{"id":2748,"date":"2019-10-26T04:55:34","date_gmt":"2019-10-26T03:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=2748"},"modified":"2026-02-24T18:26:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T17:26:25","slug":"heldenplatz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/winter-palace\/heldenplatz\/","title":{"rendered":"Heldenplatz"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/heldenplatzsmall.jpg\" alt=\"Heldenplatz view across to the President's offices\" class=\"wp-image-20038\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/heldenplatzsmall.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/heldenplatzsmall-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If Austria ever has a revolution, this is where people will gather: Heldenplatz square in the centre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Huge square created in the early 1800s<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Surrounded by iconic buildings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Venue for events (and demonstrations)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Home to two famous statues and a military monument<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Also known (unfortunately) for Hitler&#8217;s balcony speech in 1938<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/hofburg-palace-tickets-l124617\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_HofburgVenue\" rel=\"sponsored\">guided tour<\/a>* of the Hofburg area<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sightseeing\/hofburg\/\">The Hofburg area<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"heroes-square\">Heroes&#8217; square<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/neueburg.jpg\" alt=\"The Neue Burg\" class=\"wp-image-41728\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/neueburg.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/neueburg-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(View across the square to the Neue Burg)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The central and huge Heldenplatz (Heroes&#8217; Square) began life in the early 1800s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back then, French troops had demolished part of the city&#8217;s fortifications, and the authorities subsequently decided to leave the space so created as a large open area. Which seems like an elegant (and cheap) solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The square&#8217;s dimensions and content have changed with time, though, as various prestigious building projects went up in or around the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/ring\/\">Ringstrassen boulevard<\/a> lines the long southwest edge of the square, while various tracts of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sightseeing\/hofburg\/\">Hofburg palace<\/a> (most notably the buildings now used by Austria&#8217;s president) form the opposite northeast edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/winter-palace\/volksgarten\/\">Volksgarten park<\/a> runs along the short northwest edge. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/winter-palace\/neue-burg\/\">Neue Burg<\/a> palace wing (now full of museums) and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/winter-palace\/burggarten\/\">Burggarten park<\/a> mark the opposite southeast boundary.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/walkingtourneueburg.jpg\" alt=\"The Neue Burg\" class=\"wp-image-50414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/walkingtourneueburg.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/walkingtourneueburg-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The Neue Burg and infamous terrace)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The construction of that Neue Burg wing next to Heldenplatz inadvertently led to one of world history&#8217;s most infamous moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On March 15th, 1938, the crowds gathered on the square to see Hitler emerge onto the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/culture\/hitler-balcony\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"68913\">Neue Burg balcony<\/a> and loudly proclaim that his homeland was now part of the German Reich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Heldenplatz largely serves as a recreational space and venue for events like the annual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/events\/festival-of-joy\/\">Festival of Joy<\/a>, which celebrates the unconditional surrender of the German army on May 8th, 1945.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/heldenplatzalt.jpg\" alt=\"1877 painting of Heldenplatz\" class=\"wp-image-55619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/heldenplatzalt.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/heldenplatzalt-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Heldenplatz around 1877, as painted by Franz Alt; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 250313; excerpt reproduced under the terms of the <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY 4.0<\/a> license)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Given the proximity to government offices (including those of Austria&#8217;s Prime Minister), the square has also hosted the occasional demonstration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Greta Thunberg appeared here once, for example, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said &#8220;I&#8217;ll be back&#8221; to the delight of the gathered crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The square also provided interim accommodation for Austria&#8217;s parliament while the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/parlament\/\">main parliament building<\/a> underwent renovation from 2017-2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those (ugly) temporary buildings have since disappeared, restoring Heldenplatz to its more usual historical aesthetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-equestrian-statues-and-burgtor\">The equestrian statues and Burgtor<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/StatueArchdukeCarl.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Archduke Carl\" class=\"wp-image-41874\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/StatueArchdukeCarl.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/StatueArchdukeCarl-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Archduke Karl&#8217;s statue)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from the surrounding buildings, the standout features of the square are, perhaps, the two statues of men atop horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One statue is the 1860 rendition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/winter-palace\/archduke-karl-monument\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"40941\">Archduke Karl on a horse<\/a>. The Archduke famously defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Aspern-Essling in 1809, which was the French Emperor&#8217;s first loss in many a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not that Napoleon let the defeat affect him; a few weeks later and he was enjoying breakfast in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sightseeing\/palace-of-schonbrunn\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1672\">Habsburg summer palace<\/a> having soundly beaten the Archduke at the Battle of Wagram.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/eugenestatue.jpg\" alt=\"Equestrian statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy\" class=\"wp-image-41884\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/eugenestatue.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/eugenestatue-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Prince Eugene&#8217;s statue)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/winter-palace\/prince-eugene-monument\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"41885\">second equestrian statue<\/a> sits right in front of the Neue Burg. This one is the 1865 portrayal of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/culture\/prince-eugene-savoy\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"58031\">Prince Eugene of Savoy<\/a>, military commander and owner of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sightseeing\/vienna-museums\/belvedere\/\">Belvedere<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/mapsgeography\/schloss-hof\/\">Schloss Hof<\/a> palaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another Heldenplatz feature is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/winter-palace\/burgtor\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"47310\">\u00c4u\u00dferes Burgtor<\/a> gateway, erected in the 1820s to replace the one the French destroyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ostensibly an entrance into the square and Hofburg area, the Burgtor also served (and serves) as a military monument.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/burgtor.jpg\" alt=\"View of Maria-Theresien-Platz through the Burgtor columns\" class=\"wp-image-47304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/burgtor.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/burgtor-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The Burgtor)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Conceived initially as an implicit symbol of triumph, the subsequent embellishments and below-ground expansions saw it converted into a monument to the fallen (particularly those of WWI and Austrian freedom fighters from the years before and during WWII).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-find-heldenplatz\">How to find Heldenplatz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The square is huge, central and surrounded by tourist attractions. So you can hardly miss it on your travels. Heldenplatz is a popular part of many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/walking-tours\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"59674\">city walking tours<\/a> and you pass through it on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/walking-tour-hofburg\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"50396\">Part 3<\/a> of my self-guided walking route suggestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Subway: Heldenplatz lies close to four subway stations. Consider Herrengasse (on the U3 line), Stephansplatz (U1 and U3), Volkstheater (U2 and U3) and Museumsquartier (U2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tram\/bus: Take the 1, 2, D or 71 lines to either of the Ring\/Volkstheater or Burgring stops<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Address: Heldenplatz, 1010 Vienna<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1asmHlbVpicbQLt1557vf6l4l0zQ\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If Austria ever has a revolution, this is where people will gather: Heldenplatz square in the centre. Heroes&#8217; square (View across the square to the Neue Burg) The central and huge Heldenplatz (Heroes&#8217; Square) began life in the early 1800s. Back then, French troops had demolished part of the city&#8217;s fortifications, and the authorities subsequently [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20038,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2748","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-winter-palace","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2748"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88899,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2748\/revisions\/88899"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}