SOCIETY 383

EVENTS
WELCOME TO AUSTRIA
As a dynamic and attractive association for spouses of
diplomats and international civil servants accredited to
Austria, Welcome to Austria regularly organizes trips,
get-togethers and events for its international members.
A retrospect.
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Visit to the newly renovated parliament
After almost five years of renovations, the
Austrian Parliament has reopened its doors
in January 2023. For its members, Welcome to
Austria organized an exclusive tour through the
historic building.
The international guests were led through the
beautiful Parliament building, which was first
inaugurated in 1883. The plans came from Theophil
von Hansen, one of the famous architects in those
days. After more than 130 years of almost uninterrupted
operation, the building had reached the end
of its technical lifespan and had to be renovated.
Almost 55.000 m 2 of space, 740 windows, 600
historic doors, 500 original lusters and lamps are
just some of the impressive numbers with which
the assigned architects Jabornegg & Pálffy had to
deal. Besides the restoration of all that and the
technical and thermic renewal, they implemented
a cupola of glass above the big assembly hall with
the enormous caliber of 28 meters and a surface
of 550 m 2 . Jabornegg & Pálffy engaged more than
hundred companies from all over Austria to fulfill
the various tasks.
The members also had the chance to see the
impressive art collection which consists of a
number of contemporary artworks that have been
created specifically for the renovated Parliament,
revolving around themes of democracy, human
rights and politics.
A café, a bistro, the cantina and the fine dining
restaurant, all called “Kelsen”, named after Hans
Kelsen, who has written the Austrian federal
constitution in 1920, are now open to the public as
well. From the four terraces, the members
of Welcome to Austria enjoyed the
beautiful view over Vienna at the
end of the highly professional
and interesting guided tour.
The Austrian
Parliament during
renovations
The pillars of democracy of the
Austrian Parliament
Welcome to Austria members at
the guided tour
The newly renovated
plenary hall
Asparagus Cultivation
and Degustation
Welcome to Austria member Ria Mayrhofer-
Grünbühel graciously hosted an Asparagus
lunch for Welcome to Austria members in
her home in Leopoldsdorf, Marchfeld, in Lower
Austria. International guests were invited to see
how to peel and cook fresh white asparagus
and to enjoy a typical Asparagus lunch. This was
followed by a visit to an asparagus farm and a tour
to the fields guided by an asparagus grower.
1 WA-Members on
the terrace of Ria
Mayrhofer-Grünbühel
after having visited
an asparagus farmer
nearby.
2 The freshly cut
asparagus
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