Maria-Theresien-Schlössl

“A scepter and the Pragmatic Sanction? Quite the accessories!” whispers a tourist, gazing up at the Maria-Theresien-Schlu00f6ssl. The Maria-Theresien-Schlu00f6ssl isn’t actually a “schlu00f6ssl” (castle) at all. It’s a monument. This magnificent tribute to Empress Maria Theresa, however, holds a story as grand as any castle. The monument, a gift from Emperor Franz Joseph I, was unveiled in 1888 amidst a grand ceremony complete with ringing church bells and a Te Deum. It commemorates the Empress who ruled the Habsburg monarchy for forty years, from 1740 to 1780. Maria Theresa sits enthroned atop the monument, her right hand raised in greeting, a scepter and the Pragmatic Sanction clutched in her left. This document allowed her, as a woman, to rule the Habsburg lands. Around her throne, four allegorical figures represent justice, strength, mildness, and wisdom. Below, the plinth tells a story of its own. Four arch fields, each with a relief and a statue, depict key aspects of Maria Theresa’s reign: her advisors, administrators, military, and the arts and sciences. See that impressive figure of Wenzel Anton Kaunitz, her advisor? And there, Friedrich Wilhelm von Haugwitz, her administrator, in a Hofburg consultation room. Don’t miss the military section, highlighted by the statue of Field Marshal Joseph Wenzel I. The arts and sciences relief showcases familiar faces: Haydn, a young Mozart, and Gluck. The monument even commemorates Maria Theresa’s personal physician, Gerard van Swieten. Four equestrian statues of her field marshals guard the monument. Look closely, you’ll find Leopold Joseph von Daun, Ludwig Andreas von Khevenhu00fcller, Ernst Gideon von Laudon, and Otto Ferdinand von Abensperg und Traun immortalized in bronze. The Maria-Theresien-Schlu00f6ssl, a symphony in stone and bronze, isn’t just a monument; it’s a portal to a remarkable era.