The name of this square comes from the palace that was built for Archduke Albert of Saxe-Teschen in 1781. He was deeply passionate about painting and managed to assemble a large collection of artworks during his lifetime. These paintings are still kept in the Albertina gallery to this day. Its visitors can see works by Raphael, Rubens, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and many other great masters.
But let us return to the square. At its center rises an equestrian statue of the archduke himself, installed on a former bastion of Vienna's fortifications. Slightly below is the murmuring Danubius Fountain, which symbolizes the Danube River and the Wien River flowing into it.
Nearby is the legendary Vienna State Opera. To attend some of its performances (for example, the New Year's concert), tickets have to be reserved a year in advance!
Massive granite blocks, the so-called "Gates of Violence," have also been installed on this square. They were brought from the quarries of the Mauthausen concentration camp. Between them stands the figure of a Jewish man kneeling and scrubbing the street with a brush. Some tourists, not knowing what it represented, used to sit on it as if it were a bench, so the author - Alfred Hrdlicka – later installed barbed wire on it. This composition appeared on the square in 1988, when the 50th anniversary of Austria's occupation by fascist troops was being commemorated.
In addition, Albertinaplatz is home to a tourist office, where you can find out about upcoming excursions and pick up a free city map.
