The university was founded in 1365, and is the oldest university in the German-speaking area, as well as one of the largest in Europe with more than 90,000 students. It consists of 15 faculties amongst them are Law, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology and Translational Studies. The main building (Hauptgebaeude) on the Ringstraße was designed by Heinrich von Ferstel, and formally inaugurated in 1884 by the Emperor Franz Joseph I. Guided tours are offered in German and English, featuring such highlights as the Main Ceremonial Chamber with copies of the ceiling paintings by Gustav Klimt, and the library's Great Reading Room.

The University of Vienna (Austrian German: Universität Wien, Austrian German: [univɛrsiˈtɛːt ˈviːn]; Latin: Universitas Viennensis) is a public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and one of the oldest universities in the world in continuous operation. With around 85,000 students and approximately 11,000 employees, it is one of the largest institutions of higher learning in Europe. As of the academic year 2024–2025, the university offered 185 degree programmes.

The University of Vienna is associated with 17 Nobel Prize laureates and has been home to numerous scholars of historical and academic significance, including Erwin Schrödinger, Karl Popper, Stefan Zweig, Friedrich Hayek, Gustav Mahler, Sigmund Freud, Gregor Mendel, Ludwig von Mises, among others.