The palace joins the long list of late 19th-century constructions that went up when the old city fortifications came down. The architect (Alexander Wielemans von Monteforte) designed court buildings in other towns and cities, too, including Salzburg.
Emperor Franz Joseph attended the opening on May 22nd, 1881: a dedication stone halfway up the stairs in the atrium commemorates the occasion.
The richly-decorated interior includes a large flowing staircase in the arcade court that forms the main entrance hall. The steps lead up to a statue of the female personification of justice, her gold sword in hand.On July 15th, 1927, a mass protest broke out in Vienna in response to what many saw as the politically-motivated acquittal of what we’d now call far-right extremists. They were accused of killing a child and adult participating in a left-wing march.The protesters grew increasingly aggressive, and a number stormed the Justizpalast, which they saw as a symbol of perceived inequality before the law. Fires broke out, leading to significant damage, particularly since the protests hindered firefighting efforts.