University of Vienna - The Grand Staircase

The University of Vienna was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. The main building on Ringstraße was designed by Heinrich von Ferstel. The building has two grand staircases, this one leads to the large ceremonial hall. A monument to Emperor Franz Joseph I, who opened the building in 1884, watches over everything that's going on there...