Baron Theophil Edvard von Hansen (German:[ˈteːofiːlfɔnˈhanzn̩]; original Danish name:Theophilus Hansen,pronounced[tsʰe̝oˈfiːlusˈhænˀsn̩]; 13 July 1813 – 17 February 1891) was a Danish architect who later became an Austrian citizen. He became particularly well known for his buildings and structures in Athens and Vienna, and is considered an outstanding representative ofNeoclassicism andHistoricism.[1]
Hansen was born inCopenhagen. After training with Prussian architectKarl Friedrich Schinkel and some years studying in Vienna, he moved toAthens in 1837, where he studied architecture and design, with a concentration and interest inByzantine architecture. During his stay in Athens, Hansen designed his first building, theNational Observatory of Athens and two of the three contiguous buildings forming the so-called "Athenian Trilogy": theAcademy of Athens and the National Library of Greece, the third building of the trilogy being theNational and Capodistrian University of Athens, which was designed by his brotherHans Christian Hansen (1803–1883).[2][3][4]
The Greek-Austrian entrepreneurGeorgios Sinas (1783–1856), who donated the observatory, called Hansen to Vienna in 1846, where Hansen took up an apprenticeship with noted Austrian architectLudwig Förster (1797–1863). In his early works, such as the museum in theVienna Arsenal, Hansen was still rather aligned to a more romantic style. In later years, he became the most outstanding representative of Renaissance-inspired historicism (Neo-Renaissance), which also came to be known as Viennese-style. This style extended into the smallest details of the interior design and partially accepted the courses of a synthesis of the arts.[5]
Along with Förster and many others, Hansen was one of the most important and influential architects of the VienneseRingstraße. His most famous work is theAustrian Parliament building, which was created in the style of an ancient, neo-classic temple, and serves to refer to the Greek beginnings ofdemocracy. Hansen was originally a staunch critic of the Classical style that was taught to him at the Copenhagen Academy. Over the years, however, he came to incorporate Classical elements into his forms.Bauleiter on this project was Swiss-Austrian architectHans Auer (1847–1906) who would go on to win the competition for the SwissBundeshaus.[6]
Hansen's famedMusikverein in Vienna is one of the most notable concert halls in the world; a concert hall whose design and acoustics are often admired and copied in present-day music houses.[7]
Hansen worked together with Austrian sculptor Vincenz Pilz (1816–1896) and artistCarl Rahl (1812–1865), as well as with architectOtto Wagner (1841–1918).[8][9][10]
In 1884 EmperorFranz Joseph honoured Hansen with abarony in the Austrian nobility and he was since styled "Freiherr von Hansen".[11][12]
He died in 1891 in Vienna.
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Media related toTheophil Hansen at Wikimedia Commons
