Emperor Joseph Monument on Josefsplatz in Vienna’s 1st district. The bronze equestrian monument was created by Franz Anton Zauner and was erected between 1795 and 1807. The ceremonial unveiling took place on November 3, 1807. The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius was the model for the monument to Joseph II. The largest bronze casting in Austria at the time was produced in the k.k. Ore foundry. A stepped pedestal rises above a structure of polished Mauthausen granite. The pedestal stands on this. The foundation plaques are attached to the front sides of the pedestal, the long sides are decorated with bronze reliefs (Joseph as patron of trade and agriculture). The monument is surrounded by bronze chains, with four round pillars with medallions at the corners. Emperor Joseph II was the first Habsburg to have his own monument erected in public.
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