Annasäule (Saint Anne's Column), Innsbruck

The Saint Anne's Column (Annasäule) stands prominently at the heart of Innsbruck, along the lively Maria Theresien Street (Maria Theresien Straße). This imposing structure was built in gratitude after the expulsion of the final Bavarian troops from Tyrol on Saint Anne's Day, July 26, during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1703. Recognizing the importance of this victory, the local estates, known as Landstände, pledged in 1704 to create a monument commemorating the event.

Designed by sculptor Cristoforo Benedetti from Trentino, the column is made of distinctive red Kramsach marble. Its base features four statues representing saints with strong ties to the region and its religious life: Saint Anne, Saint Cassian, Saint Vigilius, and Saint George.

At the center of attention is the column itself, topped with a depiction of Mary as the Woman of the Apocalypse. Standing at an impressive height of 42 meters (137 feet) above the street, this figure symbolizes Mary's triumph and protective presence over the region.

The column was consecrated on July 26, 1706, by Prince-Bishop Kaspar Ignaz, Count of Künigl, further cementing its significance to the spiritual and symbolic fabric of Innsbruck. Over time, the Saint Anne's Column has undergone various restoration efforts to maintain its beauty and structural integrity. Notably, in 1958, the original figure of Mary was replaced with a replica for conservation purposes, with the original now housed in a side chapel of the abbey church of Fiecht, part of the Abbey of Saint Georgenberg-Fiecht.

Additional conservation work took place in 2009, during which the base statues of the saints were replaced with replicas. The original figures are now displayed on the first floor of the Altes Landhaus in Innsbruck, ensuring their preservation and continued appreciation by the public.