Rathauspark, Public park in Innere Stadt, Vienna, Austria.
Rathauspark is a public green space in Vienna's Innere Stadt district with two symmetrical sections separated by a central square that opens toward City Hall. A network of winding paths connects the zones, with benches positioned throughout for rest and observation.
Rathauspark was created in 1873 on the initiative of Vienna mayor Cajetan Felder, replacing the former imperial parade ground on the Josefstädter Glacis. City gardener Rudolph Siebeck laid it out in two symmetrical sections around fountains, after Felder rejected Friedrich von Schmidt's plan for low plantings and monumental fountains. The park was finished for the Rathaus cornerstone ceremony on 14 June 1873.
The park's two halves each centre on a fountain, and the grounds are drawn into the events on Rathausplatz: the Vienna Ice Dream rink, an annual film festival and the Rathaus Christkindlmarkt, the city's central Christmas market. Monuments ring the lawns, with Johann Strauss II, Josef Lanner and Joseph Lanner honoured among the statues.
The park is easily accessible by multiple public transportation options from central Vienna and features plenty of seating along its winding paths. Its central location makes it a convenient stop for visitors exploring the inner city.
The oldest tree in the park is a London plane planted in 1783, predating the park itself; it stands 30 metres tall with a crown 21 metres across and a trunk circumference of 6 metres. A copper beech was planted for the 50th anniversary of Emperor Franz Joseph I's reign, and the exotic trees are labelled for identification.
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