The Austrian Parliament Building, (German: Parlament or Hohes Haus, formerly the Reichsratsgebäude), is where the two Houses of the Parliament of Austria conduct their sittings. The building lies at the Ringstraße in the first district Innere Stadt in Vienna, close by the Hofburg Imperial Palace and the Palace of Justice. Coordinates: 48°12′29″N 16°21′29″E / 48.20806°N 16.35806°E / 48.20806; 16.35806 The main construction lasted from 1874 (138 years ago) to 1883 (129 years ago). The architect responsible for the building was Baron Theophil von Hansen, the building is an example of Greek revival. The architect von Hansen designed the building as an ensemble, where each piece harmonised with the rest. He was therefore also responsible for the interior decoration such as statues, paintings, furniture, chandeliers, and other elements. One of the building's most famous features is the statue of Athena and the fountain, a notable Viennese tourist attraction. Despite heavy damages and destruction during World War II, most of the interior has been restored to its original appearance. The parliament building covers over 13,500 square meters, making it one of the largest structures on the Ringstraße. It was constructed to house the two chambers of the Reichsrat, the legislature of the Austrian part (Cisleithania) of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today, the parliament building is seat of the National Council (Nationalrat) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). It contains over 100 rooms, the most important of which are the Chambers of the National Council, the Federal Council and the former imperial House of Representatives (Abgeordnetenhaus). The building also includes committee rooms, libraries, lobbies, dining-rooms, bars and gymnasiums. It is the site of important state ceremonies, most notably the swearing-in ceremony of the President of Austria and the state speech on National Day on each Oct. 26. The building is very closely associated with the two Houses, as shown by the use of "Hohes Haus" as a metonym for "Parliament". Parliamentary offices overspill into nearby buildings such as the Palais Epstein.

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