A financial earthquake. That is what some called the stock market crash of 1873 that shook Vienna and the world. But before we delve into that dramatic episode let’s admire the magnificent building before us: the Wiener B\u00f6rse, or Vienna Stock Exchange.
This impressive structure wasn’t the first home of Vienna’s stock exchange. The stock exchange had nine locations since its official founding in 1771. Before this building, the exchange operated from various private locations. For a time it was at Freyung 2. Then it moved to a temporary building on Schottenring.
The decision to construct a dedicated building came in 1861. The B\u00f6rsekammer acquired land for 180,000 Gulden. By 1869, space was critically tight. Theophil von Hansen’s grand plan was approved. It involved acquiring more land. It also meant taking out a loan of five million Gulden. Visitor numbers surged from around 1,000 per day in 1867 to over 3,200 in 1873.
The building of the B\u00f6rsegeb\u00e4ude began in 1873. Theophil von Hansen and Carl Tietz designed it in the Neo-Renaissance style. This style was typical for the Ringstra\u00dfe. Hansen was also working on the Parliament building at the same time.
The construction took four years. In 1877, the Vienna Stock Exchange finally opened. Emperor Franz Joseph I himself visited the new building. Moritz Freiherr Wodianer von Kapriora, president of the B\u00f6rsekammer, gave him a tour. Before the official opening, the public was invited to view the building. The great hall was brightly lit. Archduke Friedrich even had to cancel his visit due to the crowds. Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil and his wife also visited.
The main hall and side rooms housed the stock exchange. Maria Theresa founded it in 1770. The building also housed a casino and the Chamber of Commerce. The Oriental Museum opened on the first floor before 1880. The Museum of Austrian Folk Culture opened in the B\u00f6rsegeb\u00e4ude in 1897.
However, the B\u00f6rsegeb\u00e4ude has also seen its share of misfortune. In 1945, a bomb severely damaged the northeast corner. Offices were destroyed and the meeting room was wrecked. After World War II, the great hall was used as an exhibition space. A major fire in 1956 damaged about two-thirds of the building including the stock exchange hall. The facade remained mostly intact.
The interior was renovated between 1956 and 1959. The stock exchange hall was not rebuilt. Instead, it became an inner courtyard. The Vienna Stock Exchange moved back into the building in 1959. In 1998, the Vienna Stock Exchange moved back to Strauchgasse.
From its construction until 2001, the B\u00f6rsegeb\u00e4ude was the seat of the Vienna Stock Exchange AG. Today, it is a popular landmark on the Ringstra\u00dfe. Its halls are rented for events. The upper floors are used as office space. There is also a restaurant and a flower shop. Karl Wlaschek’s foundation owns the building.
The Austrian Post issued two special stamps. One commemorated the 100th anniversary of Theophil Hansen’s death in 2013. The other celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Vienna Stock Exchange in 2021. Both stamps featured historical images of the old Vienna Stock Exchange building. The B\u00f6rsegeb\u00e4ude stands as a testament to Vienna’s financial history. It is also a reminder of the city’s architectural grandeur.