In Vienna, statues and monuments dedicated to important rulers of the Vienna and Austria abound. They can be found incorporated in buildings or as separate structures in front of buildings or within parks.
Among the most notable is the monument of Franz Joseph I in Frazensplatz, a courtyard situated within the Hofburg palace. It is in the Inner Castle Court or innerer Burghof and the statue was created by Pompeo Marchesi. Franz Joseph I ruled Austria from 1848 to 1916 andalso became the King of Hungary.
Franz Joseph I was born in the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, the oldest son of Archduke Franz Karl and his wife Princess Sophie of Bavaria. He was married to Empress Elisabeth “Sissi” in April 1854 in Vienna’s St. Augustine’s Church.
There is also a Joseph Square where the equestrian statue of Emperor Joseph II done by Franz Anton von Zauner can be found.
The Hofburg Palace is now the official residence and workplace of the president of Austria. Built in the 13th century, it has been the seat of government of various empires and republics since 1279.
