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Walking Tour: Sacred Buildings of Vienna
Guide Location: Austria » Vienna
Guide Type: Self-guided city tour
# of Attractions: 7
Tour Duration: 1 hour(s)
Transportation Mode: by foot
Travel Distance: 1.9 km
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Gryffindor
Author: leticia
Sacred buildings in Vienna impress visitors with their historic architecture and magnificent interiors. The remarkable Gothic Stephansdom, charming Baroque St Peter’s church, and other sacred buildings of Vienna provide not only a history of the city, but a refreshing look at truly beautiful architecture, as you will see in this tour.
Tour Stops and Attractions
Franziskanerkirche
1) Franziskanerkirche
The Church of St. Jerome, commonly known as Vienna's Franciscan Church (Franziskanerkirche) is a Roman Catholic parish church dedicated to St. Jerome and located in the historic city center of Vienna, Vienna's 1st district (Innere Stadt). It is the church of the Franciscan Order in Vienna. Erected in 1603 the outside facade of Franciscan Church is Renaissance in style. However, its interior is Baroque. The high altar depicting the Virgin Mary was designed byAndrea Pozzo in 1707. The church holds the oldest organ in Vienna. The carved Baroque organ was designed by Johann Wockerl in 1642.
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Invisigoth67
Stephansdom
2) Stephansdom
St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP. Its current Romanesque and Gothic form seen today, situated at the heart of Vienna, in the Stephansplatz, was largely initiated by Rudolf IV and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches, the first being a parish church consecrated in 1147. As the most important religious building in Austria's capital, the cathedral has born witness to many important events in that nation's history and has, with its multi-colored tile roof, become one of the city's most recognizable symbols. There are 18 altars in the main part of the church, and more in the various chapels. The High Altar and the Altar of Wiener Neustadt (Wiener Neustädter Altar) are the most famous.
Image Courtesy of Flickr and Matthias Ripp
St Peter’s Church
3) St Peter’s Church
St. Peter's Church (Peterskirche) in Vienna is a church with a long and eventful history. The Peterskirche was transferred in 1970 by the Archbishop of Vienna Franz Cardinal König to the priests of the Opus Dei. The construction of the  Baroque church was begun around 1701 under Gabriele Montani. The design was inspired by the St. Peter's Basilica of the Vatican in Rome. The church makes an overwhelming impression on the visitor with its surprisingly rich interior filled with golden stucco. The turreted dome was mainly designed by Matthias Steinl, who was also responsible for the interior decoration and the pews with their fabulous cherubic heads. The gilded ornate pulpit is a magnificent sculpture by Matthias Steinl (1726) with on top of the canopy a representation of the Holy Trinity. 
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Gryffindor
Ruprechtskirche
4) Ruprechtskirche
The Church of St. Rupert (Ruprechtskirche) is usually considered to be the oldest church in Vienna and is dedicated to Saint Rupert of Salzburg, patron saint of the salt merchants of Vienna. It is located in one of the oldest parts of the city, the section of the Roman Vindobona. According to legend, it was founded by Cunald and Gisalrich, companions of Rupert during his occupation of the seat of bishop of Salzburg. The oldest bells in Vienna are located in the church, dating from around 1280. The oldest glass window panes (dating from approximately 1370) can be found in the church. They depict a crucified Christ and the Madonna with baby.
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Gryffindor
Heiligenkreuzerhof
5) Heiligenkreuzerhof
Heiligenkreuzerhof was built on a former merchant settlement, the place numerous exporting merchants of the city called home. Its chapel is one of the most gorgeous Baroque chapels in all of Vienna. It is dedicated to Saint Bernhard.
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Anton-kurt
Jesuitenkirche
6) Jesuitenkirche
The Jesuit Church (Jesuitenkirche), also known as the University Church( Universitätskirche) is a two-floor, double-tower church influenced by early Baroque principles but remodeled by Andrea Pozzo in 1703-1705. The Church is located in Vienna, on Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz, immediately adjacent to the old University of Vienna buildings. Despite its relatively austere exterior, the interior is remarkably opulent with ersatz marble pillars, gilding and a number of allegorical ceiling frescoes. The semicircular vault ceiling was divided in four bays with paintings in perspective, using illusionary techniques. Executed by Andrea Pozzo in 1703, the remarkable trompe l'oeil dome, painted on a flat part of the ceiling, is a real masterpiece.
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Dimitry B
Dominikanerkirche
7) Dominikanerkirche
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. 
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Extrawurst
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