Rudolf's Monument in Rudolf’s Park

The monument commemorates one of the first prominent spa guests of the still young spa town, Archduke Rudolf of Austria* (1788 – 1831).  He was the younger brother of Holy Roman Emperor Franz II (and then as Emperor of Austria, Franz I): Rudolf became Cardinal-Archbishop of Olomouc.The monument was donated in 1839 by his successor as archbishop, Baron Maximilian Joseph Freiherr von Somerau-Beeckh for the consolation of the people of Ischl. It was unveiled in 1840.

 The monument was designed by Paul Sprenger, the famous architect who also planned the salt works administration in Wirerstrasse and the "Metternich-Lobkowitz-Saline" in Ebensee. The bust was modelled by Josef Käßmann (see also the Wirer Monument in Kurpark garden).

 The monument was executed by the Archbishop's Ironworks in Friedland (Moravia).

In 1932, the monument was rotated by 90°. This took place during the redesign of the Rudolf’s Park, the redesign being done after the construction of the Kurmittelhaus (the spa treatments building, today called the “EurothermenResort Bad Ischl” spa). With the rotation, the monument now faces Bahnhofstrasse.

The old fence made of stone bollards and cast iron chains were removed in the 20th century, restored last in 1998.

On a two-step pedestal made of Untersberg marble, there rises a high cast-iron pedestal with a long Latin inscription and double-headed eagle relief, which bears the cast-iron bust of the cardinal-archbishop. The originally bronzed iron parts are now black burnished. The letters of the inscription (originally also the double-headed eagle and the base frames) are gilded. On the side of the monument, there is a translation of the text of the inscription.

* See also the Rudolf’s Fountain in Kaltenbach near Katrin cable car station.