The Family Monument

One of these less familiar places in the Meidling half oft he grounds ist he Bosquet by the Statue oft he Emperor whisch is accessible from the Lichte Allee and the Obeliskenallee. The centre oft he bosquet is domiated by Beyer’s figural group portraying Alexander and Olympia, Alexander symbolising both the warrior who is generous in victory and the founder oft he multi-national state. In one of the small surrounding hedged enclosures ist he Family Monument which Marie Caroline, daughter of Maria Theresa and Queen of Naples, commissioned from Franz Thaler in 1802, after she had fled to Schönbrunn with her family from Napoleon’s forces. Consisting of a granite column crowned by a bronze vase, the monument displays a medaillon with five bas-relief busts representing the queen and four of her children. The reverse bears an inscription testifying to Marie Caroline’s affection for her mother.