[1] Planning and construction took place during a 10-year period, with the winning proposal designed by Herman Teodor Holmgren, a student of Fredrik Wilhelm Scholander.

Budget problems and the problematic ground conditions, due to the steep incline and castle foundations, caused delays and redesigns during the construction period.

The inscription above the entrance to the main auditorium is an aphorism by the Swedish 18th-century philosopher Thomas Thorild (1759-1808), which famously reads:[1] Tänka fritt är stortmen tänka rätt är större("It is a great thing to think freely,but greater still to think correctly")Between 1996 and 2001, the building underwent a major renovation during which the paintwork in the entrance hall was restored to the original 19th century colors, which had been painted over during the 1970s.

[2] Today, the University Hall is mainly used for lectures, conferences, concerts and ceremonies, as well as formal receptions and consistory meetings.

The Consistory, the governing body of the university, meets in an ornate board room on the entrance level, which is decorated with portraits of previous monarchs of Sweden from the Protestant reformation to the 20th century.