Maria Theresa, Vienna

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Maria-Theresia-Platz is the large park between Naturhistorisches Museum and Kunsthistorisches Museum with a great monument in the centre and a beautiful park with plenty of benches around it. Kaspar von Zumbusch created the monument with empress Maria-Theresia sitting on her throne, surrounded by her best generals, sitting on their horses. The persons standing around of her throne are her noble counsellors and her doctor van Swieten . Take a closer look at all the beautiful street-lamps at the square : all of them have a royal cown on top !

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The first time I put feet on the Theresienplatz was in 1968 and I had no time to admire neither the monument nor the garden. I was on a business trip and had only 15 minutes between two appointments to run to room X to see the Bruegels.
Fortunately I could come back several times and spent more attention to the monument of Maria Theresa. Meanwhile I learned a bit more about one of the greatest and most clever sovereigns in Europe. She reigned from 1740 till 1780 but the monument is from 1888 more than a century after her death and ordered by Emperor Franz-Joseph I.
It is a very imposing monument by Caspar Zumbusch with a total height of 19 m, the statue oh the seated Empress is 6 m high. The total weight of the bronze statues is 44 ton. Not surprising that it is the most important monument of the Habsburg monarchy. Fifteen years were needed to finish it.
The project for the themes of the monument was provided by the historian Alfred Ritter von Arneth, who wrote an extensive monograph on Maria Theresa.
My favored sculptures are those of the "Feldherren" generals because I just find them the most elegant.

Beneath the monument is a cavity structure with pillars in order to spread evenly the forces over the ground. This cavity was used in 1945 by the Russian army to store weapons!

Maria Terezia Denkmal is located in Maria Theresien Platz. It is large square who joining the Ringstrase with the Museumsquartier, a museum of modern arts located in the former Imperial Stables. Actually there are two identical buildings on the square Natural History Museum and The Art History Museum.
The two museums and the square adjoining them were built in 1819, and in the centre of the square is a large statue depicting Empress Marie-Theresa of Austro-Hungaria.

Well, but back to the park. Central statue as the name of the square evocates is Empress Maria Theresa and her "men of cabinet such as Swieten, Kaunitz, Liechteinstein, Haugwitz"and sitting on horses you can see statues of dukes Duan, Laudon, Traun and Khevenhuller. The whole object is work of sculptor Kabol on request of Emperor Franz Josef I. The statue was revealed in 1887.

This is really one of my favourite in Vienna. There is a baroque garden (or park) situated between two identical buildings. Boths are museums, on your right side (if you are coming from the direction of Hofburg) there is Museum of history and nature with great collections of historic animal species, rocks etc etc. and on your left side there is a Museum of Art. It is must see :) but take good shoes because your feet will strike after so long walk there. You can send there hours and hours.

Maria Theresien Denkmal (Maria Theresia Memorial) is really impressive with its bronze figures. It was made in 1874-1888 to honour Empress Maria Theresia, a very popular monarch who introduced many reforms (schooling became compulsory, the Universities became State Institutions, etc.) and who had 16 children (11 daughters and 5 sons).

Probably the most influential & famous Empress in the history of Austria.

At age 23, she single handedly defended her cause against the rest of Europe & undertook major reforms in the country.

A highly respected & honored lady :-)

Between the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art History is a manicured plaza dominated by a regal statue of a youthful-looking Empress Maria Theresa (ruled 1740-1780), perhaps the most influential of the Habsburg monarchs.

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The Maria Theresien Platz and Memorial is just by the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Naturhistorisches Museum. It's an impressive place to see, altought it was too crowded due to December's christmas market and their record number of tourists in this year's December. They will charge you quite a lot to get to museums so I can't tell you what it's like inside :) but the memorial looks great and it includes most important people from her times, such as Kaunitz, van Swieten, Haugwitz,....

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The Maria-Theresien-Square is located southwest to the Hofburg and is a good example of baroque city planning. Right in the middle, there is a statue of Empress Maria Theresia, one of the best-known sovereigns of her time. The garden was designed in a typical baroque layout. The Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum, 1899) and the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Historical Art Museum, 1891) are newer, but fit very well into the layout.