Visit Maria Theresa Square (Maria-Theresien-Platz) to appreciate the imperial ambiance of one of Vienna’s most ostentatious public squares. Browse art and history museums housed in majestic palaces and spot a series of impressive sculptures. Laid out in the second half of the 19th century, Maria Theresa Square forms part of the unfinished Kaiserforum parade ground. It honors Maria Theresa, the Holy Roman Empress of the Habsburg Dynasty.
Dominating the square’s center is the 62-foot (19-meter) tall Maria Theresa Monument. It depicts the queen waving to her people and holding a royal decree while surrounded by four horsemen. Paths divide the plaza into four topiary gardens, where locals and tourists relax on the grassy lawns. At the heart of each garden is a fountain festooned with sculptures of tritons and mermaids.
Admire the almost identical palaces that frame the square, which were purposely designed to host the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art History. Note the subtle differences in the buildings’ facades. One is adorned with portrayals of well-known European artists and the other with representations of Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Browse everything from dinosaur skeletons to gemstones and fossils of extinct animals at the Museum of Natural History. Examine work by European masters, such as Raphael and Titan, and an impressive numismatic display at the Museum of Art History.
To the south, the square connects with the MuseumsQuartier, a museum complex located on the grounds of the former royal stables. On the opposite side, a monumental gateway leads to Heldenplatz, a public courtyard outside the Hofburg Imperial Palace.
The square is on the Ringstrasse in the southwestern corner of Vienna’s Innere Stadt (Old Town). Get here easily by taking the metro to either the MuseumsQuartier or Volkstheater stations. Public buses and trams also stop on the square’s encompassing streets.
A great time to visit Maria Theresa Square is for the Christmas Village, held between mid November and late December. Shop for art and handicrafts, feast on Viennese pastries and sample Wiehnachtspunsch, an Austrian variation of mulled wine.
