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Religious Sites in Vienna
Vienna offers over 50 different churches and places of worship. St Stephen's Cathedral is one of the most famous symbols of this city. Dating back to the 13th Century, it is one of the oldest buildings in Vienna. It also offers spectacular views across Vienna provided you are prepared to make the ascent up the long, spiral staircase to the top of the North Tower. Worth adding to your itinerary is the Franciscan Church, which was built in 1603. It has a wonderful Renaissance style exterior, yet its interior is Baroque in design. The church is home to the city’s oldest organ, an elaborate, carved affair, which was the work of Johann Wockerl. Other worthy religious sites in this city include the early Baroque Dominikanerkirche, the world renowned, Neo-Gothic Votivkirche and the Peterskirche, which has a splendid, gilded pulpit created by renowned sculptor Matthias Steinl in 1726. The ornate pulpit is topped with a glorious sculpture representing the Holy Trinity.
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Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral)
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Address: Stephansplatz 1
Phone: +43 1 5155 2001
e-mail: office@stephansdom.at
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Website: http://www.stephansdom.at
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St Stephen's Cathedral is one of the world’s most impressive Gothic cathedrals, erected in the heart of Vienna. It stands on the ruins of two earlier churches. The first church was a parish, established in the 12th Century. It was dedicated to St Stephen. Between 1304 and 1433, the church was renovated and that's how it acquired its Gothic features. Its magnificent Northern Tower, 70-metre high, was rebuild to match the Renaissance aesthetics of the 16th Century while the interior illustrates the Baroque canons. St Stephen's Cathedral's majestic south tower, given the nickname of Steffl, is a dominant feature of the Vienna skyline, proudly standing with its 136 metres of height. The main gate of the cathedral is called the Giant's Door, or Riesentor, coming from the word for the bone of mastodon, which used to hang over there. The most impressive highlight in St Stephen's Cathedral is its wonderful ornately patterned roof. It is 111 metres long and covered by more than 230 000 glazed tiles. Unfortunately, during World War II, the wooden framework of the roof was destroyed. St Stephen's Cathedral has 23 bells; the largest is called St Mary, often called Pummerin. The pulpit of the cathedral was designed by the master sculptor Anton Pilgram. The outside of the cathedral is breathtaking decorated with beautiful chapels, statues and commemorative plates.
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Kapuzinergruf (Kapuziner Crypt)
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Address: Tegetthoffstrasse 2
Phone: +43 1 512 68 53
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This landmark consists of two attractions, a charming church and the Imperial Crypt (Kapuziner Crypt) underneath. It is looked after by the Capuchin monks and was founded by the Catholic Emperor Matthias in 1619. The Crypt keeps 138 tombs of members of the Hasburg family: among others a tomb of the Empress Maria Theresa, her husband Franz Stephan, Franz Joseph and Empress Zita. They are decorated in different motiffs, with many decorated skulls.
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Universitatskirche (Church of the Jesuits)
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Address: Dr Ignaz-Seipel-Platz 1
Phone: +43 1 5121 3350
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Universitätskirche (University Church), also known as Jesuitenkirche (Jesuit Church) is a majestic church, a fine example of the Baroque architecture in Vienna. It was built in the 17th Century, on the place of a previous chapel. It is dedicated to Saints Ignatius Loyola and Francis Xavier. In the early 18th Century, the church was redecorated by the talented architect, painter and sculptor, Brother Andrea Pozzo. He added twin towers and reworked the facade in an early Baroque style with narrow horizontal and vertical sections. The design of the windows, narrow niches (with statues) and the small central part of the facade deviate from the Baroque style of the towers. The church was then rededicated to the Assumption of Mary. Very impressive are the marble pillars, gilding and a number of allegorical ceiling frescoes. A highlight of the church is the magnificent trompe l’oeil dome, a masterwork of Andrea Pozzo.
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Annakirche (Church of Saint Anne)
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Address: Annagasse 3b
Phone: +43 1 5124 7971
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Website: http://www.annakirche.at/
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The Church of Saint Anne (Annakirche) is a lovely church situated in Vienna. It dates back from the 14th Century. In 1518, on St Anna's day, on July 26, the church was consecrated. In 1747, a fire destroyed the church and architect Christopher Tausch while rebuilding the constuction changed its style from Gothic to late Baroque employing the trompe l'oeil techniques. The three ceiling frescoes, works of Daniel Gran, are the highlights of this landmark.
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Christus, Hoffnung der Welt
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Address: Donauisel
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The church Christus, Hoffnung der Welt, also called Donaucitykirche, is a lovely Roman Catholic parish church, located in Vienna. It was designed by architect Heinz Tesar. It's situated near the International Centre, on the Donauisel.
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Franziskanerkirche (Franciscan Church)
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Address: Franziskanerplatz 4
Phone: +43 1 21 11 40
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Franziskanerkirche or the Franciscan Church is a lovely Roman Catholic Church of the Franciscan Order, situated in Vienna. It was established in the beginning of the 17th Century, built in Renaissance style. The interior is designed in Baroque style. The high altar of the church, work of Andrea Pozzo from 1707 is very impressive. It shows the Virgin Mary in a quite vivid and animated style. Franziskanerkirche is also known for its organs, which are considered to be the oldest in Vienna. The atmosphere of the church is peaceful and spiritual.
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Judenplatz
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Address: Judenplatz
Phone: +43 1 21 11 40
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Judenplatz was where in the 12th Century the first Jewish ghetto in Vienna was located. For centuries the Jewish community took care of the place, today a controvential Holocaust memorial, work of the British sculptor Rachel Whiteread, occupies the site. There used to be a synagogue on the square but in 1421 it was burnt to the ground during the bloody pogroms.
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Malteserkirche
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Address: Kärntnerstrasse 37
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Malteserkirche is a charming church named after the Maltese Order. It was built around the 14th Century and dedicated to St John the Baptist. Its style combines elements of the Gothic, Baroque and Classisism. The interior of the church is inspiring, and visitors can also enjoy musical performances.
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