Franziskanerkirche is also known as the Church of St. Jerome as well as the Franciscan Church in Vienna. The outside of this beautiful church is Renaissance while the inside is pure Baroque. It is a wonderful mix and an interesting place to visit. The location is not in a high tourist area, and there are wonderful little shops and cafés around to make the visit even more pleasant.

The present church was built in the early 1600s on top of the site of another church that had been destroyed. Both were dedicated to Saint Hieronymus and in fact, his likeness in the form of a statue guards the building entrance. Interestingly, the gate hints at the Baroque flavor that awaits those who venture inside the building.

Inside the church, amidst the gold and marble is the oldest known organ in Vienna, the Wöckherlorgel circa 1640. The high alter is beautiful and was designed by an Italian artist around the same time. While the majority of the church was done prior to the end of the 18th century, the tomb of Fr. Peter Pavlicek is a recent addition. He was an Austrian Franciscan priest who organized a Rosary crusade after WWII. He implored Austrians to pray the Rosary daily until Russian occupation of the country ended. Father Pavlicek died in 1982 and his remains are lying in repose here.

Stephansdom or St. Stephen’s Cathedral is an amazing work of art and a testament to one city’s love for their church. It is the home church of the Archbishop of Vienna. The large building can be seen from most of Vienna with its distinctive south tower that rises an impressive 445 feet in height. In fact this tower was manned by a night watchman until 1955, and his duty was to ring the “fire bell” if any fires broke out in the city at night. There was to be a twin north tower, but due to several factors, it is considerably shorter and different in design than the impressive south tower.

The inside the massive church contains several smaller chapels in addition to the main sanctuary. This huge portion of the edifice has 18 alters, but the most amazing alter is the high alter. It is carved in marble and is a representation of the stoning of St. Stephen, the church’s namesake. The Wiener Neustädter alter is also a breathtaking work of art.

The bells of the Cathedral are an important part of life in Vienna. While the oldest of the 23 bells are not rung anymore, several are and they all have a special meaning. One of the most special is the St. Mary bell. The original bell was made from the captured Muslim invaders cannons. The bell was badly damaged when it crashed to the floor during a fire; however, part of the damaged bell was used when casting the new bell.

The outside of the cathedral is also as distinctive. The incredible tile roof is covered by almost 250,000 tiles. The steep pitch of the roof keeps it fairly free of debris. The walls also have interesting features including the rods used as standard dry goods measure for drapes and linen cloth. Be sure to allow enough time to see this entire amazing Cathedral.

The St. Peter’s Church sits atop one of the oldest known religious sites in all of Vienna. There has been a church on this site since the early 4th Century A.D. A much larger version of the church was reportedly built here in 792, and was to have been founded by none other than Charlemagne himself. In more modern times, this church takes up much less space, being crunched into what it occupies on Petersplatz. The overall architectural design is Baroque. In fact, this is one of the most decorated churches you will find anywhere, for any building designed in that style. The outer color is white and a very light yellow. There are two towers that made up the classic outside look of the building. The turrets turn inward ever so slightly. It is said that the towers get their shape after the tent poles of the Turkish people who used to occupy this region in the late 1600s. You can also find a wonderful plaque on the outside of the building that tells of the legend of Charlemagne. You will want to visit the inside also, as it contains some of the best paintings around. They date to the 1700s. Much of the wood carvings and alter pieces are also of that period. Currently, the structure in owned and operated by the Opus Dei.

Ruprechtskirche or the Church of St. Rupert is thought to be the oldest church in Vienna. Although there has recently been some dispute about that fact, it is home to the oldest stained glass window and the oldest bells in Vienna. The church is named for St. Rupert of Salzburg and he is the patron saint of the Viennese salt merchants.

Tradition has the church being built in the early 8th century although even that date is in dispute. The first written record about the church occurs around 1200 and the document calls the church the oldest in Vienna. The church has had an interesting history that includes being a center for the salt trade and also housing prisoners as well as a house of worship.

The church has seen several renovations, especially after a devastating fire in 1276. The oldest stained glass window that survives was probably inserted around this time period. It is on the Madonna and Christ child along with the Crucified Christ. As recently as the late 1990s modifications and renovations have taken place.

The church is open to the public and visitors are encouraged to come in and look at the beautiful, old sanctuary. Religious services are not routinely held here, although there are several events held in the venue. Feel free to come in to worship, wander around, and enjoy this old treasure.

The Heiligenkreuaerhof and Bernardikapelle is a collection of shops, apartment’s courtyards and one beautiful old church. This area may be a bit difficult to find, but it is worth the effort. This area was once home to merchants and the shops were outside of the protective city walls. Some of the basements date back to the 12th century although most of the visible parts of the buildings there now are considerably older. The buildings were generally built in the mid 17th to mid 18th centuries.

Although the Bernadikapelle may be a bit understated from the outside, this little chapel is beautiful on the inside and is a very popular spot to have a wedding. The chapel is not open for public display, but tours are regularly given. Be sure to sign up for the tour as the chapel is an excellent example of Baroque furnishings at its best.

The area is sometimes called “Vienna’s oldest apartment block” and the name may make one disinclined to make the effort on a busy vacation to visit this spot. However, the small shops here and the lovely chapel will not disappoint. It may well be one of the highlights of any trip.

The Jesuit Church or Jesuitenkirche is located on Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz in Vienna. This church was completed in 1627. It is a marvelous example of Baroque architecture with a few odd twists. The twin towers look a bit out of place at first, but the whole building balances out nicely. The niches on the building with the statues are simply lovely. The Church was dedicated to Saint Loyola and Saint Francis Xavier when first erected. However, in 1703 the church was rededicated to the Assumption of Mary.

The inside of the Jesuitenkirche is beautiful and well worth a visit. Be sure to see the wonderful trompe l’oeil dome that is painted on the barrel ceiling to look like a dome. It commissioned by Emperor Leopold I and is simply spectacular. The artist is Andrea Pozzo and he was also responsible for designing the frescoes in the building.

Vienna in the mid 1400s was very important in European academia. After the constant barrage of war, few students remained in the area by the late 1500s. The university and the Jesuits merged forces in 1623 and this church was the result. The Jesuits as a whole had its ups and downs in Austria, but the building is once again.

The Church of St. Maria Rotunda, also known as Vienna's Dominican Church (Dominikanerkirche), is an early Baroque parish church and minor basilica in the historic center of Vienna. It is the third church built on the same site in the course of time. The impressive facade was built in the Roman-Lombardic style with dominant columns, supporting the cornice. The church consists of a long central nave, flanked by three side chapels on each side, a transept, a choir and an apse. The nave is 25 m long, 14 m wide and 22.10 m high. The large domereaches a height of 23.80 m. Above each side chapel is gallery with a shallow balcony. The ornate interior is imposing by its architecture and the exquisite stucco in the decorations. Semi-circular windows allow a soft light on the frescoes of the barrel-vaulted ceiling.