Vienna is never too shy to highlight its classical music heritage. And so it is with the composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828), a son of the city who gets his own statue in the Stadtpark city park.
- 1872 memorial statue with musical reliefs
- Shares a park with other composer statues, including Strauss
- See also: Schubert locations in Vienna | The Golden Strauss
The statue and its history
Back in 1872, Schubert got his own memorial in the Stadtpark, thanks to a statue financed by the Viennese Male Voice Choir – an institution that continues today.
The design by sculptor Carl Kundmann shows Schubert sitting pensively, poised to put down notes on paper and just waiting for the right inspiration. Given he wrote hundreds of compositions, he presumably didn’t have to wait very long.
You almost have the urge to climb up and see what he’s already written (don’t, though).
The base of the statue features three reliefs dedicated to the themes musical imagination, instrumental music, and vocal music.
Schubert keeps good company in the park: there are also memorials to Franz Lehar and Anton Bruckner, for example. One statue, however, overshadows all the others: the hugely popular golden Strauss (easily found by looking for the cameras and smartphones).
The park itself is an otherwise tranquil spot with ornamental trees, open meadows and even a river running through it. It’s right on the edge of the city center: one end adjoins the Schubertring (!) part of the giant boulevard that encircles the old town.
How to get to the Schubert statue
Simply follow the instructions for reaching the Stadtpark. The Schubert statue sits about halfway between the Weihburggasse and Stubentor stops on tram line 2. See the map below:
Address: Stadtpark, Parkring, 1010 Vienna