Josefsplatz

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The Josefsplatz is a city-centre public square in the city of Vienna, Austria. The Josefsplatz is centred on a full-sized statue and monument of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor mounted on a horse (1795-1806, by sculptor Franz Anton Zauner).

The Square is enclosed by various buildings, once part of Hofburg Imperial Palace complex, notably the national library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) and Museum - a fine example of late baroque architecture on a grand scale, designed by Fischer von Erlach the Elder and Fischer von Erlach the Younger, with side wings added later to designs by Nikolaus Picassi. The Museum has sometimes suffered catastrophic damage - the zoological collection was destroyed by cannonfire in the 1848 battle for Vienna, and the Redoutensäle wing was badly damaged by fire in 1992.

In one corner of the Square is the former Imperial Court Stables, once housing around nine hundred Lipizzaner horses. Part of it is now the Spanish Riding School while another part is a modern art gallery.

Josefsplatz was selected as a main motif of one of the very recent Austrian euro collectors' coins: the 5 euro Austrian 2006 EU Presidency commemorative coin, minted in January 18, 2006. The reverse shows the Vienna Hofburg Imperial Palace in the square. The equestrian statue of Joseph II in its center. The wing of the Hofburg can be seen to the right, which contains the Spanish Riding School and the "Redoutensäle".

Josefplatz featured as a notable location in the feature film The Third Man (1949).

[edit] External links

• Creative Histories: The Josefsplatz Experience - digitizing 3D models of Josefsplatz through the decades, for delivery on mobile phones to cultural tourists. Oh