Stadtsäle

The Stadtsäle stand in St. Pölten on two streets, Schießstattring and Völklplatz. The protected building was designed by Richard Frauenfeld and built in 1895 for the K. K. private rifle company. A northern hall from 1882 and a 1900 extension form part of the complex. The city bought the building in 1907 and turned it into a venue. Soviet forces used it as a cultural centre from 1945 to 1955. The main building has a two-storey façade with a three-bay centre topped by a dome. A neomanierist front carries the city’s coat of arms and, above, the imperial double eagle. The northern hall and its 1900 annexe remain. In the mid-1950s architects Paul Pfaffenbichler and Reinhard Pfoser added a south foyer. A mural by Maria Sturm on Andreas-Hofer-Straße shows ball scenes and song evenings. Today the Stadtsäle belongs to the Cityhotel Design & Classic. The central hall still holds events. The neomanierist front and the dome are clearly visible from Völklplatz. Inside, the foyer and the mural recall the 1950s redesign. The building links St. Pölten’s late-historicist past with its modern hotel life.