Karlskirche
Karlskirche
Karlskirche (Kreuzherrengasse 1, Vienna) – this church was built in 1716 and dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo, after the country’s emperor’s prayer (that the Black Plague that was sweeping through Vienna leave) was answered by God. The Baroque master Johann Bernard Fischer von Erlach did the original work from 1716 to 1722. After his death in 1723, his son took over and saw the project through to completion in 1737. J. M. Rottmayr painted many of the frescoes inside the church from 1725 to 1730.
The church combines architectural influences from ancient Greece (the columned portico), ancient Rome (the two Trajanesque columns), and contemporary Viennese Baroque (the dome and towers). The green copper dome rises 236 feet high, making it a major landmark on the Viennese skyline. Admission: €4.50 (adult). Hours: 9am-12:30pm (Mon. – Fri.), 1 pm – 6pm (Sat. – Sun.). See the church’s website for more details: www.karlskirche.at