Embassy of France, Vienna

The French embassy in Vienna stands in a quiet street near the city centre, at 2 Technikerstraße. Its Art Nouveau façade rises above the surrounding buildings, a deliberate contrast to the classical architecture around it. The building was designed in 1904 by Georges Chedanne, who also created the Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Inside, craftsmen from the Gobelins tapestry works and Saint-Gobain glassworks worked with sculptors such as Hippolyte Lefèbvre and artists like Majorelle. The embassy covers 6 500 square metres and includes both offices and the ambassador’s residence. The embassy was meant to show France’s power at the start of the 20th century. After decades of neglect and ill-advised modernisation, a full restoration in the 1990s brought back its original Art Nouveau style. A local legend claims the plans were once meant for Constantinople, explaining the unusual design. Today the ambassador is Matthieu Peyraud, who took up the post in September 2024. The consular section is five kilometres north at 24 Wipplingerstraße. Visitors can admire the sweeping staircase designed by Majorelle and the crystal chandeliers by Gagneau and Daum. The walls hold tapestries woven at the Gobelins manufactory and mirrors made by Saint-Gobain. Outside, the building’s curved windows and floral motifs remain as striking as when it opened. Inside, the restored rooms show the delicate ironwork and woodwork of the Art Nouveau period. The embassy’s setting, away from the busiest streets, gives it a dignified calm.