A residential complex with four different addresses? Clearly this could only be one of Vienna’s showcase social housing sites: the Karl-Marx-Hof on the Hagenwiese meadow in Döbling. The impressive super-construction stylistically and vicariously represents the red social housing era from 1919 to 1934. And it’s exactly this “Red Vienna” which celebrates its 100-year anniversary in 2019.
Totally monumental
Welcome to the Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarl-Marx-Hof!
This, the loooooooongest single residential building in the world, boasts a few impressive facts and figures. The Karl-Marx-Hof is about 1,100 meters wide and originally housed over 5,000 residents in 1,382 apartments. Its trademark? The monumental arches and massive towers crowned by four ceramic figures. The architect Karl Ehn, a former student of Otto Wagner, faced a great challenge when the planning started. Because the narrow property had to be optimally utilized without impacting the residents’ quality of life. And just like that, he created a masterpiece that few others could pull off: about 18% of the 150,000 m² property was developed. The rest of the surfaces are entirely covered by green spaces and interior courtyards. This “city within a city” had numerous communal amenities. In addition to laundry facilities, baths and its own kindergartens, it also housed medical practices, coffee shops and even its own post office. The Karl-Marx-Hof was a model for many large-scale buildings – and still is.
The museum on the premises has been beating the drums for the red municipal structure since 2010. In the Laundry Room, the focus is on exhibitions and tours on the history of the building as well as the actual construction activities, the educational and cultural offers and the festival culture of this epoch. Current developments from the here and now are also woven into the exhibitions and you can sense that the former shower bath is much more than just a museum. So be sure to head to Döbling! This monumental building will certainly astonish and impress you.
If you can’t get enough of Red Vienna, click here for more Information and Events.
Karl-Marx-Hof
Heiligenstädter Strasse 82-92
1190 Vienna
Laundry Room Karl-Marx-Hof
