School Authority

History and School Authority

The history of the location at Himmelstraße 11 dates back to the 14th century. Around 1350, the “Pöltinger Hof” was founded on this site.

The core of the current building likely dates from the 17th and the first half of the 18th century and was built as the Grinzing hunting lodge of Empress Maria Theresa (1730).

Following 1800, the next extensive renovation of the street wings took place in 1962/1963, followed by a comprehensive restoration of the exterior facade in 1993/1994. Even today, one can admire the remarkable gate system with its banded round-arch portal from the second half of the 17th century.

Eds.: Seemann, Helfried; Lunzer, Christian: Döbling 1860-1930. Album. Vienna 1998

From 1969 to 2018, the architectural office of Dr. Peter Czernin was located in the historic palace and the annex.

In September 2019, the team of educators from the MERIDIAN education center, led by its founders Konstantin and Tatiana Dshajani, took over the historic location in the heart of Grinzing.

Questions and Answers

Why is a private bilingual primary school being established in Grinzing?

The location at Himmelstraße 11 is ideally suited for the concept of a compact and family-run school with a clear focus on languages. The combination of a picturesque and historic location with a forward-looking school model creates the perfect conditions for an interesting and diverse school life.

Is the school "official"?

The private primary school “Meridian” is an official school and was founded on May 28, 2020. This was confirmed by the decision of the Board of Education for Vienna on November 6, 2020, based on Section 7 Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Private School Act (PrivSchG). The primary school is an official primary school under Austrian law. Compulsory schooling is fulfilled if the child attends an official school. This is to be distinguished from whether the school already possesses public status (Öffentlichkeitsrecht) or not.

What is the status of the "Öffentlichkeitsrecht" (public status)?

The Meridian Grinzing Private Primary School was granted public status for the 2024/25 school year.

Who is "behind the school"?

MERIDIAN was founded in 2007 by Mag. Tatiana and Konstantin Dshajani and is driven by the vision and tireless commitment of the pedagogical and administrative team, as well as financially supported by school fees and parental contributions.

Will the offering be expanded in the future?

MERIDIAN was founded in 2007 by Mag. Tatiana and Konstantin Dshajani and is driven by the vision and tireless commitment of the pedagogical and administrative team, as well as financially supported by school fees and parental contributions.

What happens after primary school?

The primary school children are prepared for attendance at a German-speaking or English-speaking secondary school. In the medium term, the school also intends to establish and operate its own secondary school (from the 5th grade onwards).

What is the approach to religion?

The Meridian Bilingual Primary School has no religious affiliation. Students of all denominations and nationalities are welcome. The Austrian curriculum includes "Religion" as a subject, but students can opt out of religious education without providing a reason.

Mr. Konstantin Dshajani, you are the Managing Director of the school authority company. How does one come up with the idea of founding a school?

Konstantin Dshajani: “There is no single answer to this question. We founded MERIDIAN in 2007 and have developed it into a broad-based education center. For many years, we have been working very intensively with languages, so it was the logical next step to realize our years of experience and expertise in this field in our own school. After 2 years of searching for a location, planning, comprehensive renovation, and the official school founding with the Board of Education for Vienna, we are very pleased to welcome all children and their parents.”