alfredlexx60 (Soldat Chvéïk de retour)
Wien, 1. Bezirk (the art of very historical buildings of Vienna), Burgring (the Burgtor - Gate)
Outer castle gate (Vienna) - ring road
(Further pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)
Heldenplatz page 2005
The outer castle gate in Vienna, formerly written also Burgthor is situated between the Heroes' Square and the Ringstrasse (Ring Road) and is also known as Heroes' Gate.
History
Outer castle gate in 1898
1660 the old castle gate was built as part of the fortifications of Vienna and hotly contested during the Second Siege of Vienna in 1683. During the Fifth coalition war, in 1809, it was - like other parts of the city fortifications, too - blown up by Napoleon's soldiers, by which became apparent that the city fortifications had finally lost its military value .
The outer castle gate was built of Peter Nobile according to plans of Luigi Cagnola by soldiers of the Imperial Austrian army. For the door system with five arched gates in cuboid technique were used hard Wöllersdorfer and Kaisersteinbrucher stone, for less loaded parts St. Margarethener stone. The ceremonial laying of the foundation stone took place on 22 September 1821 in the presence of Emperor Franz I. On 16 October 1824 - the eleventh anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig - it was opened. According to an announcement was from 18 October 1824 the free passage through the new gate possible.
In gilded script can be found on the ring road side the inscription "FRANCISCUS I. IMPERATOR AUSTRIAE MDCCCXXIV " (Francis I, Emperor of Austria 1824) and at the Heroes' Square, facing front "IUSTITIA REGNORUM FUNDAMENTUM" (Justice is the foundation of the rule), the motto of Emperor Francis I of Austria.
At the end of the 19th Century Otto Wagner planned to tear off the gate and rebuild it in Grinzing (19th district of Vienna). In its place he wanted to build a monumental statue of Emperor Franz Joseph. Ludwig Baumann, on the other hand, a supervisor of the Imperial Palace, was for the demolition of the building, so as to open the Heldenplatz (until 1878" Outside Castle Square") towards to the ring road.
At the time of Nazi rule in Austria there were considerations to upgrade the Heldenplatz architecturally. To this end, the main axis of the square should be rotated by 90 degrees, so that the balcony of the Imperial Palace, from where Adolf Hitler announced the annexation of Austria, would have become the main focal point in large marches. On this behalf, one wanted to move the equestrian statues of Prince Charles and Prince Eugene of Savoy, as well as the castle gate itself, which they wanted to shift into the center of Heroes' Square.
Even the erection of this building by soldiers and the opening on the eleventh anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig should refer to the heroic struggle of the Austrian army against Napoleon's troops. Throughout its history, more and more other memorials have been set up here.
Laurel wreath and crest
Laurel branches of the supreme commander
"Laurel for our heroes 1914-1916"
At Pentecost 1915 suggested the wife of an Imperial Council, Flora Berl, the action "laurel for our heroes from 1914 to 1916". Archduke Charles Stephen, the protector of the relief operation of the war welfare office - formerly "protection against the cold" - also took care of the daughter action "laurel for our heroes 1914-1918" and also had the idea with the exterior castle gate as a central place of this action.
In this fundraising campaign should "of an alloy that is not suitable for lethal projectiles", laurel wreaths ("victor's wreaths", no grave wreaths) be produced. Each donor could either engrave his own name in one of the laurel leaves or dedicate this sheet to a soldier at the front. The donor could himself register in a book of honor and received a commemorative document - a fundraising campaign that resembles the principle of the "military man in iron". This fundraising campaign was opened on 1 June 1915 in the Kärntner Straße 35 in Vienna, where the rooms of the Hamburg-America Line served as propaganda local. The proceeds of this fundraising campaign went to the K.K. Austrian Military Widows and Orphans Fund and War Fürsorgeamt (Social Security Office) formerly "protection against the cold".
Most prominent donors were:
Emperor Franz Joseph I (Austria-Hungary)
Kaiser Wilhelm II (German Empire)
Grand Sultan Mehmed V. (Ottoman Empire)
King Ferdinand I (Bulgaria)
To their donations remember the four gilded laurel branches in the middle of the ring road frontage between the laurel wreaths and coat of arms of the countries and cities in Austria ("the countries represented in the Reichsrat"). In addition was the saying "LAURUM MILITIBUS LAURO DIGNIS MDCCCCXVI (bay laurel honor of the soldiers 1916)" attached.
Feststiege (festival stairway) to the roofless hall of honor
Crypt
Heroes Monument, Crypt
Between the years 1933 and 1934 the outer castle gate was after an architectural competition by Rudolf Wondracek, a student of Otto Wagner, to a to the fallen of the First World War dedicated heroe's monument converted, a change of the outer shape of the building not being allowed. On the two short sides run feast stairs to his roofless hall of honor, which the architect explained by stating: "The heroes of World War II have fallen under the open sky, they are to be honored under the open sky." Inside was north of the road a crypt for the fallen of the First world War built. In there can be found the by Wilhelm Frass of red marble created epitaph of a dead soldier and a simple altar. Until November 2012 ten honor books were issued with the names of the in the war fallen Austrians in showcases, whose pages were turned over daily. The books were removed after repair and on 30th November 2012 handed over to the Austrian State Archives.
For the financing of the construction of the hero monument had been placed the already in the First World War used "Wehrmann in Eisen" in service again. The ten honor books were funded by these donations. Although the epitaph was not finished, the War Memorial on 9th and 10th in September 1934 was opened as part of a patriotic ceremony. On 15 March 1938 here also laid Adolf Hitler a wreath and Hermann Goering visited on 27 March the place of honor. In this crypt is read every Sunday a Holy Mass.
SA Memorial
During the period of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the middle gate entrance was usually closed, as this was reserved for the emperor. Here the SA later got its own memorial, which was removed after the war ended in 1945.
Ordination space
1965 on the decision of the Federal Governement was south of the passage established an ordination space for the victims of the Austrian Struggle for Freedom. It contains a black block of marble, those upper side bears the federal coat of arms and on its front the inscription" IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS IN THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM IN AUSTRIA". In a display case in the lobby are kept documents about the re-establishment of the Republic of Austria. On 27th May 1965 the ordination space was given over to its purpose.
Environment
Just a few meters away from the exterior castle gate are two other memorials of the recent past.
Papal cross
To the south is next to the Heldentor the steel Pope cross, which the visit of Pope John Paul II on 10th September 1983 recalls and was designed by architect Gustav Peichl.
Monument to the executive
To the north, next to the Heroe's Place, there is a monument that should commemorate policemen and policewomen and gendarmes (1st July of 2005 gendarmes became policemen) killed in service. The monument, consisting of two rectangular steel bodies, was in the presence of President Thomas Klestil on 3rd June 2002 consecrated.
Papal cross
Monument to the executive
Postwar period and reorganization of the crypt in Heldentor
After the Member of Parliament Harald Walser of the Greens had made known in 2012 that the name of Josef Vallaster (criminal of war) was also listed in the Books of the Death in the crypt of the Heldentor, prompted Defense Minister Norbert Darabos the deletion Vallasters from the Books of the Death. In addition, this was followed by an ordered investigation by experts to determine whether other war criminals are among the soldiers listed in the Books of the Death. Furthermore, it was investigated whether as 1938 claimed by Wilhelm Frass, he in 1935 deposited secretly a tribute of the National Socialism in the lying soldiers, which is confirmed in July 2012. At the same time also a pacifist message of Frass' heretofore largely unknown assistant Alfons Riedel was discovered. The two documents were on 9th July 2013 handed over to the Vienna Museum of Military History, where they are exhibited as facsimile in the hall Republic and Dictatorship over a display case with a model of the castle gate and that brass sleeve in which the letters were hidden.
Wien, 1. Bezirk (the art of very historical buildings of Vienna), Burgring (the Burgtor - Gate)
Outer castle gate (Vienna) - ring road
(Further pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)
Heldenplatz page 2005
The outer castle gate in Vienna, formerly written also Burgthor is situated between the Heroes' Square and the Ringstrasse (Ring Road) and is also known as Heroes' Gate.
History
Outer castle gate in 1898
1660 the old castle gate was built as part of the fortifications of Vienna and hotly contested during the Second Siege of Vienna in 1683. During the Fifth coalition war, in 1809, it was - like other parts of the city fortifications, too - blown up by Napoleon's soldiers, by which became apparent that the city fortifications had finally lost its military value .
The outer castle gate was built of Peter Nobile according to plans of Luigi Cagnola by soldiers of the Imperial Austrian army. For the door system with five arched gates in cuboid technique were used hard Wöllersdorfer and Kaisersteinbrucher stone, for less loaded parts St. Margarethener stone. The ceremonial laying of the foundation stone took place on 22 September 1821 in the presence of Emperor Franz I. On 16 October 1824 - the eleventh anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig - it was opened. According to an announcement was from 18 October 1824 the free passage through the new gate possible.
In gilded script can be found on the ring road side the inscription "FRANCISCUS I. IMPERATOR AUSTRIAE MDCCCXXIV " (Francis I, Emperor of Austria 1824) and at the Heroes' Square, facing front "IUSTITIA REGNORUM FUNDAMENTUM" (Justice is the foundation of the rule), the motto of Emperor Francis I of Austria.
At the end of the 19th Century Otto Wagner planned to tear off the gate and rebuild it in Grinzing (19th district of Vienna). In its place he wanted to build a monumental statue of Emperor Franz Joseph. Ludwig Baumann, on the other hand, a supervisor of the Imperial Palace, was for the demolition of the building, so as to open the Heldenplatz (until 1878" Outside Castle Square") towards to the ring road.
At the time of Nazi rule in Austria there were considerations to upgrade the Heldenplatz architecturally. To this end, the main axis of the square should be rotated by 90 degrees, so that the balcony of the Imperial Palace, from where Adolf Hitler announced the annexation of Austria, would have become the main focal point in large marches. On this behalf, one wanted to move the equestrian statues of Prince Charles and Prince Eugene of Savoy, as well as the castle gate itself, which they wanted to shift into the center of Heroes' Square.
Even the erection of this building by soldiers and the opening on the eleventh anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig should refer to the heroic struggle of the Austrian army against Napoleon's troops. Throughout its history, more and more other memorials have been set up here.
Laurel wreath and crest
Laurel branches of the supreme commander
"Laurel for our heroes 1914-1916"
At Pentecost 1915 suggested the wife of an Imperial Council, Flora Berl, the action "laurel for our heroes from 1914 to 1916". Archduke Charles Stephen, the protector of the relief operation of the war welfare office - formerly "protection against the cold" - also took care of the daughter action "laurel for our heroes 1914-1918" and also had the idea with the exterior castle gate as a central place of this action.
In this fundraising campaign should "of an alloy that is not suitable for lethal projectiles", laurel wreaths ("victor's wreaths", no grave wreaths) be produced. Each donor could either engrave his own name in one of the laurel leaves or dedicate this sheet to a soldier at the front. The donor could himself register in a book of honor and received a commemorative document - a fundraising campaign that resembles the principle of the "military man in iron". This fundraising campaign was opened on 1 June 1915 in the Kärntner Straße 35 in Vienna, where the rooms of the Hamburg-America Line served as propaganda local. The proceeds of this fundraising campaign went to the K.K. Austrian Military Widows and Orphans Fund and War Fürsorgeamt (Social Security Office) formerly "protection against the cold".
Most prominent donors were:
Emperor Franz Joseph I (Austria-Hungary)
Kaiser Wilhelm II (German Empire)
Grand Sultan Mehmed V. (Ottoman Empire)
King Ferdinand I (Bulgaria)
To their donations remember the four gilded laurel branches in the middle of the ring road frontage between the laurel wreaths and coat of arms of the countries and cities in Austria ("the countries represented in the Reichsrat"). In addition was the saying "LAURUM MILITIBUS LAURO DIGNIS MDCCCCXVI (bay laurel honor of the soldiers 1916)" attached.
Feststiege (festival stairway) to the roofless hall of honor
Crypt
Heroes Monument, Crypt
Between the years 1933 and 1934 the outer castle gate was after an architectural competition by Rudolf Wondracek, a student of Otto Wagner, to a to the fallen of the First World War dedicated heroe's monument converted, a change of the outer shape of the building not being allowed. On the two short sides run feast stairs to his roofless hall of honor, which the architect explained by stating: "The heroes of World War II have fallen under the open sky, they are to be honored under the open sky." Inside was north of the road a crypt for the fallen of the First world War built. In there can be found the by Wilhelm Frass of red marble created epitaph of a dead soldier and a simple altar. Until November 2012 ten honor books were issued with the names of the in the war fallen Austrians in showcases, whose pages were turned over daily. The books were removed after repair and on 30th November 2012 handed over to the Austrian State Archives.
For the financing of the construction of the hero monument had been placed the already in the First World War used "Wehrmann in Eisen" in service again. The ten honor books were funded by these donations. Although the epitaph was not finished, the War Memorial on 9th and 10th in September 1934 was opened as part of a patriotic ceremony. On 15 March 1938 here also laid Adolf Hitler a wreath and Hermann Goering visited on 27 March the place of honor. In this crypt is read every Sunday a Holy Mass.
SA Memorial
During the period of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the middle gate entrance was usually closed, as this was reserved for the emperor. Here the SA later got its own memorial, which was removed after the war ended in 1945.
Ordination space
1965 on the decision of the Federal Governement was south of the passage established an ordination space for the victims of the Austrian Struggle for Freedom. It contains a black block of marble, those upper side bears the federal coat of arms and on its front the inscription" IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS IN THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM IN AUSTRIA". In a display case in the lobby are kept documents about the re-establishment of the Republic of Austria. On 27th May 1965 the ordination space was given over to its purpose.
Environment
Just a few meters away from the exterior castle gate are two other memorials of the recent past.
Papal cross
To the south is next to the Heldentor the steel Pope cross, which the visit of Pope John Paul II on 10th September 1983 recalls and was designed by architect Gustav Peichl.
Monument to the executive
To the north, next to the Heroe's Place, there is a monument that should commemorate policemen and policewomen and gendarmes (1st July of 2005 gendarmes became policemen) killed in service. The monument, consisting of two rectangular steel bodies, was in the presence of President Thomas Klestil on 3rd June 2002 consecrated.
Papal cross
Monument to the executive
Postwar period and reorganization of the crypt in Heldentor
After the Member of Parliament Harald Walser of the Greens had made known in 2012 that the name of Josef Vallaster (criminal of war) was also listed in the Books of the Death in the crypt of the Heldentor, prompted Defense Minister Norbert Darabos the deletion Vallasters from the Books of the Death. In addition, this was followed by an ordered investigation by experts to determine whether other war criminals are among the soldiers listed in the Books of the Death. Furthermore, it was investigated whether as 1938 claimed by Wilhelm Frass, he in 1935 deposited secretly a tribute of the National Socialism in the lying soldiers, which is confirmed in July 2012. At the same time also a pacifist message of Frass' heretofore largely unknown assistant Alfons Riedel was discovered. The two documents were on 9th July 2013 handed over to the Vienna Museum of Military History, where they are exhibited as facsimile in the hall Republic and Dictatorship over a display case with a model of the castle gate and that brass sleeve in which the letters were hidden.