The Plague Column
by STRUDEL, Paul, Marble
Strudel was responsible for overseeing the design and construction of Vienna’s Plague Column from 1686 until its completion in 1693.
The Trinity Column or Plague Column is a highly important monument. Situated in the Graben in Vienna, it was built as a result of Emperor Leopold I’s vow in 1679 to erect such a memorial in honour of the Holy Trinity in order to hasten the end of the plague. A design was first sought from Matthias Rauchmiller to replace an early temporary wooden column with a marble structure but his scheme was never carried out. Eventually an amended design by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and Ludovico Burnacini was erected. The plinth is triangular, symbolizing the Trinity, and each face is devoted to one of the three divine aspects. Six reliefs were executed by Johann Ignaz Bendl, and Paul Strudel executed the prominent sculptures on the plinth.