This is an ongoing research of the commemorations to Columbus in Vienna which started on the 12 of October of 2014. In Vienna there are several places where Christopher Columbus is commemorated. In fact, Columbus is a figure of present relevance in Austria, that continues to be used in order to connote a positive image –as the many companies carrying his name testify.
1 Tableau Socrates 470-399 Platon 427-347 / Pytagoras 552-492 Democrit
2 Tableau Franz Assisi 1182 1226 Dante Aligheri 1265 1321 / Bernard de Clairvaux
3 Tableau Columbus 1451-1506 Galilleo Galilei 1564 1642 / Erasmus 1465-1536
Foto: Imayna Caceres, 2017.
Campaign of Stiegl, taken in August 2016.
https://www.imaynacaceres.com/2020/06/columbus-falling-down.html
Entry published 28.10.2014
The first monument erected to Columbus in Vienna was set in 1862, being Vienna one of the first European cities outside of Italy and Spain to erect a statue in his name. By 1862, Spain had two of its now (around) 98 commemorative places and statues. Salamanca is recorded as the first city with a monument/plaque and Barcelona the second with a portrait medallion. The main monument to Columbus in Madrid was built between 1881-1885. The one in Barcelona was built between 1881-1888. A chronology of hommages to Columbus around the world per year can be found in the following link, although for Vienna only 4 are mentioned: https://www.vanderkrogt.net/statues/chronologie.php?webpage=CO
*List of places where Columbus is commemorated:
1. Columbusdenkmal Handelsakademie, 1862
The Entrance of the Vienna Business School (Handelsakademie I der Wiener Kaufmannschaft, 1862) has two statues: Adam Smith to the left and Columbus to the right, standing, with a map showing the Americas in his left hand, to which he is pointing with his other hand. "Standbild aus Stein (mit Schiffsgeräten) von Josef Cesar (Wiener Akademie der bildenden Künste) für den Entdecker Amerikas (1492)".
The Entrance of the Vienna Business School (Handelsakademie I der Wiener Kaufmannschaft, 1862) has two statues: Adam Smith to the left and Columbus to the right, standing, with a map showing the Americas in his left hand, to which he is pointing with his other hand. "Standbild aus Stein (mit Schiffsgeräten) von Josef Cesar (Wiener Akademie der bildenden Künste) für den Entdecker Amerikas (1492)".
"Columbusdenkmal (1, Akademiestraße 12, vor der Handelsakademie), Standbild aus Stein (mit Schiffsgeräten) von Josef Cesar (1862) für den Entdecker Amerikas (1492), Christoph Columbus (italienisch Cristoforo Colombo, spanisch Cristóbal Colón, * zwischen 25. August und 31. Oktober 1451 Genua, Italien, † 20. Mai 1506 Valladolid, Spanien)."
Location: Wien 1, Akademiestraße 12. Across Karlsplatz and next to Brut.
2. Columbusgasse, 1864
Named after Christopher Columbus on December 1, 1864 by the District Committee Wieden. Implemented the 5 July 1894 on the Inzersdorfer Canongasse and part of the Neuburgergasse (September 9, 1969 Council Committee for Culture (Gemeinderatsausschuss für Kultur). In 1874 this section that belongs to the 4th district of Wieden passes to belong to the 10th district of Favoriten.
https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Columbusdenkmal
2. Columbusgasse, 1864
Named after Christopher Columbus on December 1, 1864 by the District Committee Wieden. Implemented the 5 July 1894 on the Inzersdorfer Canongasse and part of the Neuburgergasse (September 9, 1969 Council Committee for Culture (Gemeinderatsausschuss für Kultur). In 1874 this section that belongs to the 4th district of Wieden passes to belong to the 10th district of Favoriten.
3. Columbusplatz, 1874
Designed by the architect Ernst Huss. "Columbus Square has become the heart of the Favoriten street." At this square begins the Columbusgasse. Location: Wien 10, near to Reumannplatz.
Designed by the architect Ernst Huss. "Columbus Square has become the heart of the Favoriten street." At this square begins the Columbusgasse. Location: Wien 10, near to Reumannplatz.
https://www.wien.gv.at/wiki/index.php/Columbusplatz. Accessed 2013
https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Columbusplatz. Accessed 20244. Naturhistorisches Museum, 1891
Façade statues at the Museum of Natural History, 1880s. One of the 108 historical figures represented —all men. Columbus is next to Fernão de Magalhães and Vasco da Gama. "10 statues in niches: devoted to the discoveries and the events of the world, indicating that have suddenly expanded the horizon of observation and knowledge, 34 statues on the balustrades, 64 heads: the personal moments of progress, represented by the chronological sequence of statues of great men, of will and inquiry". Sculptor: Anton Schmidgruber (Wiener Akademie der bildenden Künste).
Location: Wien 1, Burgring 7. Naturhistorisches Museum.
4. Columbushof, 1892
Built in 1892 by the architects Josef and Anton Drexler (Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien) and thoroughly renovated in 1983. In the middle of the building, there are relief medallions representing Columbus and the English Francis Drake. The entrance is flanked by atlases.
https://statues.vanderkrogt.net/
Location: Wien 10, Columbusplatz 6.
5. Relief portrait Am ColumbusHof 2, 1912-14
Built in 1912-1914 after a design of the architects Ernst von Gotthilf-Miskolczy and Alexander Neumann. It is located next to the relief portraits of Gutenberg, Volta and Ressel. The sculptor artist is likely Wilhelm Heyda. The Kriegsministerium was located here until 1913. https://statues.vanderkrogt.net/
Location: Wien 1, Am Hof 2.
6. Mosaic in Columbusgasse, 1966
Made in 1966. The mosaic shows a map of North America (Mexico is recognizable at the bottom of the mosaik), with Columbus holding the Spanish flag (standing in the Great Lakes area), one of Columbus's ships, a stereotypic tipi with an Indian chief and the seal of the United States (over Baja California). At the top three large black birds are flying. The mosaik is on the northern façade of the house which was built in 1966. The sculptor artist is Emerich Sandig.
https://www.wien.gv.at/wiki/index.php/Columbusgasse
Location: Columbusgasse 66, facing Rotenhofgasse, in Vienna's 10th Bezirk.
Façade statues at the Museum of Natural History, 1880s. One of the 108 historical figures represented —all men. Columbus is next to Fernão de Magalhães and Vasco da Gama. "10 statues in niches: devoted to the discoveries and the events of the world, indicating that have suddenly expanded the horizon of observation and knowledge, 34 statues on the balustrades, 64 heads: the personal moments of progress, represented by the chronological sequence of statues of great men, of will and inquiry". Sculptor: Anton Schmidgruber (Wiener Akademie der bildenden Künste).
"Fassade gegen den Maria Theresien Platz. In den Nischen neben dem Fenster links Columbus, der Entdecker Amerikas, rechts Vasco da Gama, der Entdecker des Seeweges nach Indien (Anton Schmidgruber)." Source: https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/VNHM_NF_013_0084-0096.pdf
"Nischenfiguren des linken Eckrisalites: Columbus"
Source: https://erdteilallegorien.univie.ac.at/erdteilallegorien/wien-pb-wien-naturhistorisches-museum#
Source: https://erdteilallegorien.univie.ac.at/erdteilallegorien/wien-pb-wien-naturhistorisches-museum#
Location: Wien 1, Burgring 7. Naturhistorisches Museum.
4. Columbushof, 1892
Built in 1892 by the architects Josef and Anton Drexler (Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien) and thoroughly renovated in 1983. In the middle of the building, there are relief medallions representing Columbus and the English Francis Drake. The entrance is flanked by atlases.
https://statues.vanderkrogt.net/
5. Relief portrait Am ColumbusHof 2, 1912-14
Built in 1912-1914 after a design of the architects Ernst von Gotthilf-Miskolczy and Alexander Neumann. It is located next to the relief portraits of Gutenberg, Volta and Ressel. The sculptor artist is likely Wilhelm Heyda. The Kriegsministerium was located here until 1913. https://statues.vanderkrogt.net/
Columbushof (10, Columbusplatz 6), späthistoristisches Wohnhaus, erbaut zweite Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts (1983 erneuert); Reliefbilder der Entdeckungsreisenden Christoph Columbus (siehe Columbusdenkmal) und Francis Drake (1539-1595).
Accessed 2024: https://www.meinbezirk.at/favoriten/c-lokales/columbushof_a776945
Accessed 2024: https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Columbushof
Location: Wien 1, Am Hof 2.
6. Mosaic in Columbusgasse, 1966
Made in 1966. The mosaic shows a map of North America (Mexico is recognizable at the bottom of the mosaik), with Columbus holding the Spanish flag (standing in the Great Lakes area), one of Columbus's ships, a stereotypic tipi with an Indian chief and the seal of the United States (over Baja California). At the top three large black birds are flying. The mosaik is on the northern façade of the house which was built in 1966. The sculptor artist is Emerich Sandig.
https://www.wien.gv.at/wiki/index.php/Columbusgasse
https://statues.vanderkrogt.net/object.php?webpage=ST&record=atwi001
8. AK Bibliothek Tableau, 1960
Noticed by the autor in 2017 while using the library to write. Three tableaus containing eleven historical figures: Socrates, Platon, Pytagoras and Democrit in the first tableau. Franz Assisi, Dante Aligheri, Bernard de Clairvaux, in the second tableau. Columbus, Galileo Galilei and Erasmus in the third tableau.1 Tableau Socrates 470-399 Platon 427-347 / Pytagoras 552-492 Democrit
2 Tableau Franz Assisi 1182 1226 Dante Aligheri 1265 1321 / Bernard de Clairvaux
3 Tableau Columbus 1451-1506 Galilleo Galilei 1564 1642 / Erasmus 1465-1536
The Arbeiterkammer library was opened in 1922. In 1960 it moved to its current building in the Prinz-Eugen-Straße 20-22. https://wien.arbeiterkammer.at/service/bibliothek/wir_ueber_uns/Geschichte_der_Bibliothek.html
Foto: Imayna Caceres, 2017.
8. Columbuscenter Shopping center, 2005
A mall at Columbusplatz that features a visible outward steel and glass structure in the shape of an egg, which protrudes from the glass facade. This in reference to the apocryphal story of the 'Egg of Columbus'. Built in a pedestrian zones of Favoritenstraße, Columbus Center opened on April 28, 2005.
A mall at Columbusplatz that features a visible outward steel and glass structure in the shape of an egg, which protrudes from the glass facade. This in reference to the apocryphal story of the 'Egg of Columbus'. Built in a pedestrian zones of Favoritenstraße, Columbus Center opened on April 28, 2005.
Location: Wien 10.
Accessed 2013: https://www.wien.gv.at/verkehr/strassen/archiv/grossprojekte/favoriten.html
Accessed 2013: https://www.wien.gv.at/verkehr/strassen/archiv/grossprojekte/favoriten.html
Accessed 2024: https://presse.wien.gv.at/2005/02/02/columbus-center-neuer-bezirksmittelpunkt-fuer-favoriten
9. Companies in Vienna that use the name of Columbus for their business or products.
Campaign of Stiegl, taken in August 2016.While in Austria there are several locations where Columbus is commemorated in plaques, medallions and statues, what is more noticeable is that Columbus is used as a figure of present relevance. Several companies invoke him as a positive reference to which they want to associate a spirit of being adventurous, intrepid, daring and a "discoverer". Traveling agencies and language schools are named after someone who never arrived at his desired destination and who didn't learn the local languages but who captured locals to act as translators. Some examples include:
Stiegl "Columbus 1492": ale beer launched in August 2016, that makes reference to the year the Stiegl factory was born. Campaign posters began with phrases like: "Discover Columbus 1492”. A large banner in the Votivkirche church read "11.Commandment, you will discover a new beer”. #stieglcolumbus. Their television ad had a white man looking to the horizon.
Columbus-Cargo Intern. Expeditions: Ocean, air and rail cargo. Located in the 2. district.
Columbus Ihre Reisbüro: columbus-reisen.at in the 22. district.
Fahrschule Columbus: driving school founded in 1970 which has a caravel as its logo. Located in the Columbusgasse in the 10. district, and the Lasallestrasse in the 2. district.I found more listed business companies in this website: https://simil.io/suchen/industries/columbus
https://simil.io/suchen/company/columbus
The site shows business which use the name under the following rubrik: Reisebüros, Fahrschule, Spedition & Logistik, Ausbauelemente, Informationsdienste, Immobilienmakler, Messen & Ausstellungen, Fotografie & Fotolabors, Restaurants, Buffets, Werbegrafik, Hausrat.
Columbus in Austrian imaginary:https://www.imaynacaceres.com/2020/06/columbus-falling-down.html
Entry published 28.10.2014