Palais Porcia (Vienna)
Encyclopedia
Palais Porcia is a former urban residence in the western quarter of the Innere Stadt
of Vienna
, Austria
. It stands at 23, Herrengasse
between Palais Kinsky
and Palais Trautmansdorff and across Palais Harrach
. The palace was built in 1546 for the descendants of Count Gabriel von Salamanca-Ortenburg
. It was representative of the simple Renaissance
style that emerged in Vienna in the middle of the 16th century. In the 17th and later centuries it was extensively remodelled in Baroque
and Rococo
styles but the inner court still contains an early Renaissance arcade
. As of 2010, Palais Porcia houses the Administrative Library of the Austrian Federal Chancellery
.
.
In 1528 the cluster of buildings south of Freyung
was purchased by the royal treasurer (German: königliche Pfennigmeister) Johann Löbl. In 1538 Löbl sold it to his successor, treasurer Count Gabriel von Salamanca-Ortenburg
. The new owner commissioned the rebuilding of old medieval structures, using arcades
to blend them into a single stately residence with then-fashionable Renaissance facade. The work was completed after the Count's death, in 1546. In 1592 the building passed to Hofkirchen and Losenstein families. In 1602 they began an extensive remodeling that added early Baroque
detail to the original facade. Inside, the buikding acquired an ornate spiral staircase carved of "Royal limestone" (German: Kaiserstein) from Kaisersteinbruch.
In 1627 the Palais passed to Count Wratislav zu Fürstenberg, in 1643 to Jörger von Tollet family, in 1660 to Count Johann Karl von Porcia. The building survived the fire of 1683
that destroyed the buildings of the nearby Freyung and is still named after the Porcias although the family disposed with the building in the 1720s. It became the property of statesman Bartholomäus von Tinti, who also owned the Schallaburg
castle. In the 1750s it was purchased by the Court of Maria Theresa of Austria
and remains a state property to date (2010). In 1883 the interiors were completely rebuilt, and the Palais became a courthouse
.
the library remains a branch of the Federal Chancellery.
The library stocks a reference collection of Austrian laws and regulations and houses the information technology
center of the Chancellery. Since 2000, the library gradually took over and digitized the collections of the Federal Government ministries. In 2006 it became Austria's principal uplink gateway to SourceOECD
(Austrian OECD depositary).
As of 2010, the library loans books only to government employees. The reading hall is open free of charge to all visitors (photo ID required to enter).
Innere Stadt
The Innere Stadt is the 1st municipal District of Vienna . The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Until the city boundaries were expanded in 1850, the Innere Stadt was congruent with the city of Vienna...
of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. It stands at 23, Herrengasse
Herrengasse
The Herrengasse is a street in Vienna, located in the first district Innere Stadt.-History:...
between Palais Kinsky
Palais Kinsky
Palais Kinsky is a Baroque palace in Vienna, Austria. It was originally built for Count Wirich Philipp von Daun, the garrison commander whose son Leopold Josef Graf Daun became a Field Marshal of empress Maria Theresa...
and Palais Trautmansdorff and across Palais Harrach
Palais Harrach
Palais Harrach is a Baroque palace in Vienna, Austria. It was owned by the noble Harrach family. It was extensively renovated and restored in the late 1990s and houses offices and shops today.-History:From 1600 to 1658, it was property of Freyung family...
. The palace was built in 1546 for the descendants of Count Gabriel von Salamanca-Ortenburg
Gabriel von Salamanca-Ortenburg
Gabriel von Samalanca-Ortenburg was a Spanish nobleman who was general treasurer and archchancellor of the Austrian archduke Ferdinand I of Habsburg from 1521 to 1526....
. It was representative of the simple Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
style that emerged in Vienna in the middle of the 16th century. In the 17th and later centuries it was extensively remodelled in Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
and Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
styles but the inner court still contains an early Renaissance arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
. As of 2010, Palais Porcia houses the Administrative Library of the Austrian Federal Chancellery
Chancellor of Austria
The Federal Chancellor is the head of government in Austria. Its deputy is the Vice-Chancellor. Before 1918, the equivalent office was the Minister-President of Austria. The Federal Chancellor is considered to be the most powerful political position in Austrian politics.-Appointment:The...
.
History
The first documented stone buildings on the site of present-day Palais Porcia emerged in the 15th century. The foundations are older, dating back to Roman periodVindobona
Vindobona was originally a Celtic settlement, and later a Roman military camp on the site of the modern city of Vienna in Austria. Around 15 BC, the kingdom of Noricum was included in the Roman Empire...
.
In 1528 the cluster of buildings south of Freyung
Freyung (Vienna)
The Freyung is a triangular public square in Vienna, located in the first district, or Innere Stadt.-History:The square originally lay outside the Roman fortification walls of Vindabona. In the 12th century, Irish monks arrived by invitation of Duke Henry II of Austria to build a monastery...
was purchased by the royal treasurer (German: königliche Pfennigmeister) Johann Löbl. In 1538 Löbl sold it to his successor, treasurer Count Gabriel von Salamanca-Ortenburg
Gabriel von Salamanca-Ortenburg
Gabriel von Samalanca-Ortenburg was a Spanish nobleman who was general treasurer and archchancellor of the Austrian archduke Ferdinand I of Habsburg from 1521 to 1526....
. The new owner commissioned the rebuilding of old medieval structures, using arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
to blend them into a single stately residence with then-fashionable Renaissance facade. The work was completed after the Count's death, in 1546. In 1592 the building passed to Hofkirchen and Losenstein families. In 1602 they began an extensive remodeling that added early Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
detail to the original facade. Inside, the buikding acquired an ornate spiral staircase carved of "Royal limestone" (German: Kaiserstein) from Kaisersteinbruch.
In 1627 the Palais passed to Count Wratislav zu Fürstenberg, in 1643 to Jörger von Tollet family, in 1660 to Count Johann Karl von Porcia. The building survived the fire of 1683
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
that destroyed the buildings of the nearby Freyung and is still named after the Porcias although the family disposed with the building in the 1720s. It became the property of statesman Bartholomäus von Tinti, who also owned the Schallaburg
Schallaburg
Schallaburg is a village and a castle in the municipality of Schollach, in Lower Austria, Austria. It is one of the best known Renaissance style castles in Austria. Nowadays the castle Schallaburg is a museum.-History of the castle Schallaburg:...
castle. In the 1750s it was purchased by the Court of Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
and remains a state property to date (2010). In 1883 the interiors were completely rebuilt, and the Palais became a courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
.
Library
The Administrative Library of the Ministry of Interior, predecessor of the present-day library, was founded in 1849. It was based in the Ministry offices on Wipplingerstrasse. In 1897 the library moved into its own building on Marc-Aurel-Strasse, one year later it relocated to Hohen Markt. In 1925 the library relocated into recently remodelled Palais Porcia. Since the establishment of the First Austrian RepublicFirst Austrian Republic
The Republic of Austria encompasses the period of Austrian history following the signing of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye of September 1919, the settlement after the end of World War I which put an end to the Republic of German Austria, continuing up to World War II...
the library remains a branch of the Federal Chancellery.
The library stocks a reference collection of Austrian laws and regulations and houses the information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
center of the Chancellery. Since 2000, the library gradually took over and digitized the collections of the Federal Government ministries. In 2006 it became Austria's principal uplink gateway to SourceOECD
SourceOECD
SourceOECD was the online library of the OECD from 2001-2010. In July 2010 it was replaced by OECD iLibrary .-OECD publications:The OECD publishes roughly 250 books a year, on subjects as diverse as general economy, statistics, agriculture, science, future studies or environment...
(Austrian OECD depositary).
As of 2010, the library loans books only to government employees. The reading hall is open free of charge to all visitors (photo ID required to enter).