The University of Vienna | Vienna's Ringstrasse

The university’s buildings are scattered in about 60 locations throughout the city of Vienna. The main campus is located near the Ringstrasse, close to the City Hall, the Votivkirche (Votive Church), and the entrance to the old city area. You can enter the campus without any charge and wander among the ancient and elaborate buildings, but there are also guided tours available throughout the university.

If you are planning to tour Vienna’s Ringstrasse, it is worthwhile to visit the university and witness the beauty of the ancient building.

The Story of the University

Duke Rudolf IV, known as “the Founder,” established the University of Vienna on March 12, 1365, naming it Alma Mater Rudolphina Vindobonensis and modeling it on the University of Paris. The first university building opened in 1385, and after papal authorization, it became the largest university in the Holy Roman Empire, with around 6,000 students.

At the time, universities were exclusive: members were exempt from taxes and military service and followed a special dress code.

During the Reformation, the university’s prestige declined. The 1529 Ottoman siege, recurring plagues, and competition from other institutions further reduced enrollment. King Ferdinand I restored its Catholic focus, placing priests in charge of religious studies, a structure that caused internal frictions for about 150 years.

The Ideological Shift During the 18th and 19th Centuries

In the 18th century, under Maria Theresa, the university underwent major reforms that reduced the clergy’s influence. It became a government-run institution focused on training public servants, scientists, and doctors, rather than primarily humanists. In 1778, the university began admitting Protestant students, followed by Jewish students a few years later. By 1783, German became the main language of instruction.

The 1848 revolution further transformed the university, introducing research freedom and research-based learning—a principle still reflected in the Austrian Universities Act.

In 1884, the main university building on the Ringstrasse was completed under Emperor Franz Joseph I. Designed in an Italian-inspired style to reflect the flourishing of universities, the building quickly proved too small, leading to additional structures nearby in 1915.

Interesting to Know

For 532 years after its founding, the university excluded women from academic studies. In 1897, Elise Richter became the first female student, studying language and literature.

During World War I, the university building served as a military hospital, with its halls converted into dining and sleeping rooms, hindering academic activity. Under Nazi rule and the Anschluss, authorities dismissed 45 percent of senior professors and lecturers for political or racial reasons. Bombing during the war struck the building 26 times, causing significant damage. By 1945, university operations resumed, and postwar growth accelerated, aided by free education.

This expansion led to new buildings and the relocation of faculties across Vienna. Today, the University of Vienna enrolls around 100,000 students in 15 faculties offering over 190 courses, supported by approximately 9,500 staff members.

University Buildings

The University of Vienna lacks a single campus and spans 60 locations across Vienna, as well as sites in the states of Lower Austria, Upper Austria, and Salzburg. Its main and historic building (which is worth seeing) is located on the Ringstrasse near the Schottentor underground station, the old City Hall, and the Votive Church. This is the building known to locals as “The University” (Die Uni). Most of the other important buildings of the university are located near the main building in the first and ninth districts of the city.

A few other important buildings worth mentioning: the campus in the old hospital, located two stops on tram 43 or 44 from the main university building. This is a large campus with a spacious central courtyard and many different faculties. Another place is the university’s Botanical Gardens, located in the third district, which can be visited freely, as well as the university’s observatory, located in the 18th district in the northern part of the city.

Guided Tour of the Main University Building

When you arrive at the main entrance of the university building, you can see the impressive structure with the words “Universitas Litterarum Vindobonensis” inscribed at the top. After entering the reception hall, you can see on the left all the people who were heads of the university and visit the various rooms of the university. You can do this accompanied by a guide from the university.

The guided tour presents the general history of the main building of the university. The tour passes through the ancient university rooms, including the reception hall, the main library room, the ceremonial hall, and more.

Tour Duration: About one hour
Operating Times: The English tour takes place on Saturdays (if there is no holiday on that day) and starts at 11:30 AM.
On Thursdays at 6:00 PM, there is a tour in German, and also on Saturdays at 10:30 AM.
Meeting Point: The reception hall in the main building at Universitätsring 1
Tour Cost: €7 per participant
There is no need to book tickets in advance. They can be purchased in the university’s entrance hall.
Email for inquiries: fuehrungen@univie.ac.at

Independent Tour of the University

If you do not want to take a guided tour, you can take an independent tour of the complex using a dedicated application.

You can also rent an audio guide for €4 in the reception hall. In addition, you receive a brochure with all the stations included in the audio guide.

Additional Essential Information for Your Visit

How to get to the Historic University Building?

The main building of the university is about a two-minute walk from the Schottentor underground station. The purple line, U2, stops there. The station is called Schottentor – Universität. After getting off the train, you need to go up the escalators and continue towards the shopping area in the station. From there, walk along the tram tracks toward the escalators on the far side (near the pizza and shawarma stand). After you reach the top of those stairs, you’ll be right in front of the university building.

Another way to get there is by tram. There are many lines that reach the Schottentor station. The lines are: 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 1, 71, D. All stop at the station, and from there it is about a two-minute walk.