Universität Salzburg

University of Salzburg, 1622 opened by Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron (chartered in 1623), staffed and financially supported by a confederation of Salzburg, Swiss, South German, and Austrian Benedictine monasteries. Apart from studies in philosophy and theology, legal (complete programme from 1753) and at times medical studies (no medical faculty until 1804/07) were offered by secular teachers. In 1810, after Salzburg's annexation to Bavaria, the university was closed; it was replaced by a Lyceum with philosophical and theological departments and a School of Medical Surgery. Under Austrian rule (from 1816) theology became a university faculty again (1850), but the lyceum and the medico-surgical school were closed (1850 and 1871 respectively). Efforts to re-establish the University of Salzburg at first concentrated on founding a Catholic university (Salzburg University Weeks), which was about to be realised at the beginning of 1938. It was not until 1962 that the University of Salzburg was re-established as a federal institution (Faculty of Catholic Theology joined with a newly founded philosophical faculty); started teaching in 1964. In 1965 a faculty of legal and political sciences was added, and, when it was restructured in 1975 (philosophical faculty divided into a faculty of Arts and a faculty of natural sciences), also a medical faculty was envisaged but has not been realised up to now. The University of Salzburg is located in the former Benedictine university and in other buildings in the old town centre, a prestigious building erected by W. Holzbauer on the outskirts of Salzburg has accommodated the faculty of natural sciences since 1986.

Literature: M. Kaindl-Hönig and K. H. Ritschel, Die Salzburger Universität 1622-1964, 1964; Universität Salzburg 1622 - 1962 - 1972. Festschrift, 1972; F. Ortner, Die Universität in Salzburg, 1987.