فيينا
Heldenplatz is the great square in front of the Hofburg. It arose after the Napoleonic Wars and is named after the statues of Archduke Charles and Prince Eugene on horseback.
From walls to square
Until 1809 there were great defences here, and the walls that protected the palace. Napoleon's troops blew them up as they left.
Rebuilding them no longer made sense. In their place came an open square and two gardens. On the outer side they were closed off by a new wall with a great arch.
Two heroes on horseback
The statue of Archduke Charles was unveiled in 1860. Prince Eugene's arrived five years later, as its companion.
Both horses are rearing, meaning raised up on their hind legs. Casting them in bronze took great technical skill.
The arch towards the Ring
The Äußeres Burgtor was built from 1821 to 1824. Luigi Cagnola began it and Pietro Nobile finished it.
It commemorates a victory over Napoleon. Since 1933–1934 it has also been a memorial to fallen soldiers.
The curved palace
Behind the statues is the newest wing of the Hofburg. It was meant to be just one part of a much larger project.
Work went on for decades. The foundations were difficult and the stone arrived late from Istria. The project was changed several times and never completed.
