The Billrothhaus
The Frankgasse in Alsergrund may not be a household name unless you live in the area. But on this street there is an organization with a long history that has its home. The Gesellschaft der Ärzte in Wien (College of Physicians in Vienna). Established in 1837 with the goal of promoting medicine as an art and science, its members have included the “who is who” of Austrian medicine, such as the famous Sigmund Freud.
The building of Frankgasse 8 was built exclusively for the College in 1892/93. The design is a neo-renaissance style. Some highlights of the building include its library. During the earlier days it was the place to go if you were a student of medicine looking for books.
Also, on the second floor you can find a beautiful conference room.
With time, the functions of the building have changed a bit. Today students can still go there to study. The College also puts together its own events. Some of its rooms are rented out for external scientific conferences and other activities. The building was initially known as the “Ärztehaus” (The Doctors’ house). In 1919 it changed its name to the Billrothhaus. Who was Billroth?
Theodor Billroth was an important surgeon. Billroth is famous as the founder of modern abdominal surgery. He was one of the driving forces behind the construction of this building. He even invested his own money into it. Today, the Society has roughly 3000 members and one of its key activities is the continuing education of doctors (Cr).
On September 29, there is the opportunity to visit this beautiful building as part of the “Tag des Denkmals 2019”. The Tag des Denkmals is put together by the Austrian Federal Monuments Authority. The aim of the event is to make the public aware of the importance of cultural heritage. Also to raise awareness about heritage protection and monument preservation.
https://tagdesdenkmals.at/de/programm/wien/
Make sure to check out our private tours for more information about Vienna’s history. You can also find us on Instagram.
