Mysterious Noise at Russian Embassy: Unauthorized Fans Disturb Neighbors
Residents of Vienna's Embassy District have been unhappy and unable to sleep for a period of time due to a high-pitched, continuous whirring noise. Viennese authorities have now identified the source of the disruptive noise: two roof fans on the building of the Russian Embassy. The roof fans, which were assumed to be the cause of the noise, were obviously not authorized.
As a noise measurement conducted by the building inspectorate last week showed, the whirring noise is coming from two fans on the roof of the embassy building on Reisnerstraße / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / C.Stadler/Bwag / CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
For months, a high-pitched, constant whirring in Vienna’s Embassy District has been causing sleepless nights and discontent among residents. The disruptive noise, the subject of conflicting reports in recent days, as reported by Vindobona.org, has now been traced by Viennese authorities to a specific source: two roof fans on a building belonging to the Russian Embassy at Reisnerstraße 45. The results of the city’s inspections are now increasing pressure on the diplomatic corps.
A noise measurement conducted by the Vienna Building Police (MA 37) revealed that the noise consistently exceeds the base level specified by ÖNORM, as reported by ORF. The assessment by the City of Vienna’s Health Department speaks for itself: For the affected residents, there is “health-relevant noise pollution and a health hazard.” Despite reports of intermittent interruptions—the APA reported on Friday that the noise had temporarily ceased at a frequency of approximately 790 hertz—residents confirmed to ORF that the disruptive noise regularly resumes after brief pauses.
The matter has now also taken on a legal and diplomatic dimension, as reported by ORF. As the responsible MA 37 confirmed, the roof fans in question were installed without official approval. However, since the embassy grounds are subject to diplomatic immunity and are off-limits to Austrian authorities, the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) was called in. It must now work through diplomatic channels to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, speculation is rife in the media and among residents about the actual purpose of the equipment. On the roof of the building in question, which is directly adjacent to a Viennese elementary school, there is a roof panel measuring approximately 20 square meters, under which, according to observations made several years ago, extensive electronic equipment was installed. Intelligence experts, however, warn against jumping to conclusions. Historian and intelligence researcher Dieter Bacher emphasized to “Wien heute” that the situation must first be thoroughly investigated before an intelligence-related motive can be assumed. The Russian Embassy has so far left inquiries about the incident unanswered or stated that it does not perceive any noise.