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Vienna

Civil Armory in the Am Hof Square (Bürgerliches Zeughaus am Hof)

The building is located in the Am Hof (“In the court”) Square in the old historical center of the city. It was built on the site of a former Jewish butcher’s yard (Fleischhof) in the 1560s. From 1562 onwards, the building was used to store weapons which were to be given to citizens of Vienna in case of an attack upon the city. In 1676, it was extended to include the neighboring building.

The Armory was damaged heavily during the Second Siege of Vienna in 1683. Due to the lack of funds, it took several years to restore the building. It was only in 1731–1732 that the restoration work directed by architect Anton Ospel was completed and the façade gained a Baroque appearance which survives to this day.

The Ceremonial Records mention that Peter visited the Armory on June 21/July 1, 1698. He viewed the building and then stopped in front of the Column of the Mother of God designed by architect Lodovico Burnacini to honor the end of the Thirty Years’ War. “On the first day of this (month), the Tsar visited the local armory, and from there he went to the courtyard of His Imperial Majesty and viewed the Column of the Mother of God with reverence”.

During the Vienna World’s Fair in 1873, the Armory was turned into the Civil Museum of Arms (Bürgerliche Waffenmuseum), exhibiting not only West European weapons but also the spoils of war (Türkenbeute) dating from the Second Siege of Vienna (1683), including a cut head that was exhibited in the Armory after the end of the war with the Turks in the late 17th century. According to a legend, this was the head of the great vizier Kara Mustafa Pascha. However, later it was established that the head had belonged to another Sultan’s vizier, Abaza Kor Hüseyin Pascha. Apparently, Peter I saw both the captured Turkish weapons and the vizier’s head in the Armory as he was interested in the circumstances surrounding the Siege of Vienna.

In 1883, the building was transferred to the municipal fire brigade and is still owned by them. The knight armor, the Turkish spoils of war, and other artifacts have been transferred to the Historical Museum of the City of Vienna.

Today, one can see a metal memorial plaque at the entrance to the Armory which reads in golden letters: “Ehemaliges BÜRGERLICHES ZEUGHAUS. Feuerwehrzentrale. Im 16. Jahrhundert erbaut, später erweitert. Wesentliche Umgestaltung 1731–1732 durch Anton Ospel” (“The Former CIVIL ARMORY. Central Fire Station. Built in the 16th century and later extended. Renovated and overhauled by architect Anton Ospel in 1731–1732”).

 

Civil Armory in the Am Hof Square (Bürgerliches Zeughaus am Hof)

Address:

Am Hof 10, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Am Hof 10, 1010 Wien, Österreich