The Mozart monument

The power of music

The Mozart monument in Vienna’s Burggarten, which stands by the Eschenbachgasse entrance and can be seen well from the Ringstraße, is one of the most photographed monuments in Vienna.

As early as 1820 it is decided that a monument should be erected to honour the famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). Admittedly it is not until 1896 that the monument created by architect Karl König (1841-1915) and sculptor Viktor Tilgner (1844-1896) can actually be unveiled.

Tilgner misses the unveiling, dying 5 days previously. That is why his date of death appears by his signature on the front right-hand side at an angel’s feet.

The structure and sculptures on the nearly 8 m high monument are made from South Tyrolean marble, the steps in dark, granite-like material. The figure of Mozart stands on a pedestal, with a music stand at his side. The inscription on the front side tells us the composer’s dates in Roman numerals: 1756-1791.

At the foot of the base lie musical instruments, a laurel wreath and sheet music. The groups of angel figures on either side symbolise the power of Mozart’s music and are early indications of the Jugendstil. The relief on the front at the foot of the base shows scenes from Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni.

On the back of the monument, enclosed by a semi-circular balustrade, there is an interesting detail: a relief of a portrait of the Mozart family. Father Leopold with little Wolfgang and his sister Nannerl. The template for the relief is a drawing by French painter Louis Carmontelle (1717-1806).

The Mozart monument is initially erected on Albertinaplatz. Café Mozart, which is located there, is a reminder of it today. When the statue - badly damaged in WW2 - is restored in 1953, it is brought to its current home in Vienna’s Burggarten.