Photo: Statue Pestsaule Vienna Austria

Elegantly displayed in the center of Graben Square in Vienna, Austria is the Pestsaule statue, a memorial to those Vienna citizens that were lost to the plague.

This statue is a memorial for all the people that died from the Plague that hit in 1679 killing between 75,000 and 150,000 residents of Vienna, Austria. The Pestsaule or better known as the Plauge Monument or Statue is located about halfway along the Graben in Vienna, Austria.The bubonic plague that crippled the city of Vienna was believed to be caused by fleas that were closely related to the black rat and other species of rodents. Vienna was overcrowded with no drainage systems, piles of garbage were littered everywhere and warehouses were full of rats. At one time, Vienna was known as incredibly dirty and not fit for anyone to be living there and then the plague hit the city with vengeance.When the entire disaster had passed, it was decided by Emperor Leopold the First that this statue should be erected to remember those who died. Many famous architects and sculptures joined forces to create this statue and it took nearly nine years of hard work to complete. ... continue below the picture...

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... By 1693 this masterpiece, named the Pestsaule was finished and was proudly displayed in Graben Square which is visited by thousands of tourists on a yearly basis.The Pestsaule is one statue to remember the horrible plague and it stands at approximately sixty-nine feet high. Today, many people take pictures of this unique statue as it is a highlight in Graben Square.Statue Pestsaule in the Graben Square in downtown Vienna, Austria, Europe