Palace of Justice

You can’t walk 5 minutes without passing a significant monument in Vienna, especially in this district. The Neo-Renaissance building in front of you is Vienna’s Palace of Justice, home to Austria’s Supreme Court. Emporer Franz Joseph I ordered its construction in 1875 on Schmerlingplatz, just two steps away from the Ring, and officially inaugurated the Palace 6 years later. Along with the Supreme Court, the Higher Regional Court and the Regional Court for Civil Matters are also in session here. Tragedy struck during the 1927 July Revolt, and the palace was set on fire, destroying its library – the third largest law library in Europe at the time. It was rebuilt in the 1930s, and an extra floor was added. But it was bombed again during the Second World War, losing its roof and glass dome. Several renovations took place since, the latest in the 1990s. The entrance hall is 23 metres high, 15 metres wide, and crowned by a vast glass skylight, bound to impress every visitor! At its centre stands a marble statue of Justice, a golden sword in one hand, and a law book in the other.