A little distance to the north, near the centre of the inner city, towers the Cathedral of Saint Stephen. It is the most famous structure in Austria. The present. edifice dates mainly from the fourteenth century. Its shape is that of a Latin cross. It is 355 feet long, and has been partially restored in recent times. From its im pressive steeple, whose cross is about 470 feet high, a magnificent view of the city and the sur rounding country may be had. Between the cathedral and the Burg extends the wide mod ernized Graben northwest and southeast, a fash ionable business street. In the northeast section of the inner city is found the baroque university church, with the Academy of Sciences (1846) near by in the old university. In the extreme northeast corner of the old city are the post office and the Imperial Ministry of Commerce. The Greek Church is seen to the west, and to the south are the Horticultural Society building. and the splendid Renaissance Palace of Archduke Eugene.
Entering the northwest section of the inner city from the Graben, the Austrian Kunstverein is noticed. It holds a permanent exhibition. To the northeast is the square called Holler :Markt, said to be the site of the forum of the ancient Vindobona. This is the most ancient part of the town. in the centre of the square rises a votive monument by Fischer von Erlaeh. West is the spacious square AM Ilof, where dwelt the an cient rulers of the Babenberg family. Farther northwest, on the Freiung, is the Ilarraeh Palace containing a fine picture collection of some 400 canvases. Near by is the far less valuable Schan born collection. In the vicinity are the Sehotten hof and the MItIkerhof—immense structures owned by religious bodies and holding many hundreds of inmates. Sonic of these establish ments—a characteristic feature of Vienna—eon lain over 200 different dwellings. Southward in the general direction of the Volksgarten are the fine Hofburg theatre; the imposing of the Lower Austrian Diet (containing the Mu scum of the Imperial Agricultural Society) ; the 'Minorite Church, dating from the fourteenth cen tury, with Raffaeli's splendid mosaic of Da Vinci's "Last Supper" done at the command of Napoleon 1.; and the notable Liechtenstein pal ace. The Renaissance Hofburg Theatre, which was practically completed in 1889, can seat 2000 persons. The interior is richly embellished and contains a valuable collection of actors' por traits. Near the northwestern corner of the in ner city is the splendid modern Renaissance stock exchange. It holds the valuable Museum
of Trade, collections of industrial products, etc.
Beginning here at the northwestern end of the Ringstrasse, by the river, there may be men tioned conveniently in succession the objects of interest lining the street. The Stiftungshaus, a benevolent establishment, has an expiatory chapel built by Francis Joseph on the spot where the Ring Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1881 with great loss of life. To the west is the striking Gothic Votivkirche, one of the chief modern orna ments of the city, completed in 1879 with a beau tiful faczde, towers, and a resplendent interior. It commemorates the Emperor's escape from an assassin in 1853. In this region is the excellent Liechtenstein picture-gallery, with over 800 good canvases. Rubens's "History of Deciu.s" and Sons" and Van Dyck's famous portrait of Maria Lonisa ;:e Tassis are here. A park and a fine new palace of Prince Liechtenstein are near by. On the south of the Votivkirche extends the wide Universitiitsstrasse, entering the Ring strasse. and having the university on the south. This is the most superb part of the Ringsaasse. The immense quadrangular university building, exhibiting the Tuscan was com pleted in 1884. and contains the famous college collections, library, etc. See VIENNA, UNIVER SITY OF.
South of the university extends the Ilathaus Park. opposite the Hofburg Theatre, and with the sumptuous Rathaus on the west. This un surpassed Gothic town hall was completed in 1883, at a cost of $6.000,000. It abounds in statuary and frescoes. Its majestic tower rises 320 feet. It holds the valuable historical mu seum of Vienna, the municipal library (over 50,000 volumes), and the municipal collections of weapons. The first is rich in antiquities. cos tumes, and objects of personal interest. On the south of the Rathaus Park and opposite the Volksgarten rise the imposing Houses of Par liament, designed in the Greek style, by Hansen. They are approached by a columned portico. About a hundred yards farther south is the fine Palace of Justice, in German Renaissance, fin ished in 1881. South of it stands the attractive Deutsehcs Volkstheatcr, in Italian Renaissance. To the east are the celebrated natural history and art history museums in two new spaeions and imposing edifices thanking the Alaria-The resiaplatz opposite the Rurgthor. here is to he seen the colossal bronze Maria Theresa Monu ment, erected in 1888.