Musikverein

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Musikverein, 2004

The Musikverein in Vienna, Austria was opened on January 6, 1870, and is famous for its acoustics. It is considered to be one of the three finest concert halls in the world, along with Boston's Symphony Hall and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw. The Musikverein is home to the Vienna Philharmonic.

The concert hall was built by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Society of Friends of Music) which had been given the land by Emperor Franz Joseph. The building soon came to be known simply as the Musikverein ("music club"). A historic organ was installed in the Konzerthaus by the Austrian firm Rieger in 1907.

The Musikverein at night, January 2005

Goldener Saal

The Wiener Philharmoniker Gold coin

The Großer Musikvereinsaal, or Goldener Saal (Golden Hall), is forty-eight metres long, nineteen metres wide, and eighteen metres high. It has 1,744 seats and standing room for 300. Every year on January 1 the Vienna New Year's Concert is held here.

Since 2001, the building has been undergoing renovation, and several new rehearsal and concert halls have been installed.

Concert Hall	Size	Height	Seats
Großer Musikvereinsaal (Goldener Saal)	48,8 x 19,1 m	17,75 m	1744 seats and ca. 300 for standing
Brahmssaal	32,5 x 10,3 m	11 m	600 seats
Gläserner Saal/Magna Auditorium	22 x 12,5 m	8 m	380 seats
Metallener Saal	10,5 x 10,8 m	3,2 m	70 seats
Steinerner Saal/Host Haschek Auditorium	13 x ~8,6 m	~3,3m	60 seats

The Musikverein is so popular and famous, that has been the motive of one of the world's most famous bullion coins: the Vienna Philharmonic coin. The coin is struck in pure gold, 999.9 fine (24 carats). It is issued every year, in four different face values, sizes and weights. It is used as an investment product, although it finishes almost always in hands of collectors. According to the World Gold Council, this coin was the best selling gold coin in 1992, 1995 and 1996 world wide.