Secession Building

In 1898, Olbrich designed the Secession movement’s Secession Building; its most striking feature is the enormous golden sphere (prosaically described as a ‘golden cabbage’ by some Viennese) rising from a turret on the roof. Above the door are highly distinctive mask-like faces with dangling serpents instead of earlobes. The motto above the entrance postulates: ‘Der Zeit ihre Kunst, der Kunst ihre Freiheit’ (To each time its art, to art its freedom). The 14th exhibition held in the building, in 1902, featured the famous Beethoven Frieze by Klimt. This 34m-long work was intended only as a temporary exhibit, but has been painstakingly restored and is permanently on show in the basement. The frieze shows willowy women with bounteous hair jostling for attention with a large gorilla, while slender figures float and a choir sings. The ground floor is still used for temporary exhibitions of contemporary art.