Schwarzenbergplatz

Schwarzenbergplatz

The Vienna audio-guided tour leads you to Schwarzenbergplatz, laid out on the site of the city's former ramparts. When these fortifications were demolished, the cleared space allowed several fine buildings to be erected and this orderly square to be created, opening onto the Ring.

A place of memory

In 1945, at the end of the Second World War, the Red Army had an imposing memorial erected behind the fountain, dedicated to the Soviet soldiers who fell during the Vienna offensive. Annexed by Nazi Germany since 1938, Austria was then part of the Reich, and it was through the capture of Vienna that the Allied forces entered the country. After the surrender, the city was divided into occupation sectors until the Austrian State Treaty of 1955. This monument is contemplated with gravity, in memory of the victims of the conflict.

What there is to see

The square brings together the monumental fountain, the semicircular Red Army memorial and the elegant facades of the Ring. Several palaces and institutions stand nearby. It is a key point for understanding the city's recent history, between imperial splendour and the memory of the 20th century, and a fine example of the town planning born from the dismantling of the ramparts.

Practical information

Schwarzenbergplatz can be seen freely, outdoors, on the Ring, near the Opera and the Stadtpark. It can be crossed on foot at any time. As a place of memory, the memorial calls for respectful behaviour. Several tram lines serve the edges of the square.

What does the memorial on the square commemorate ?

Erected in 1945, it pays tribute to the Soviet soldiers who fell during the Vienna offensive, at the end of the Second World War.

Why does this square exist ?

It was laid out on the site of Vienna's former ramparts, whose demolition cleared the space for new buildings along the Ring.