Bohemian Court Chancellery

The Bohemian Chancellery is a Baroque administrative building in Vienna's inner city, located between Judenplatz Square and the old city hall. The structure features ornate gates decorated with Bohemian lions and a carefully proportioned Baroque facade.

The chancellery was founded in 1527 under Emperor Ferdinand I to manage Bohemian affairs. The Baroque building visible today was constructed later and served the same function until Empress Maria Theresa dissolved the institution in 1749.

The name refers to the Bohemian Chancellery, and visitors can spot heraldic lions decorating the gates that symbolized the connection to Bohemia. These carved emblems remain visible on the grand entrances today.

The building houses the Austrian Constitutional Court and Administrative Court today, so interior visits are typically not open to the public. Visitors can admire the exterior architecture and photograph the lions on the gates from the outside.

The renowned architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach designed the Baroque building between 1709 and 1714, incorporating specific architectural details that reflected Bohemian sovereignty. His design communicated political authority through its careful composition and decorative choices.