Exploring Austria: First Floor Confusion

The numbering of floors in a building varies across the world. In some regions, the floor at ground or street level is called the ground floor, whereas in others, such as the US, it is synonymous with the first floor. In Austria, the first floor is the floor above the floor at street level, which is the second floor in US nomenclature.

The first floor in Austria is the level above the ground floor

In Austria, the first floor of a building is typically the level above the ground floor. This is in contrast to the US system, where the ground floor and the first floor are often considered equivalent, both being at ground level.

The Austrian system is similar to that used in many European countries, where the floor at ground level is usually referred to as the "ground floor", and the floor above it is called the "first floor". This convention can be traced back to Medieval European usage.

In Austria, floors are counted differently compared to the US. So, an Austrian "first floor" could be considered a "fourth floor" according to US nomenclature. This is because old buildings in Austria might have additional floors between the street level and the first floor, such as a mezzanine or a "second mezzanine".

In elevators and on floor plans, the ground floor in Austria is often marked with a "0" or a "G", while the first floor is marked with a "1".

The ground floor is at street level

In Austria, the ground floor is at street level, and the first floor is the floor above. This is in contrast to the US system, where the first floor and the ground floor are equivalent and are at street level. The UK and Austrian convention can be confusing for those used to the US system, and vice versa.

In Austria, the ground floor is counted as the first floor in some buildings, especially older ones. This is because there might be more floors between the street level and the first floor, such as a mezzanine or a second mezzanine. So, an Austrian "first floor" could be equivalent to a "fourth floor" in the US.

In the US, the first floor is at street level

The US system of numbering is also used in Canada, China, Finland, Japan, Norway, Russia, and other ex-Soviet states. In these countries, the first floor is counted as the floor that you enter a building on, or the "ground level floor".

In the UK, the term "storey" is used to refer to any level part of a building with a floor that could be used by people. The plural of this is "storeys", which is different from the US, where the plural is "stories".

The difference in naming conventions can cause confusion in international communication. For example, a "seven-storey building" is unambiguous, although the top floor would be referred to as the "6th floor" in the UK and the "7th floor" in the US.

In the UK, the first floor is the level above street level

In the US, the first floor is at street level, and this convention is also used in some European countries, including Norway, Finland, Russia, and Sweden.

In Austria, the "first floor" is the floor above the floor at street level. This can be confusing, as it would be considered the "second floor" in the UK and many other European countries. In fact, due to the presence of mezzanine levels in older Austrian buildings, the "first floor" in Austria could be considered the "fourth floor" in the US!

In some European countries, the first floor is the level above street level

In Austria, for example, the "first floor" is the floor above the floor at street level. This means that an Austrian "first floor" could be considered a “second floor” according to the nomenclature used in the United States. The complex format of Austrian addresses, including the way floors are numbered, is regulated by the "Gebäude- und Wohnungsregistergesetz" (building and habitation registry law). This law mandates that addresses are recorded and maintained by "Statistik Austria GmbH", a fully government-owned company.

Other European countries, such as Germany, France, and Spain, also refer to the floor above street level as the "first floor." In Germany, the ground floor is called "Erdgeschoss," while the first floor is "1. Stock" or "1. Obergeschoss." In France, the ground floor facing the street is called "rez-de-chaussee," and in Spain, it is "planta baja" or "bajo."

The United States, Canada, China, Finland, Japan, Norway, Russia, and other former Soviet states typically count the floor at street level as the "first floor." This system creates inconsistencies in floor numbering, especially when compared to the European system.

Frequently asked questions