This famous house of worship is located in Karlsplatz, Vienna, and is located just at the beginning of the First District. It sits about 200 meters from the Ringstrabe. The building represents one of Vienna’s finest examples of baroque style churches also. One of the really unique features of the place is its unusually shaped dome that sits atop the building. It is elongated in form. The location has really become a very popular tourist attraction in recent times. This is due to the unusual styling of the building, and the contrast that it paints to other buildings in the area. The church is managed by a local Catholic order, but is still the local parish church for the area. It is also the home of the student ministry to the Vienna University of Technology. So, besides being an architectural marvel, it is also still quite functional. History tells us that Emperor Charles VI ordered the building of the church in order to fulfill a vow he made to God. The black plague was striking Vienna hard in the early 1700s, so the Emperor made a promise that he would build a church and name it after St. Charles Borromeo, who was well known for caring for people who suffered from the plague. In exchange, he asked God to relieve the city of the disease.

The Maltese Church (Malteserkirche) is a Gothic church of the Knights Hospitaller in Vienna, on Kärntner Straße. The first church on this site is mentioned in 1217, as a "House of the Prueder of the Order of Saint John", a commandry to care and support crusaders. The current building was built in the mid 15th century. In the 17th century it was a favoured preaching location for Abraham a Sancta Clara. This building was rebuilt to fit contemporary taste in the Baroque era and in 1806, and the Kommendenhaus (1839) and parts of the church (1857) had stained glass added during the 19th century. The Order ran into financial trouble after the First World War and in 1933 had to sell the church and the Johanneshof, and the church was given over to other uses within a historical preservation order. It was bought back in 1960 and restored in stages, finishing with a general restoration in 1998. The church's high altarpiece was painted in 1730 by Johann Georg Schmidt.

The Kapuzinerkirche or the Capuchin Church is also a monastery for the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. The building was started in the early 17th century, but was interrupted by the 30 years war. Finished in 1632, the church is best known for the tombs that lay beneath the Church itself. Here one will find the tombs of several of the Habsburg dynasty. The last Habsburg to lie in state at the church was Otto von Habsburg who died in July of 2011.

The Church is aisleless, and its simplicity lends to its beauty. Although most tourists visit to tour the Imperial Crypt, this historical church is also important. It has survived throughout the centuries with minimal damage from war and other political events.

The Imperial Crypt is the final resting place for 18 Empresses and 12 Emperors. Around 120 other aristocrats also are housed here. Some of the tombs are very lavishly decorated especially those of Marie Antoinette’s mother and father. Tours are available to see the church and the crypt. Additionally, the extraordinary form of the Roman rite is celebrated daily at the church. Although this is not the most spectacular church in Vienna, it is a must for any history buff.

The Augustinerkirche or the Augustinian Church was built to serve the royal court of the Habsburg dynasty. Built in 1339, the church was on the palace grounds but over time the palace expanded and the church is now part of the Hofburg. The church does have a rather beautiful steeple to set it apart from the rest of the facility.

The church includes a cloister for Augustinian friars and today six monks tend to the needs of the local flock. As you can imagine this church has played host to lots of royal functions over the centuries, including the wedding of Archduchess Marie-Louis to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1810. He however, did not show up for the wedding so the marriage was by proxy.

The inside of the Gothic church is starkly beautiful with its tall narrow windows and incredible chandeliers. The cenotaph for Maria Christina of Austria near the rear entrance is moving and lovely. The memorial was sculpted in 1805 and depicts the entire family going into a temple. There are also several chapels in the facility, two of which are open on a limited basis. The Loreto chapel has 54 silver urns that hold the hearts of departed Habsburg rulers and can be viewed thru a windowed door. The bodies are entombed the Kapuzinerkirche.

The best time to see these chapels are after Sunday mass. In the summer the mass features organ music which is breathtakingly beautiful in this setting. Be sure to arrive by at least 10:15 to find a seat for the 11 am mass as this is extremely popular.

Lutherische Stadtkirche Wien or the Lutheran City Church has been through many changes since it was first built in 1582. At that time it was a Catholic monastery built at the behest of Elisabeth of Austria. She lived here after being widowed and it is speculated that the church was built to atone for the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre.

During the religious turbulence of the 18th century, the church was abandoned. In 1783 the monastery was purchased and divided among the three new owners, the Lutheran Church, the Reformed Church and a private investor who used his portion to build a palace. At this time in Vienna’s history, Protestant churches were not allowed to have steeples or any exterior adornments that would denote that a church was there. The building was significantly altered during this time.

In 1876 the winds of religious fortunes again changed and Protestant churches could now look like a church. Significant modifications were again made to the building. WWII bombing caused significant damage to the Church and the building was again rebuilt with a new face. The latest renovations to the building occurred in the late 1980s with a return to the 1907 look.

Several features have survived all the remodeling and damage. Christ on the Cross is a copy of the van Dyke painting that is the altar piece. There are also marble plates that are relics from when the hearts of several leaders were buried here. The church has no aisles which makes it rather unique too. Located at Dorotheergasse 18, there are also other churches and sights to see within just a short walk.

The Hofburgkapelle is a chapel that was essentially swallowed up by the Imperial castle. In fact at one point only the apse was visible externally. The chapel has been a part of church life in Vienna since at least 1424. While the castle around the chapel has been added to and ownership divided amongst various royalty, the chapel remained open for the use of all the peoples of Vienna.

Today, from September to April, the Vienna Boys Choir and members of the Vienna State Opera orchestra perform here at Sunday Mass. The music is absolutely phenomenal so be sure to book tickets as soon as travel dates are known. One can also stand outside the chapel in the narthex and here the choir if tickets were unavailable. The choir was originally 1492 to provide music for the liturgy. Although the choir has changed immensely over the centuries, it is enchanting to hear the boys sing with the incredible musicians as they were originally designed.

Inside the chapel are pillars that represent the Saints from around the time of Fredrick III who ruled throughout most of the 1800s. These pillars were refurbished in the 1970s to their original state. The chapel has been added to and redone so many times; it is nice to see parts of it being reverted back to its original splendor.

Minoritenkirche is also known as The Italian National Church of Mary of the Snows. The corner stone was laid in 1276 and dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi. As the name suggests, the church started out as a Minorite holding of the Franciscan monks. In 1782, Joseph II gave the church to the Italians and the name was changed. The Minorite community had fled the area under religious prosecution.

This old church has been through several changes in its long life, and it is easy to see where pieces and parts have been added over the centuries as different groups have had their influence. One of the most notable features concerns the lack of a spire on the top of the tower.

The tower really doesn’t fit the Gothic nature of the building as it was one of the parts that were added later. It did have a proper top, however, that was destroyed twice during wars in the 1500s. After rebuilding the top twice, a flat roof that was more difficult to shoot off was installed.

The inside of the massive church is just as distinctive. There are several chapels, and several modifications have been made over the centuries. The high alter has a Baroque feel to it, although most of the older Baroque adornments have been removed from the church to again have the Gothic style.

There is a mosaic of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper that was commissioned by Napoleon when he invaded Vienna. The mosaic was to have been in another building, but it was simply too large to fit there. After Napoleon’s defeat, the mosaic was purchased by Franz I and placed in the vast Minoritenkirche where its beauty can still be appreciated today.