Hauptmünzamt - Vienna, Austria
N 48° 12.215 E 016° 22.954
33U E 602725 N 5339851
The Hauptmünzamt (English: State Mint) is located in Vienna, Austria.
Waymark Code: WMMKRB
Location: Wien, Austria
Date Posted: 10/04/2014
Views: 7
"The Austrian Mint (German: Münze Österreich) is located in Vienna and is responsible for minting Austrian coins. Since 1989 it has been a public limited company (Aktiengesellschaft) and a subsidiary of the National Bank of Austria, which also has its headquarters in Vienna.
History
In 1194, Duke Leopold VI of Austria was paid 15 tonnes of silver by Richard the Lionheart. On his way back from the crusades Richard had been captured and imprisoned by the Duke in retaliation for a previous insult; he paid the bounty to secure his release from prison. Leopold decided to strike coins from the silver, marking the beginning of the history of minting in Vienna (though the Vienna Mint was not actually mentioned in historical documents for another 200 years).
The mint was originally located near the Hoher Markt, then relocated to the Wollzeile. Subsequently, it was housed in Prince Eugene’s winter palace in Himmelpfortgasse, before finally moving to its present home at Heumarkt, central Vienna, in the 19th century.
Though other mints were established across Austria in the past, the Vienna Principal Mint became the sole mint when the Republic of Austria was formed in 1919. The mint changed its name to Münze Österreich ("Austrian Mint") when it became a subsidiary of the National Bank of Austria in 1989."
--Wikipedia (
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"Die Bauarbeiten für den klassizistischen Komplex am Heumarkt dauerten von 1834 bis 1838. Die Entwürfe für den Münzpalast lieferte der bedeutende Architekt des Klassizismus Paul Wilhelm Eduard Sprenger. Das Gebäude dominiert den Heumarkt mit seinem überhöhten und hervortretenden Mittelrisalit, auf dem eine prächtige plastische Gruppe thront. In deren Mitte ein goldener Doppeladler. Im Brüstungsfeld darunter stehen die Worte "Rei Monetariae"."
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[English Translation: The construction work for the classical complex at Haymarket lasted from 1834 to 1838, the designs for the Münzpalast were provided by the major architect of classicism Paul Wilhelm Eduard Sprenger. The building dominates Haymarket with its inflated and prominent central projection on which perched a magnificent sculptural group. In the middle a golden double-headed eagle. The parapet box below them are the words "Rei Monetariae".]