Judenplatz

Judenplatz is one of the most important places of remembrance of Jewish history in Vienna. As early as the Middle Ages, this was a center of Jewish life: a thriving community with a synagogue, a school and other institutions. In 1421, however, came the so-called Vienna Gesera, in which many of Vienna's Jews were persecuted and killed; the medieval synagogue was destroyed. Excavations in the 1990s uncovered its foundations, which are now open to the public as part of the Jewish Museum at Judenplatz.

At the center of the square stands Rachel Whiteread's memorial to the Austrian Jewish victims of the Shoah. 

Cast in concrete in the form of a library turned inside out, the structure is a memorial to the names of the 65,000 Austrian Jews who were murdered. Its austere design has an oppressive effect and prompts reflection on history. Visitors can also visit the adjacent museum with its permanent exhibition and temporary displays on the Jewish history of Vienna.

An insider tip: if you visit Judenplatz in the early evening, you'll experience a special atmosphere; both the play of light on the memorial and the view of the surrounding Baroque facades invite you to pause and reflect. In the surrounding lanes there are small cafés and restaurants that make a pleasant addition to your cultural visit.

Highlights: 

- Holocaust memorial by Rachel Whiteread 

- Foundations of the medieval synagogue 

- Jewish Museum at Judenplatz