Palace of Justice

The Palace of Justice

The Vienna audio-guided tour leads you before the Palace of Justice, a vast Neo-Renaissance building that houses the Supreme Court of Austria. In this district, majestic monuments follow one another almost without interruption.

The seat of Austrian justice

Built from 1875 on Schmerlingplatz, a stone's throw from the Ring, the palace was commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph I, who inaugurated it six years later. Besides the Supreme Court, it houses the higher regional court and the regional court of Vienna. In 1927, during the July Revolt, the palace burned and lost its library, then the third largest law library in Europe. Rebuilt in the early 1930s, it was given an additional floor.

What there is to see

Bombed during the Second World War, the palace lost its roof and its glass dome, since restored during several renovations. Inside, the great central hall, bright and monumental, is one of the most impressive in the city. The building illustrates the institutional history of Austria, from the Habsburgs to the Republic.

Practical information

The Palace of Justice is on Schmerlingplatz, near the Ring. As an active judicial building, interior access may be subject to conditions and security checks; some parts, such as the great hall, are sometimes accessible depending on the day and hours. It is best to check before visiting.

What institution sits at the Palace of Justice ?

It houses the Supreme Court of Austria, as well as the higher regional court and the regional court of Vienna.

What happened to the palace in 1927 ?

During the July Revolt of 1927, the palace burned and lost its law library, one of the largest in Europe at the time.