Statues - Hither & Thither

 

Description

Until 1913 on this spot the Kriegsministerium was located. The present building was built in 1912-1914 after a design of the architects Ernst von Gotthilf-Miskolczy and Alexander Neumann. One of the sculptures above the entrance is signed W. HEYDA, who is maybe the sculptor of all decorations.

Four stone reliefs with portraits and objects in the façade of the former Niederösterreichische Escompte-Gesellschaft.

GVTENBERG, 1397-1468 with a printing press. Johannes Gutenberg (Mainz c. 1398 - 1468), German goldsmith, credited with being the inventor of the mechanical printing press (Wikipedia).

KOLVMBVS, 1456-1506 with a ship Christopher Columbus (prob. Cogoleto, Republic of Genua, c. 1451 - Valladolid 1506), Italian explorer, who in Spanish service completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of America (see Background Information).

ALESS. VOLTA, 1745-1827 with a electrical battery Count Alessandro Volta (Como 1745 - Camnago 1827) Italian physicist, chemist, and a pioneer of electricity and power, who is credited as the inventor of the electrical battery (Wikipedia).

JOS. RESSEL, 1793-1857 with a propeller Josef Ressel (Chrudim 1793 - Ljubljana 1857) Czech Austrian forester and inventor who designed one of the first working ship's propeller (Wikipedia).

On both sides of the tympanum are allegorical groups: