Column at Franz-Carl-Promenade

It is likely that the trail was to be renamed for the 40th anniversary of the imperial parents as spa guests of Ischl in 1867 (see also Franz Carl Fountain). However, due to the execution of Habsburg Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, son of Archduke Franz Carl (see Max Spring in Maxquellgasse), all festivities were cancelled at that time.

A year later (1868), the promenade received its new name. On the lower side of the column, there is a small inscription: Wirl dev[ovi]t.  It means: “Wirl consecrated or dedicated it”.

Andreas Joseph Wirl (ca. 1809  – 1885) was an Imperial-Royal chairman of the District Council, long-time municipal councilor, and a co-founder of the Sparkasse Bad Ischl bank. In addition to the creation of the promenade, he also played a major in the construction of the Franz Carl Fountain and the Max Spring. He always used personal funds.

The small column - a cuboid pedestal with dating, on top of it a column stump with the name of the trail -  marks the beginning of the promenade near the summer quarters where the imperial parents used to stay (today the Museum of the Township of Bad Ischl). At the Kaltenbach end of the brine pipeline trail (see Column Franz Carl Promenade), you can find the counterpart column.

Both columns are similar to the commemorative columns "Imperaial Stone" from "Emperor Ferdinand's Morning Trail" (see the "Imperial Stone" commemorative column at the bridge that crosses the Traun River in Lauffen).