Austria 50 Schilling Silver Coin 1970 300th Anniversary of the Innsbruck University
Commemorative issue: 300th Anniversary of the Innsbruck University
Obverse: Face value within a circle of the nine shields of the federal provinces of Austria, Coat of arms of Austria above the face value.
Lettering: UNIVERSITÄT INNSBRUCK · 1970 ·
Obverse Designer: Edwin Grienauer.
Engraver: Fritz Tiefenthaler.
Reverse: 1673 University seal, date at bottom.
Lettering: · REPUBLIK · 50 SCHILLING ÖSTERREICH.
Reverse Designer: Fritz Tiefenthaler.
Engraver: Edwin Grienauer.
Edge Description: Plain with engraved lettering: FUENFZIG SCHILLING -*-
Composition: Silver.
Fineness: 0.900.
Weight: 20 g.
ASW: 0.5787 oz.
Diameter: 34 mm.
University of Innsbruck
The University of Innsbruck (German: Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck; Latin: Universitas Leopoldino Franciscea) is a public university in Innsbruck, the capital of the Austrian federal state of Tyrol, founded in 1669.
It is currently the largest education facility in the Austrian Bundesland of Tirol, the third largest in Austria behind Vienna University and the University of Graz and according to The Times Higher Education Supplement World Ranking 2010 Austria's leading university. Significant contributions have been made in many branches, most of all in the physics department. Further, regarding the number of Web of Science-listed publications, it occupies the third rank worldwide in the area of mountain research.
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 the 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 1991, Lauda Air Flight 004 crashed in Thailand, killing all on board, including 21 members of the University of Innsbruck. The passengers included professor and economist Clemens August Andreae, another professor, six assistants, and 13 students. Andreae had often led field visits to Hong Kong.
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.