The
result of an ambitious rehabilitation project completed in 2001,
The Gasometer Complex is a major attraction for visitors to Vienna.
The project involved the conversion of four large cylindrical gas
storage tanks into a residential, shopping and entertainment complex.
A short history:
The Gasometer tanks were first opened for use
in 1899 to meet the demands for natural gas in then quickly
industrializing Austria. The tanks measure 65 meters in diameter
and are 75 meters high and are situated in Simmering; one of
Vienna’s administrative districts. The plant was officially
shut down in 1986 following the advent of natural gas and the
availability of better more efficient gas storage facilities.
In an attempt to preserve the complex as an integral part of
Vienna’s history, the tanks were declared as national
heritage buildings.
Features of Gasometer Town:
The revamped complex today features; a concert
hall that can accommodate about 4,000 people, a shopping mall
with a wide selection of shops, restaurants and cafes, a movie
complex, offices, 600 apartments and student accommodation.
It is also home to the Vienna Archives.
For more information on Gasometer Town including
photos and information on guided tours, you can visit the official
website at: http://www.gasometer.org/en/