Votivkirche, Vienna

The Votive Church, known as Votivkirche in German, is a neo-Gothic church situated on the Ringstraße. Its construction was initiated in the aftermath of an assassination attempt on Emperor Franz Joseph in 1853. Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, the Emperor's brother, launched a campaign to build the church as a gesture of gratitude to God for saving the Emperor's life. Funds for the construction were collected from across the Empire, and the church was consecrated in 1879, marking the 25th anniversary of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth.

The architectural design of the Votivkirche follows the typical Gothic cathedral structure, featuring a front facade with two slender towers, three gabled entrances with ornate archivolts, a gallery adorned with statues above the entrances, a central entrance that is twice as wide as the side entrances, a rose window, and a roof gable over the nave. The church also includes belfries, a transept spire, buttresses, abutments, and flying buttresses. The overall design of the church is visually cohesive, characterized by well-proportioned elements, a thoughtfully arranged layout, spaciousness, and a consistent Gothic style.

One notable feature was the Emperor window, a gift from the City of Vienna, which originally depicted the Emperor's rescue from assassination by Maximilian Graf O'Donnell von Tyrconnell. Unfortunately, during World War II, the original windows were destroyed, leading to the creation of replacement windows in 1964, sponsored by the City of Vienna. Although these replacement windows retained the original design in most aspects, they shifted away from a strictly monarchical theme and took on a more religious tone. Regrettably, the precise depiction of the Emperor's rescue was lost in the process.