University of Innsbruck - History

History

In 1562, a Jesuit grammar school was established in Innsbruck, today "Akademisches Gymnasium Innsbruck". It was financed by the salt mines in Hall in Tirol and was founded as a university in 1669 by Leopold I with four faculties. In 1782 this was reduced to a mere lyceum (as were all other Universities in Austrian Empire, apart from Prague, Vienna and Lviv), but it was re-established as the University of Innsbruck in 1826 by Emperor Franz I. The university is therefore named after both of its founding fathers with the official title of: "Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck" (Universitas Leopoldino-Franciscea).

In the 1850s, Habsburgs gradually closed University of Olomouc as a consequence of the Olomouc students' and professors' participation on the 1848 revolutions and the Czech National Revival. The ceremonial equipment of the University of Olomouc was then transferred to the University of Innsbruck. The original Olomouc ceremonial maces from the 1580s are now used as the maces of the Innsbruck Medical University and Theological faculty of University of Innsbruck, while the Olomouc Rector's Chain from the 19th century is nowadays used as the University of Innsbruck Rector's chain. Many years later Innsbruck, in 1998, donated an exact copy of the Rector's Mace to Palacký University, but it is still, in 2011, using the Olomouc University original maces and other regalia as its own ceremonial equipment.

In 2005, copies of letters written by the emperors Frederick II and Conrad IV were found in the university's library. They arrived in Innsbruck in the 18th century, having left the charterhouse Allerengelberg in Schnals due to its abolishment.