Reminders of Prince Eugene of Savoy pepper Vienna, not least in the form of his former residence at the Belvedere palaces. The main monument to this military genius, who served three Habsburg emperors, sits on Heldenplatz square.
- Bronze equestrian statue on a giant plinth
- Unveiled in 1865 by Franz Joseph
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A monument to a Frenchman?
(Eugene guards the entrance to the national library)
Heldenplatz square in the very centre of Vienna has two massive equestrian statues on it, along with various monumental buildings that mark the edge of the Hofburg palace complex.
One statue honours the Habsburgs’ own Archduke Karl (1771-1847), notable for giving Napoleon a black eye at the 1809 Battle of Aspern-Essling. Incidentally, it didn’t take long for Napoleon to respond in kind.
The other statue honours the Paris-born Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736).
France has been many things, but a Habsburg dominion is not one of them. So you might wonder why Eugene deserved such an accolade.
Refused a command in the French military, a young Eugene popped across to Austria and offered his sword and brain to Emperor Leopold I. He began his service at the lifting of the 1683 siege of Vienna.
To cut a long story short, Eugene rose rapidly through the ranks to eventually command armies, smite various foes, and establish himself as perhaps the Habsburgs’ most successful ever military leader.
(Although, to be honest, the Habsburg era is generally better remembered for the music, arts, architecture and politics rather than military renown.)
Eugene’s efforts on behalf of the court did not go unrewarded. He built the Belvedere and Schloss Hof palaces, for example, on the proceeds of imperial gratitude. In 1865, long after Eugene’s death, further acknowledgment of his contributions came in the form of an equestrian monument.
The unveiling on October 18th coincided with Eugene’s 203rd birthday and took place in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth.
(A photograph of the 1865 unveiling taken by Julius Leth; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 9572/1; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)
The bronze statue owes its design to the sculptor, Anton Dominik Fernkorn: the man also responsible for that 1860 Archduke Karl monument.
Fernkorn intended both statues to complement one another, hence the stylistic similarities. Though he seems to have made life a bit easier for himself with Eugene by having the prince’s horse anchored to the plinth by its tail as well as its hind legs.
Various inscriptions decorate the monument. These include the names and dates of notable battles involving Eugene, beginning with Zenta 1697 and ending with his 1717 capture of Belgrade from the Ottoman empire.
(Eugene’s family coat of arms on the rear of the monument)
The dedications on three sides of the statue are (all my rough translations):
- Front: The noble knight Prince Eugene (top) and Erected by Emperor Franz Joseph 1865 (below)
- To Eugene’s left: For the wise advisor to three emperors
- To Eugene’s right: For the glorious victor over Austria’s enemies
How to get to Eugene
See the main Heldenplatz article for travel advice, though you likely pass through it on any exploration of the old town.
Eugene’s monument is the one closest to the Neue Burg building that now provides a home for the National Library, the Weltmuseum, the Ephesos Museum, and the House of Austrian History.
Address: Heldenplatz, 1010 Vienna