Palais Porcia, Renaissance palace in Innere Stadt, Vienna, Austria.
The Palais Porcia is a Renaissance palace located at Herrengasse 23 in Vienna's Innere Stadt, situated between Palais Kinsky and Palais Trautmansdorff. It features distinctive arcades in its courtyard and displays architectural elements from multiple periods due to modifications over the centuries.
The palace was built in 1546 as a residence for the descendants of Count Gabriel von Salamanca-Ortenburg. The 17th century brought substantial modifications that introduced Baroque and Rococo design elements to the structure.
The palace now houses the Administrative Library of the Austrian Federal Chancellery, where government documents and archives are kept for research and official use. This shows how historic mansions have been transformed into centers for public administration and scholarship.
The library within the palace primarily serves government employees, though visitors with valid photo identification can access the reading room during regular hours. It is worth checking in advance which areas are open to the public.
The palace survived the destructive fire of 1683 that devastated much of Vienna, preserving its original importance to the city. Its foundations reach back to the Roman period, creating an architectural connection to Vienna's ancient roots.
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