Heinrichsgaβe No. 1, Zinshaus des Herrn A. M. Ruβo c. 1860s

This black and white photograph titled "Heinrichsgasse No. 1" captures a street scene in 19th-century Vienna, though its maker is now unknown. The image is of a grand, multi-storied building, owned by a Herr A. M. Ruβo. The photograph encapsulates Vienna's rapid urban expansion and economic transformations during the period. Buildings like this one reflected new commercial ventures, like the business ‘Carlo Cie Simonetta & Co', which were a sign of burgeoning capitalism. We can see the city’s modernization through construction work on the building. Despite its apparent objectivity, photography was rarely neutral. It was often commissioned by urban authorities to record the changing face of the city and became an instrument for managing Vienna’s social and economic growth. To fully understand the image, we need to consult local archives, construction records, and business directories. These kinds of historical resources help us to see how the city itself became a subject of intense social and institutional change.