POSTAL SAVINGS BANK (POSTSPARKASSE)
This square building was constructed in the purely functional style characteristic of Otto Wagner's second period.
This huge square building, built between 1904 and 1906 in the purest functional style characteristic of the second period of Otto Wagner, is often considered the masterpiece of this great architect who left his mark on the Viennese physiognomy. The Postsparkassenamt was erected during a construction project lasting several years at the beginning of the 20th century. Otto Wagner was responsible for the architecture as well as the furnishings and interior design. The facade built of weather-resistant granite and marble slabs and the rustproof aluminium of the nails (some 17,000 nails!) joining them together was a technical innovation at the time. Otto Wagner used this process both indoors and outdoors, especially for the balustrades and ornamental figures on the roof, the door frames and the hot air vents in the checkout hall. For the rest, the reinforced concrete gives the grey tone. The cashier's hall, which is very bright thanks to a system of glass canopies, is enchanting and stands in stark contrast to the sober, geometric exterior. Otto Wagner has designed and taken care of every detail of the decoration. The cylindrical blower radiators and the supporting columns with their painted reliefs are proof of this. At the two corners of the main facade, on Othmar Schimkowitz's aluminium acroteria, one cannot miss the large winged angels, more than 4 m high, which dominate the building with their splendour and their rigid attitude.
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