Situated directly across from one another in the heart of Vienna, Austria, Heldenplatz (Heroes’ Square) and Maria-Theresien-Platz are public spaces that have been able to attract audiences from across the city and region for a variety of reasons. While the Squares are not typically thought of as the most popular attractions in Vienna, they nonetheless showcase the power and potential of these kinds of spaces.
Grand Plans for a Kaiserforum
Heldenplatz and Maria-Theresien-Platz were both part of a much grander plan for the area. In fact, there were plans to connect the two squares via the Ringstraße with two triumphal arches. However, those plans were never realized due to the outbreak of World War I.
The present-day Heldenplatz was part of a plan for a new extension of the Imperial Palace of the Habsburg Monarchy, known as the Kaiserforum. The idea for it began to come together in 1850, and work on Heldenplatz, named for two Austrian war heroes, started in 1881. Equestrian statues of Prince Eugène of Savoy and Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen were completed between 1860 and 1865, but a new wing of the imperial palace was the only thing that was ever built from the Kaiserforum. Called the Neue Burg and finally finished in 1913, it now houses several museums and defines the shape of the Heldenplatz with the two curving wings of the building.
In contrast to these two statues, Maria-Theresien-Platz is dominated by a single monument that honors empress Maria Theresa, although she is far from the only person depicted in the piece. It was also part of the Kaiserforum plan, and by 1888, the central statue had been complete. Similar to other Squares that depict a variety of historical figures, Maria Theresa is shown seated atop a large pedestal and surrounded by statues of her closest advisors. The piece dominates the Square that is also decorated with a variety of fountains and shrub beds.
The Maria Theresa Monument sits between the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) and the Naturhistorisches Museum (Museum of Natural History), but the access and accessibility both of these Squares provide to the surrounding attractions is just part of their power.
Celebrating the Culture of Vienna
The Kunsthistorisches Museum, as well as the Naturhistorisches Museum, pull in huge crowds, as do the four separate museums in Neue Burg, but they’re not the only notable attractions in the area. A monument of Mozart is located inside the Burggarten (Imperial Palace Gardens), while a triumphal arch, known as the Äußere Burgtor or Heldentor, is situated between Heldenplatz and Maria-Theresien-Platz. Easy access to all of these notable attractions has made the entire area an important hub of activity for Vienna.
Heldenplatz has also witnessed many important events over the years, the most infamous of which is the announcement of the Austrian Anschluss to Nazi Germany. However, it has also been and continues to be home to plenty other historic rallies, demonstrations and activities.
Maria-Theresien-Platz hosts the Christkindlmarkt at the end of every year, which gives residents and visitors an incredible opportunity to buy and sell items and food that aren’t available anywhere else in the world. There are also plenty of other things happening at both places no matter the time of the year though, and they range from displays that recount the history of the nation to literal pieces of the culture like “The Prisoner” that are readily available at the Squares.
All of these events and activities are the result of utilizing the space in Heldenplatz and Maria-Theresien-Platz to showcase the culture of the region in an especially powerful way. Doing so has created opportunities for residents and attractions for visitors that all stem from the monuments in the center of each Square.
A Legacy of Experiences and History
Heldenplatz and Maria-Theresien-Platz might not have fulfilled the vision of the original planners, but both nonetheless demonstrate the possibilities that can be created when spaces can be turned into hubs for a variety of activity. Squares across the world have been able to create similar activity, but by creating monuments that serve as the centerpieces for these hubs, Heldenplatz and Maria-Theresien-Platz have created a legacy that is just as much about experiences and history as it is statues and space.
