Austria Vienna Wien Square

Judenplatz

About

Judenplatz is a solemn and historically rich square in Vienna’s Inner City, once the heart of medieval Jewish life. From the 13th to the 15th century, it housed a thriving community with a synagogue, school, and court. This vibrant era ended tragically with the Vienna Gesera of 1421, when Jews were expelled and the synagogue destroyed. Today, Judenplatz is a place of remembrance and reflection. At its center stands the Holocaust Memorial by Rachel Whiteread, a stark concrete sculpture resembling an inverted library, commemorating Austrian Jews murdered during the Holocaust. Beneath the square lie the excavated remains of the medieval synagogue, accessible through the Judenplatz Museum, which offers insights into Jewish life and persecution in Vienna’s past. The square is framed by Baroque architecture and includes the Misrachi House, part of the Jewish Museum Vienna. Judenplatz’s layered history and poignant memorials make it a powerful site for understanding Vienna’s Jewish heritage.

Vienna Austria

Location

Judenplatz is a historic square located in Vienna’s Innere Stadt, the city’s first district, just a short walk from Stephansplatz and Herrengasse U-Bahn stations. Once the heart of Vienna’s medieval Jewish community, Judenplatz is now a unique place of remembrance and reflection. The square is dominated by the powerful Holocaust Memorial, also known as the Nameless Library, designed by Rachel Whiteread to honor the 65,000 Austrian Jews murdered during the Nazi era. Beneath the square, visitors can explore the excavated remains of a medieval synagogue, which are part of the Museum Judenplatz, offering insights into Jewish life in Vienna during the Middle Ages and the tragic events of 1420/21. Surrounding Judenplatz are historic buildings, including the former Jewish Community building, now housing the Jewish Museum’s branch dedicated to medieval Jewish history. The square is close to other notable sites such as Am Hof and Freyung, as well as Vienna’s main shopping streets, making it easily accessible and an essential stop for those interested in the city’s cultural and historical heritage.