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Karlskirche

Outstanding Baroque Church in Vienna

The Karlskirche in Vienna, also known as the St. Charles Church, was built in 1716 by the order of Emperor Charles VI. The facade of Karlskirche incorporates various elements such as Greek portico and Roman relief columns, and the sculptures of the church altar and the dome frescoes are created with the theme of St. Charles Borromeo.

In 1713, when the plague ravaged Vienna, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI promised to build a church after the plague, and in 1716, in fulfillment of his vow, he appointed Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach as the architect of the Karlskirche to complete this task.

The Karlskirche, also known as St. Charles Church, is located next to the Pond at the Karlsplatz in Vienna and is dedicated to the Catholic saint St. Charles Borromeo. Erlach incorporates Multiple Elements into the Church Architecture, such as a Greek temple-style columned portico, Romanesque relief columns, and two Chinese pavilion-inspired gatehouses lead to side entrances.

The High Altarpiece Statues is in Baroque style, with St. Charles Borromeo in the center, surrounded by angels and the Four Doctors of the Church, ascending into heaven. The frescoes in the chapels on either side of the hall are by well-known painters, including Italian painter Sebastiano Ricci’s 1734 Assumption of the Virgin, Austrian painter Daniel Gran’s “Elisabeth of Portugal Giving Alms to the Poor”.

By taking the elevator in the hall of Karlskirche, you can reach the platform 32.5 meters above the ground and see the Dome Fresco of the Church up close. This work, by the Austrian painter Rottmayr in his later years, also centers on St. Charles Borromeo, who is kneeling before God, waiting to receive the news that the plague is coming to an end.

The Karlskirche regularly hosts concerts on themes such as Mozart and Vivaldi, and the Wiener Musikverein opposite the church is a sanctuary to many music lovers.