The column was commissioned by the Tyrolean parliament to fulfill a vow made following the victory over Bavarian invaders.
The statue of the Virgin Mary is depicted standing on a crescent moon, a traditional iconographic representation.
Saint Anne was chosen as the monument's namesake because the Bavarian retreat coincided with her feast day.
The monument underwent a comprehensive restoration in 2009 to stabilize the marble and clean centuries of urban pollution.
It is constructed from red marble quarried in the nearby village of Gramser.
The Annasäule is a red marble monument located in the center of Innsbruck's Maria-Theresien-Straße. It was erected between 1704 and 1706 to commemorate the withdrawal of Bavarian troops from Tyrol on Saint Anne's Day, July 26, 1703. The column is topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary, who is depicted facing north toward the city's mountains. Four additional saints—Saint Anne, Saint George, Saint Cassian, and Saint Vigilius—are positioned around the base. The structure serves as a primary visual landmark along the city's main pedestrian thoroughfare. It is built in the Baroque architectural style.
From the south side looking north to capture both the column and the Nordkette peaks in the background.
Visit during the early morning hours to avoid the high foot traffic of Maria-Theresien-Straße.
View the monument from the north side for the best perspective of the statue against the backdrop of the Nordkette mountain range.
Do not treat the base of the monument as a seating area, as it is a protected historical landmark.
