Theresianum

The Theresian Academy stands in Vienna’s 4th district, a short walk from the Karlsplatz. It occupies the old Neue Favorita palace, built for Habsburg emperors after the 1683 siege. The school was founded in 1746 by Empress Maria Theresa to train civil servants. After fires and wars, the neo-classical façade and wings were completed in the 19th century. In 1964 the Diplomatic Academy reopened here, counting a former UN Secretary General among its graduates. The park at the centre still covers about fifty thousand square metres. Theresianum keeps strict standards set by Maria Theresa: three foreign languages are compulsory, with optional courses in eight more. Students from fifteen to eighteen can join exchange programmes with twenty-seven countries. The school runs Model European Parliament sessions and fifteen sports each week. Boarders take supervised study until late afternoon, five days a week. A historic library and modern labs share the same building. Visitors notice the grand entrance hall and the long corridors lined with portraits. The indoor pool dates from the 1797 Piarist period. Two beach volleyball courts and tennis courts lie in the park. Classrooms have the latest digital boards, while the gymnasium hosts fencing and dancing classes. Special events are held in the former imperial rooms, linking past and present.