Federal Ministry of Justice
Museumstraße 7, 1070 Vienna
(690.277)
General and Historic Information
The construction of the building started in the 17th century with Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach in charge. The interior work was completed in 1716. In 1769, the owner’s son, Johann Wilhelm, sold the property to Hungarian court chancellor Nikolaus Count of Pálffy, who bought it for the royal Hungarian bodyguards. In 1848, the Hungarian Guard was disbanded. From 1848 to 1867, the palace served as the seat of the military command of Lower Austria; yet, it was handed over to the royal Hungarian bodyguard in 1869 after the latter was reinstated in 1867. Hungary did not cease its ownership of the building even after the Austro-Hungarian monarchy had collapsed; the building became property of the Hungarian state in 1918 and came to house the Collegium Hungarium in 1924. Eventually, the Palace was bought in 1961by the Republic of Austria to be used for its judicial administration.
The front buildings situated on Lerchenfelderstraße Street and Museumsstraße Street were demolished in 1965. A new office building facing Neustiftgasse Alley was constructed. Felix Cevela and Walter Stepanik carried out these works.
The Federal Ministry of Justice of has had its seat in Trautson Palace since 1966.
The following works were carried out between 2000 and 2005:
- Restoration of the façade and the historic inner courtyard
- Restoration and repair of the pitched roof and the flat roof
- Refurbishment of the minister’s office and the conference room
- Renovation of the bathrooms and sanitary facilities
- Exchange of the glass block walls for aluminium windows that meet modern insulation standards in the non-historical parts of the building
- Refurbishment of the entire sewage system
Occupant:
Federal Ministry of Justice
Burghauptmannschaft Österreich – Departments in charge:
Building Management Dep. 404 – Ballhausplatz
HVAC Dep. 406 – Ballhausplatz
Administration Dep. 201 – Administration
Telephone Dep. 103 – Telecommunications