The monument is relevant today. Every 100 years there is a plague in Europe. How would the plague be defeated before the age of modern medicine? The ruler would fall on his knees and ask God to save the city. This is what you see on the statue. The ruler also promised God that he would build a tribute pillar. The Habsburg family had a birth defect: the lower jaw of babies was very heavy. This is how the ruler was sculpted on the column.
Extremely recommend spending two hours in Vienna with guide Tom. He tells the stories of the city and its history in the short, interesting and elegant way. The trip starts from Stephan Platz, passes through the streets of Graben, the Jewish quarter, Am Hof and ends at Ferstel Palace and the Mekler cellar.
Don't be afraid to get lost in new places!
