An imposing fortress from interwar Vienna stretches over 1,000 meters in length. What was built between 1927 and 1930 in Vienna’s 19th district, Döbling, is still considered the longest continuous residential complex in the world. Architect Karl Ehn designed the monumental complex as the central flagship of the ambitious reform program of the historic “Red Vienna.” The goal at the time was to counteract the extreme housing shortage among the working class and to create affordable living space in the Karl-Marx-Hof.
The Karl-Marx-Hof is a well-thought-out city within a city
But from the very beginning, the complex was far more than just a simple apartment block. Instead, the site functioned as a well-planned mini-city, as only about 18 percent of the total area was built up. The remaining open spaces were used to create spacious courtyards, playgrounds, and communal laundry rooms. Kindergartens, doctors’ offices, a library, and even its own post office were also directly integrated into the complex.
The complex gained tragic notoriety in February 1934 during the Austrian February Uprising. As a stronghold of the Republican Protection League, the building came under the crosshairs of the Austrofascist regime. The complex was ultimately shelled with artillery, an event that deeply anchored the building in the country’s collective memory.
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Architectural icon and showcase project for affordable housing
Today, the complex wields enormous symbolic influence far beyond the country’s borders. It stands as a built monument to social justice and embodies the foundation of the Viennese model of social housing. The terracotta-red façade, with its massive round arches and tower structures, resembles a cathedral of the labor movement. In times of rapidly rising rents, the project demonstrates that high-quality housing should be a fundamental right for all people. The Karl-Marx-Hof stands for this fundamental right and could hardly be more relevant today.
In addition, the museum “Das Rote Wien im Waschsalon” keeps history alive. It is located in one of the former laundry rooms and brings the past vividly to life.
🏢 Location: Karl-Marx-Hof
📍 Address: 1190 Vienna, Heiligenstädter Straße 82–92
🎟️ Museum admission: €5 (regular)
⏰ Museum Hours: Thu 1:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m., Sun 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
