Antonio Ceferino Bermejo Díaz
Jun 2026
★★★★★
THIS IS A WELL-USED MULTIPURPOSE SPACE. I was there during the Comic Fair. I loved it.
Rinderverkaufshalle. Livestock Auction Hall.
In May 1877, the City Council of Vienna, the capital and seat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, decided to build the new Vienna Central Livestock Market. On October 10, 1879, the architect and general contractor Rudolf Frey was commissioned to carry out the entire project. The structural engineer and designer Guido Zampis was responsible for the construction of the auction hall. This hall, where up to 6,000 head of cattle were displayed for auction, was one of the central structures of the market. During the planning phase, the municipal administration initially requested a capacity for 5,000 head of cattle and wide aisles. Before construction began, a phased approach was ultimately adopted. In its first phase, the hall was planned to be 152 meters long with a capacity for 4,000 head of cattle. After the closure of the temporary stables still existing elsewhere in Vienna, the hall was extended to its planned length of 199 meters and a capacity for 5,350 head of cattle.
The structure is Vienna's first wrought-iron building. The pavilion consists of two separate, three-aisled halls, connected lengthwise by a covered walkway. It is characterized by its lightweight construction. Construction began on October 25, 1879, and it was inaugurated on December 2, 1880, with a final capacity for 4,500 head of cattle. In 1881, the first cattle fattening exhibition was inaugurated in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph I. The inauguration was reported in the press on January 10, 1881.
1914/1938 – World Wars
During both World Wars, the building served as barracks for horses and troops in World War I and for the army in World War II. The central cattle market was damaged during World War II and was repaired between 1947 and 1949, during which time the building's roof was completely replaced.
1999 – Used as an Event Venue
From 1999 onwards, the building, now empty and no longer functioning as a cattle exchange, was converted into an event space. The building, formerly known as a cattle exchange, thus acquired a new use that continues to this day, although it is interrupted by renovation work. In 2000, the former site of the St. Marx Central Livestock Market, including the livestock exchange, became the sole property of Wiener Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (WSE), or its predecessor Wiener Stadtentwicklungsholding GmbH (WSH). WSE carried out several structural conservation renovations in 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2004. In 2005, WSE developed a comprehensive concept for the renovation of the building's load-bearing structure and envelope. This concept was created in collaboration with specialist planners, with the aim of achieving maximum flexibility for future use. The renovation was primarily designed to accommodate specific uses for events, technology, or themed activities. In 2005, renovation work began, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the URBAN II program, and was completed in 2007. Following the renovation, the hall was once again available for event rental.
2012 – Modern Event Venue
The hall was adapted to host the temporary "Media Opera" format in 2011, and in 2012 it began operating as an event space under the new name MARX HALLE, which it still uses today. Since then, the Vienna-based production and events agency HEY-U has managed MARX HALLE as a versatile event space.