Secession

Lonely Planet review

In 1897, 19 progressive artists broke away from the Künstlerhaus and the conservative artistic establishment it represented and formed the Vienna Secession. They sought to present current trends in contemporary art and leave behind the historicism then in vogue in Vienna. Among them were Gustav Klimt, Josef Hoffman, Kolo Moser and Joseph M Olbrich (a former student of Otto Wagner). Olbrich designed the new exhibition centre of the Secessionists.

The building, which combines sparse functionality with stylistic motifs, is certainly a move away from the Ringstrasse architectural throwbacks. Its most striking feature is a delicate golden dome rising from a turret on the roof deserving of better description than 'golden cabbage,' that accorded it by some Viennese. Other features are Medusa-like faces above the door with dangling serpents instead of earlobes, minimalist stone owls gazing down from the walls and vast ceramic pots supported by tortoises at the front. The motto above the entrance asserts: Der Zeit ihre Kunst, der Kunst ihre Freiheit (To each time its art, to art its freedom).

The ground floor is still used as originally intended: presenting temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. It's an incredible achievement of modern functionality and a perfect compliment to the art: spacious, airy, bright and uninhibiting. It's amazing to think it was created over a century ago.