Vienna Landmarks Switch Light Off Earlier
Due to the energy crisis, the lighting of many Viennese landmarks and institutions will be switched off earlier - for example at St. Stephen's Cathedral and Schönbrunn Palace. At the Hofburg, on the other hand, the lighting concept is still being tweaked to "avoid security problems".
Electricity and Energy is now saved in Vienna, there will be less lighting this winter. / Picture: © © NIPAS / Helmut Prochart / Bildrecht / 2022
Saving energy is now a priority for Vienna's landmark. For example, energy is being saved at Vienna City Hall, Schönbrunn Palace and St. Stephen's Church on Vienna's Stefansplatz.
Before the Viennese city hall shines the Christkindlmarkt, which saves as reported by Vindobona.org also energy. However, the building itself will not be illuminated this year. Only the main tower is illuminated.
Saving energy has long been a focus at Vienna's Schönbrunn World Heritage Site. "We have already had savings measures in heating and lighting since 2002," said Herbert Polsterer, the technical director of Schönbrunn Palace, according to ORF. Now they have been tightened up.
"The latest measures are that we don't turn on the effect lighting at the Gloriette and the palace," Polsterer said, according to ORF. Only during the Christkindlmarkt the lighting is turned on, at 21.30 clock, half an hour after closing, is turned off.
The city of Vienna also regulates the lighting of the churches. They are illuminated until midnight, like the exposed Wotruba Church. "We are happy when churches are highlighted. But if energy-saving measures make it necessary to switch off earlier, we understand," said architect Harald Gnilsen of the Archdiocese of Vienna, according to ORF.
Vienna's cultural institutions are also saving electricity. At the Ronacher and Raimund Theater, the lights are turned on later. "We start lighting our houses about an hour before the audience is admitted so that people can see there is a performance tonight," said Franz Patay, managing director of Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, according to ORF. Half an hour after the end of the performance, the lights are turned off again.
The Burghauptmannschaft, which includes more than 300 buildings, such as the Hofburg and museums, is still fine-tuning a lighting concept. "You have to be careful there because we want to avoid dark corners, which can be a safety problem," said Christian Gepp, spokesman for the Burghauptmannschaft, according to ORF.. "We also want to ensure the traffic safety of the squares so that, for example, the stepped areas are well-lit."