While some buildings are known for their soaring heights and others for their historical importance, few can rival the sheer scale of Europe's longest. Stretching almost a mile, this massive structure has provided homes to thousands for nearly a century and witnessed a dramatic chapter of history during a brief civil war.
The building in question is the Karl-Marx-Hof in Vienna, Austria, currently regarded as the longest residential building in Europe. At 1,100 metres (around 1,200 yards), it spans four tram stops: Gunoldstraße, Heiligenstadt 12.-Februar-Platz, Halteraugasse, and Grinzinger Straße.
Designed by architect Karl Ehn, the Karl-Marx-Hof was constructed between 1927 and 1930 as part of a significant social housing initiative launched after World War I. The project aimed to tackle severe housing shortages in a city struggling to provide affordable homes for working-class families.
The vast complex originally contained 1,382 apartments, providing homes for more than 5,000 residents. The apartments varied in size, ranging from 30 to 60 square metres. But Karl-Marx-Hof was more than just a place to live; it was a self-sustaining community. The building boasted two laundries, two bathhouses, a post office, a maternity and infant welfare centre, a library, a dental clinic, a pharmacy, doctors' offices, and multiple shops.
Remarkably, only 18.5 per cent of the building's 156,000 square metres were used for construction, leaving the rest dedicated to gardens, courtyards, and playgrounds. The complex quickly became known for its striking red-brick design and fortress-like appearance.
