The greal advances in educational facilities and the rapid 

 institutions of oew Universities and Colleges throughout i!i«' 

 other countries of Europe and in America, became an objed 

 lesson, nut only to the people of Vienna, bul to all Austria. 

 The University was without a home and many of its depart- 

 ments had do regular place for work. Lectures being delivered 

 even in private houses, and the quarters occupied by the Ob- 

 servatory in the old pari of the city were unsuitable and en- 

 tirely inadequate for its growing demands. 



These conditions were repeatedly called to public atten- 

 tion jiikI ;i general desire became manifesl for radical ameliora- 

 tion in all departments of the University. 



In 1872 Mr. Strehmayer, Minister of Education, a gentle- 

 man of libera] culture, broad ideas and ;i strenuous advocate 

 for nil improvements tending to the advancemenl of the higher 

 education, obtained from the Parliament an appropriation for 

 the purchase of ;i site for an Observatory, the erection of a 

 suitable building and the securing of instruments and appli- 

 ances of the latest desion S . 



The government paid for the tract selected, two hundred 

 and fifty thousand crowns, equivalent to fifty thousand dol- 

 lars. Its present value is not less than one hundred and 

 seventy-five thousand dollars. It comprises a portion of the 

 district called Tiirkenschanze (literally, the camping field of 

 the Turks i. upon which the Turkish army of over 200,000 

 men. under Kara Mustapha, was encamped during the famous 

 siege of Vienna in 1683. The dirt wall of one of the Turkish 

 redoubts, now covered with trees, part ially surrounds the build- 

 ing occupied by the photographic instrument. The entire en- 

 closure, embracing about sixteen and three-fifths I 16 3-5) acres, 

 is surrounded by a high ornate brick wall, with two artistic 

 wrought-iron arched gateways. 



In 1883 Emperor Francis Joseph 1. formally placed the 

 last stone of the noble edifice which now overlooks Vienna 

 from the apex of the loftiest elevation in the Northwest por- 

 tion of the city. 



The cost of this structure was two million crowns ($4iH).- 

 000). If is of brick, three hundred feet in length by two 

 hundred and eighl \'cr\ across the two wings, in the shape of 

 a cross, with four domes. 



The living rooms of the Director's family, his offices, the 

 working rooms of the observers and assistants, and the Library 

 are in that portion fronting south, which forms the foot of 

 the cross. Entrance is under a spacious porch, into a line hall 

 lighted through a glass roof, ,-it the easl side of which is a 

 marble tabid reciting : 



