Burggarten Court Garden, Vienna – A garden fit for an Emperor
Napoleon must have had a soft spot for gardens. Not only did his attack on Vienna clear the space for the Volksgarten, his cannons also helped to clear this part of town, which also became a garden – the Burggarten, to be precise. Built for an Emperor and his family, the garden is now free for all to roam around and enjoy. And Big Bus Tours stops right outside.
Emperor Franz was a green-fingered ruler and he chose lots of new plants to fill his garden. Over the years the Burggarten Court Garden was restyled to become more like an English landscape garden. You’ll find large vistas of green, with ponds and statues too.
A monumental space
There are lots of monuments in the Burggarten, including a fountain with an 18th century statue of Hercules doing battle with a lion. The statue that everyone wants to see is the Mozart Denkmal, dating from 1896. It’s a wonderful depiction of Mozart surrounded by angels and musical instruments, as well as scenes from his opera, ‘Don Giovanni’.
Palms and butterflies
Making a flying visit to Vienna? So are the butterflies. Head to the Palm House to see exotic butterflies flying around tropical plants. Then why not grab something to eat or drink underneath the huge palm trees. While you’re here, you might spot the park’s flower arrangers making some special bouquets for a big event like the opera ball.
Other interesting facts about the Burggarten Court Garden
- The garden opened to the public in 1918, when the Habsburg Empire finally ended
- The Mozart Denkmal statue was originally erected at Augustinerplatz, but was moved here in 1953
- The Palm House covers a space of 2,000 square metres (6,562 square feet)
- Before the park was open to the public, people could catch glimpses of it through the fence
