Spinnerin am Kreuz (Wiener Neustadt)

A tall sandstone column stands in Wiener Neustadt, narrowing sharply towards its top. Built between 1382 and 1384, it rises about 21 metres and was commissioned by Wolfhart von Schwarzensee. The design came from the master builder Michael Knab, with later work overseen by Baurat Richard Jordan. A violent storm in 1902 broke the upper part, but careful repairs restored it by 1903. The column’s five-tiered structure includes statues of saints, prophets and apostles, crowned by a scene of the Virgin’s coronation. The monument’s craftsmanship is recognised in records from its restorations. Surviving fragments and related objects are kept in the city museum. A park laid out in 1900 around the base bears the name of Walther von der Vogelweide. The column’s proportions and stone quality were praised in expert reports after the storm damage. Visitors walk around the base to view the detailed carvings and inscriptions. The surrounding park offers a quiet place to stand beneath the column’s shadow. Above, the slender spire reaches into the sky, framed by the older buildings of Wiener Neustadt.