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

was a building erected for the

Weltausstellung 1873 Wien The 1873 Vienna World's Fair (german: Weltausstellung 1873 Wien) was the large world exposition that was held in 1873 in the Austria-Hungary, Austria-Hungarian capital Vienna. Its motto was "Culture and Education" (). History As well as being a c ...

(the Vienna

World Fair A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...

of 1873). The building was a partially covered circular steel construction, 84 m (approx. 275 ft) in height and 108 m (approx. 354 ft) in diameter. For almost one century, it was the largest dome construction in the world, larger than the Pantheon in Rome (Not until 1957 was a larger dome built; this was the

Belgrade Fair – Hall 1 The Belgrade Fair – Hall 1, is Belgrade Fair's largest exhibition space. The hall opened to the public in 1957. It was the world's largest dome between 1957 and 1965 and is Europe's largest dome. Construction The Hall 1 is constructed betw ...

, and it was only 1 m larger in diameter.) It was designed by the Austrian architect

Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer Baron Karl von Hasenauer (german: Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer ) (20 July 1833 – 4 January 1894) was an important Austrian architect and key representative of the Historismus school. He created several Neo-Baroque monuments, many around near ...

and built by the German company Johann Caspar Harkort of

Duisburg Duisburg () is a city in the Ruhr metropolitan area of the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Lying on the confluence of the Rhine and the Ruhr rivers in the center of the Rhine-Ruhr Region, Duisburg is the 5th largest city in No ...

. The Scottish engineer for the roof was

John Scott Russell John Scott Russell FRSE FRS FRSA (9 May 1808, Parkhead, Glasgow – 8 June 1882, Ventnor, Isle of Wight) was a Scottish civil engineer, naval architect and shipbuilder who built '' Great Eastern'' in collaboration with Isambard Kingdom Brune ...

, who used 4,000 tons of steel with no ties. The central building of the World Fair was accepted enthusiastically by the public. It was used for shows and fairs later on.

Alexander Girardi Alexander Girardi (pronounced ) (5 December 1850 – 20 April 1918) was an Austrian actor and tenor singer in operettas. Career Girardi was born in Graz; his father was the locksmith Andreas Girardi who had migrated to Graz from Cortina d'Ampe ...

performed a concert in this hall. In 1898 a "Collektivausstellung österreichischer Automobilbauer" (Collective Exhibition of Austrian Carbuilders) was shown during the "Kaiser

Franz Joseph Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his ...

Jubiläumsausstellung" (Emperor Franz Joseph Jubilee-Exhibition). The first four cars ever built in

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

were shown there, amongst them the car built by

Siegfried Marcus Siegfried Samuel Marcus (; 18 September 1831 – 1 July 1898) was a German inventor. Marcus was born of Jewish descent in Malchin, in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He made the first petrol-powered vehicle in 1864, while living ...

in 1888/89. The Rotunde burned down in 1937. Its former location is now occupied by a portal of the

Vienna International Fair en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

Notes

External links

Rotunde (in German)
{{Authority control Infrastructure completed in 1873 Buildings and structures in Vienna Buildings and structures in Leopoldstadt World's fair architecture in Europe