From 24 to 29 August 2026, the 25th International Congress of Byzantine Studies will take place in the main building of the University of Vienna under the theme “!Byzantium beyond Byzantium”; not least because Vienna, with its Byzantinists from the University of Vienna and the Austrian Academy of Sciences, has been regarded for decades as a world-leading centre for Byzantine studies. Scholars from over 50 countries across five continents, from Argentina to China, will travel to the event to present the latest findings from their research in around 1,500 papers. The rich Byzantine cultural heritage in Austria will play a special role, and will be made accessible to a wider interested public through exhibitions and events.
What was the Byzantine Empire? This question is often considered particularly tricky in many a quiz. Yet this empire existed for more than 1,000 years, between the 4th and 15th centuries, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa – and played a significant role in shaping the development of these regions of the world. But its distinctive characteristics made clear categorisation difficult: the ‘Byzantines’ saw themselves as Romans, yet spoke mainly Greek (rather than Latin) and were Christians. Moreover, their capital changed its name several times, from Byzantium in antiquity to Constantinople in the Middle Ages and Istanbul today. This made the empire all the more of a crossroads between languages, cultures and religions – extending as far as Austria, where two Byzantine princesses ended up in the 12th and 13th centuries as the wives of Babenberg dukes.
The congress is the world’s largest event dedicated to research into the Byzantine Empire and its neighbouring cultures, and takes place every five years; this time, it is being held under the patronage of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. Under the theme ‘Byzantium beyond Byzantium’, the conference will also explore how this empire managed to survive so many crises, wars, epidemics and climate changes over such a long period – a question that is particularly relevant given the current global situation. Discussions will also focus on how Byzantium managed to reconcile the diversity of languages and cultures within its sphere of influence – and how the empire dealt with migration, integration and conflicts between different communities. Equally important is the question of how Byzantine culture was able to exert an influence far beyond its political borders and inspire other regions – indeed, ‘Byzantium beyond Byzantium’. To this end, the latest methods for researching texts, manuscripts and works of art from the fields of history, literary studies, archaeology and the natural sciences will be presented.
Public events and exhibitions
The conference will be accompanied by several exhibitions, including the annual exhibition at the Papyrus Museum of the Austrian National Library entitled “In Search of Traces of Byzantium: Fragments of the Greek Middle Ages”. This exhibition has been on display since 11 June 2026 and will run until 2 May 2027; it was curated by Krystina Kubina and Giulia Rossetto from the University of Vienna. During the conference week only, the museum will feature a special display entitled “In the Sign of the Seal: History and Culture in the Eastern Mediterranean (from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages)”. A series of lectures and city walks has also been on offer since February 2026 in collaboration with the Vienna Adult Education Centres.
During the conference week in August, all interested visitors are welcome to attend a concert of historical music from the Mediterranean region, performed by the Baroque Arabesque ensemble in the main building of the University of Vienna. An evening display of replicas of the costumes worn by the royal family and the clergy – based on murals from the Cathedral of Faras in medieval Nubia (now Sudan) – demonstrates how clothes make the man and conveys a vivid impression of the great influence of Byzantine culture. On other days, a ‘Market of Beautiful Things’ and a demonstration of board games based on Byzantine themes invite visitors of all ages to explore the subject of Byzantium in an accessible way.
In addition, during this period, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity on Fleischmarkt will host an exhibition of icons from the Metropolis collection, whilst the premises of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in the Postsparkasse on Georg-Coch-Platz will feature an exhibition of Byzantine coins, offering visitors the opportunity to handle them for themselves.
The Byzantine Empire will thus be made visible, audible and tangible to a wide audience – to demonstrate just how deeply Austria, and Vienna in particular, was and remains within the sphere of influence of this global phenomenon.
About the University of Vienna:
At the University of Vienna, curiosity has been the core principle of academic life for more than 650 years. For over 650 years the University of Vienna has stood for education, research and innovation. Today, it is ranked among the top 100 and thus the top four per cent of all universities worldwide and is globally connected. With degree programmes covering over 180 disciplines, and more than 10,000 employees we are one of the largest academic institutions in Europe. Here, people from a broad spectrum of disciplines come together to carry out research at the highest level and develop solutions for current and future challenges. Its students and graduates develop reflected and sustainable solutions to complex challenges using innovative spirit and curiosity.
