The Johann Strauss monument in Vienna's Stadtpark shows the Waltz King with his violin, cast in bronze and covered in gold leaf, framed by a white marble arch. Unveiled in 1921, it is a favourite photo stop, but its shine is not original: the gold was stripped off in 1935 and only put back in 1991.
The Johann Strauss monument at a glance
- Where: in the Stadtpark, behind the Kursalon, just off the Parkring on the eastern edge of the old town.
- Unveiled: June 1921, after a design competition in 1906 and long delays.
- By: Edmund Hellmer, one of the leading Viennese sculptors of his day.
- What it is today: a public monument in a free city park, and a favourite photo stop for visitors from all over the world.
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes, longer if you stroll the rest of the park.
From long delays to gold leaf
Johann Strauss II, composer of the Blue Danube and hundreds of other waltzes and polkas, died in Vienna in 1899. Plans for a monument began soon after, and Edmund Hellmer won the competition in 1906. Money was slow to come in, and then the First World War stopped the project altogether, so the monument was only unveiled in June 1921, three years after the end of the Habsburg monarchy that Strauss had entertained. The Vienna Philharmonic played at the ceremony, including the Blue Danube.
The figure was gilded from the start, but the gilding was in poor shape by the 1930s and was removed in 1935. For more than half a century Strauss stood in plain dark bronze, until the gold was restored in 1991. Weather and time have since made further repairs necessary, and the whole monument, arch included, has been restored again since then. The gleaming Strauss you see today is the result of that care.
What to look for
- Strauss himself: standing with his violin at the shoulder and bow in hand, the way he led his orchestra: playing and conducting at once.
- The marble arch behind him, carved with swirling figures that seem to float around the composer like dancers caught up in his music.
- The inscribed plinth with his name, and the contrast between the warm gold and the white stone.
- The leaf decoration carved into the arch, which echoes the trees of the park around it.
- The Kursalon a few steps away, the pavilion where Strauss once performed and where Strauss and Mozart concerts are still held.
The music behind the monument
The Blue Danube, the waltz most people hum when they think of Vienna, was first performed in 1867, the same year the Kursalon opened at the edge of the new park. Strauss became known as the Waltz King, a celebrity of his age who toured as far as the United States. The year 2025 marked his 200th birthday, and Vienna celebrated with a year of concerts and events, which only added to the crowds at his golden statue.
Tips for your visit
- Come early in the morning for photos without crowds; by midday tour groups often queue for the classic shot.
- For the best light on the gold, visit on a sunny morning or late afternoon, when the sun is lower and the gilding glows.
- Stay on the paths and off the flower beds when lining up your photo; the park's gardens are carefully kept.
- Combine it with a walk along the river Wien through the park and a coffee near the Ringstrasse.
Nearby
- The Kursalon: the Italian Renaissance-style pavilion right next to the monument, built in the 1860s, with a terrace overlooking the park.
- The Schubert monument: a seated marble Franz Schubert in the same park, a few minutes' walk away.
- The Wienfluss portal: Art Nouveau steps, pavilions and walls where the river Wien enters the park, a lovely spot for a pause.
- Stadtpark U-Bahn station: one of Otto Wagner's elegant green-and-white station pavilions, a few minutes' walk away.
See Vienna with World City Trail
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If you prefer a different format, Vienna also has a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game.
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Facts checked in October 2026.