Otto Wagner (Penzing near Vienna 1841-died Vienna, 1918) studied in both Berlin and Vienna. He was put in charge of the general plan for Vienna, under the authority of the City Hall's Higher Committee for Construction. The principal objective was to set up a railway system and to control the Danube River. He was the mentor of Josef Hoffman and Josef Maria Olbrich. At the end of the century, during the Secession of Vienna, he worked on a number of projects, including houses for Linke Wienzeile, the Zeit telegraph office and the Postal Savings Bank (Postsparkassenamt). He was also the designer of the Steinhof Church and the second Wagner villa, among other buildings.