"One of oldest churches Vienna is the one dedicated to the Archangel Michael. It is located on the Michaelerplatz square within the Inner City. Monks of the Order of St. Michael founded in 1221 ... "
“This church is one of the most beautiful and oldest churches in Vienna. They began to build it in 792 on the site where an older Christian temple had previously stood, and the order for the construction was given by the emperor himself ... "
“St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna has long become a symbol not only of the capital, but of the whole of Austria. Its slender Gothic spire has shot up 136 meters, so it can be seen from almost every corner of Vienna. Located ... "
“The Vow Church (Votivkirche) is a Roman Catholic church located in the center of Vienna. It stands not far from the university, on the Ringstrasse. The neo-Gothic architecture of this is considered very valuable ... "
“Tourists visiting St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna usually climb the observation decks, which offer a wonderful view of Vienna. You can even observe the Danube from here. On..."
“In the center of Vienna, to the northwest of the Hofburg Imperial Palace, there is a Minorite Church. Minorites were the name given to a smaller branch of a major Franciscan order. The Minorites were invited to Vienna in 1224 by Leo ... "
“Not far from the Salzburg Cathedral on the Residenzplatz is the residence of the Archbishop. Moreover, two buildings of the old and new residences are standing next to each other. They were built at the beginning of the 17th century, ... "
“In the Wachau Valley on the banks of the Danube, at an altitude of 422 meters, there is the Gettweig Abbey. It is 5 kilometers from the neighboring town of Krems. This monastery was founded in the XI century - its altar was consecrated in 10 ... "
“At the foot of the Mönchsberg mountain in the historic center of Salzburg there is a Benedictine abbey dedicated to St. Peter. It was founded in 690 by one of the first bishops of Salzburg - Rupert, udo ... "
“There is a University Church or a Jesuit Church in Vienna's Inner City, which belongs to the Viennese archdiocese. This monument of Baroque architecture was built in 1623-1627, and less than a century later ... "
"In inner city Vienna's Josefplatz is the Gothic-style church of St. Augustine. When the Austrian Duke Friedrich was imprisoned in the Trausnitz castle, there he met several ... "
"On east coast of the Salzbach River, the Capuchin Mountain rose 640 meters above sea level, and opposite it is the Salzburg City Museum. In fact, this is a hill, not a mountain, but at its top it is beautiful ... "
“The Parish Roman Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary the Winner is worthy of attention as an architectural and historical monument despite the presence in Vienna of a huge number of various temples. It is located ... "
“In the historical part of Salzburg, Austria, one of the oldest buildings is the Franciscan Church. The portal of the 13th century in the Romanesque style turns into a Gothic-looking presbytery, in which ... "
Modern Austria is a child of the 20th century. Those lands that, after two world wars, became the territory of the Austrian Republic, for many centuries were part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, and later became the foundation for a new empire - the Austrian Habsburgs, under whose rule in different historical periods were the lands of modern Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, part of Italy, Poland, Romania and Ukraine, as well as a number of states of the Balkan Slavs.
But when we talk about Austrian Gothic, we move to the 14-15th centuries, when there was no Austrian Habsburg empire yet, and on the site of present-day Austria there were several German duchies (counties, lands), one of which was called Austria (created in mid-12th century). All of them were part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the 13th century, the "Roman" emperor Rudolph I of Habsburg became the ruler of the duchy of Austria, after which the power in the duchy was inherited among the representatives of this malicious family. Gradually, the neighboring lands of Austria (Styria, Carinthia, and much later - Tyrol with Salzburg) were annexed to it, but there are still historical regions in the country that are called exactly the same as in those distant times when these territories came gothic.
Gothic temples in Vienna
Neighbors Vienna and Prague - two modern metropolitan areas European cities with a glorious history. Each of them is included in the Top 6 most visited European cities by tourists. During their long history, both capitals have also been informal capitals of the united Europe. True, Prague was the main city of Europe for a very short time - in the 14th century under Charles IV, after which most her story she happened to be provincial town in the Austrian empire of the Habsburgs, being in the shadow of the splendid Vienna.
If we turn to Gothic architecture, then there can be no question of any superiority of Vienna over Prague (as well as Austria over the Czech Republic). Yes, Vienna has St. Stephen's Cathedral and other monumental Gothic buildings, but in terms of the total number of churches of this style, Prague is head and shoulders above the Austrian capital. The reason for this is simple: the rise of Austria and Vienna began after the Gothic fashion had already passed. And in the 13-14 centuries, the Austrian lands did not stand out in economic and political terms from the surrounding German lands and states. If we talk about German state formations, then the more developed were the North German cities that were part of the Hanseatic League, and not the cities modern Austria... In addition, Austria and the surrounding lands in the middle of the 14th century suffered greatly from the plague epidemic, which was reflected in the economic development of these territories.
Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral is one of the grandest Gothic churches in Europe and the most famous Austrian Gothic temple.
In the 12th century, a Romanesque church was erected on the site of the cathedral, but it burned down in 1240. Another temple was erected in its place, but already in 1304 its alteration in the Gothic style began. The main work on the construction of the cathedral ended only in the middle of the 15th century.
The tallest tower of the cathedral is 136 meters above the ground! The three naves of the cathedral are 107 meters long, the height of the central nave vaults is 28 meters.
The cathedral was damaged during a bombing raid in 1945: a fire that broke out led to the collapse of the roof and damaged most of the stained glass windows. The restoration was completed by 1960, but now the temple is constantly being renovated.
Thanksgiving Church (Votivkirche)
Another grandiose Gothic temple in Vienna is the Thanksgiving Church. This is a remake: its construction took place from 1855 to 1879. The church was erected during the time of the last Austrian emperor Franz Joseph on the site of an unsuccessful attempt on the emperor's person: in 1853, a Hungarian attacked the young emperor and stabbed him in the back, but the knife hit the button (on the back!), And Franz Joseph got off lightly fright. Do not think that the name of the church is thanks to God from Franz Joseph himself for his miraculous salvation... This is the gratitude of the peoples of the Austrian Empire. Hundreds of thousands of citizens were so happy that their emperor was not hurt that they threw themselves into the construction of this temple!
(I wonder if the villains try to burn out the eyes of our beloved king with green paint, but miss - how many people will voluntarily throw themselves into the Thanksgiving church? ...).
Several more Gothic churches were built in Vienna, but not all of them have retained their original appearance. For example, the oldest church in the city is the Church of St. Ruprecht. Presumably it already existed in the 8th century, but most likely it is just a legend. Its construction contains both Romanesque and Gothic (vaulted construction) and Renaissance elements.
There was once a Gothic church of Am Hof (Nine Angelic Choirs), but it was converted into a baroque temple, although the foundation of the temple, hidden behind a baroque facade, has been preserved. The same thing happened with the church of St. Michael. The Church of the Order of St. Augustine from the 14th century has retained its Gothic foundation inside, but, being next to it, you cannot say that this is a Gothic building.
The Minoritenkirche (Lesser Brothers) Church managed to partially convey to us its external Gothic appearance, which it acquired in the 14th century, although initial appearance the temple was somewhat distorted by the tower and the residential annex to the church (a very unusual solution for temple architecture!). As far as I understand, this is the result of the restoration of the 18th century.
Gothic of Lower and Upper Austria
Klosterneuburg Abbey
The monastery is located in the suburbs of modern Vienna. If you look at it from a bird's eye view, it may seem that the church in the monastery is Gothic. In fact, this is not the case. Initially, a Romanesque temple was built here in the 12th century, which was partially rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 18th century. In the next century, two neo-gothic towers were added to it, so from a distance it looks gothic.
Church in the village of Weissenkirchen
In the old wine-growing village in the Wachau region, there is a rather imposing 14th century Gothic Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which stands out for its strange shape and huge roof. The tower was added to the temple in the 16th century for defensive purposes, since at that time the ubiquitous Turks began to roam around the Wachau.
Basilica of St. Laurenz in Ense
Now Enns is a small town near Linz (about 10 thousand people). Believe it or not, this is the oldest city in Austria! But not because it was already a city in Roman times, but for the reason that in the Duchy of Austria it was he who first received the rights of the city. A funny coincidence: in 212, Ens became a municipality by decision of the emperor Caracalla (under the name Lauriacum), and exactly 1000 years later - in 1212 he received city rights from the German Duke Leopold ...
In that old town you can also see one of the oldest Austrian Gothic churches, erected in the 13th century. Basilica St. Laurenz has a peculiar design: the facade of the church is located in a transverse nave. And the facade itself is extremely unusual for a temple of this size: in its width it would be more suitable for a majestic Gothic cathedral, but not such a small church as in Ense.
New Cathedral in Linz
The luxurious three-aisled cathedral has one big drawback: it was built in 1862-1924. The height of the tower of the cathedral is only a few meters lower than that of St. Stephen's.
Gothic temples of Styria, Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol
Cathedral of St. Egidius in Graz
Graz is the capital of Styria and the second most populous city in Austria. The local cathedral was built in the 15th century (consecrated in 1441). On the outside, it does not make a strong impression, but on the inside it looks very impressive.
Church of St. Jacob in Villach
Villach is a city on the Drava River in the very south of Austria, the second largest in Carinthia after Klagenfurt. The local three-aisled Gothic church (built in the 14th century) has a very impressive interior. Visitors' attention is drawn to the vault, which has an extremely complex ribbed pattern.
Church of St. Vincenz in the village of Heiligenblut
The village of Heiligenblut is lost among the mountains on the border with Italy. The local church was built in 1400-1490. on income from the silver and gold mines located near the village. The church is remarkable not for its architecture, but for its location. Together with the surrounding landscape, she simply asks for a postcard. If you google, you will find hundreds of postcard photos of this church.
Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in Schwaz
The largest Gothic church in Tyrol is located in the small town of Schwaz near Innsbruck. It was built in the second half of the 15th century. Outwardly, the church is rather unassuming, but inside it has a very unusual construction for the Gothic. The temple has one hall (nave), but three rows of columns inside the hall that support the vault. A very unusual constructive solution!
In addition to those listed, in the towns and villages of Austria, you can find another 2-3 dozen Gothic parish churches. In Styria there is a very small Gothic church in the town of Bruck an der Mur, in Carinthia there is a pretty temple in the village of Maria Wörth and a parish church in the town of St. Veit an der Glan (14th century), near Salzburg - church of the 15th century in the village with the unpronounceable name of St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut, in ski resort Kitzbühel - Katarinenkirche church (14th century) ...
Austria (German Österreich, full official form - Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich) is a state in Central Europe. Population 8.46 million. Capital - Vienna. State language - German. Federal state, parliamentary republic. Subdivided into 9 federal states.
Largest cities
- Salzburg
- Innsbruck
Orthodoxy in Austria
Orthodoxy in Austria is a Christian denomination in Austria. In 2011, the number of Orthodox Christians in Austria totaled about 352 thousand people, which is about 4.2% of the country's population. In 1967, the Austrian parliament adopted the "Federal Law on Orthodox Christians," which established the official status of Orthodox parishes in various jurisdictions.
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church is represented on the territory of the country by the Vienna and Austrian dioceses. In the 19th century, the majestic St. Nicholas Cathedral was erected in Vienna, which is now an architectural monument.
Patriarchate of Constantinople
The first Greek merchants appeared on the territory of Austria in the 17th century. The first services were conducted by visiting clergy.
Since 1776, by a special decree of the emperor, the Greeks were allowed to freely correct the services according to Orthodox canons, although this provision did not equalize them in rights with the Roman Catholics.
Since 1991, the diocese has been governed by Metropolitan Michael (Staikos).
In 1994, the Austrian Metropolitanate of the Patriarchate of Constantinople received official state registration.
The cathedral of the diocese is the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Vienna. The second significant parish in the Austrian capital is St. George's Cathedral. In addition, there are five more Greek parishes in Austria.
Serbian Patriarchate
The Serbian Orthodox Church has several Serbian parishes in Austria. The Cathedral of St. Savvas ..
Bulgarian Orthodox Church
In 1967, the first Bulgarian church dedicated to St. John of Rila appeared in Vienna.
Shrines
- Dish of the Last Supper (Vienna, Hofburg Palace, Habsburg Treasury)
- Spear of Longinus the Centurion (Vienna, Hofburg palace complex, Treasury of the Habsburgs)
- Icon of the Mother of God "Redeemer" (Vienna, St. Nicholas Cathedral)
- The relics of St. Gothalma (XI century) (Melk monastery, approx. 20 km. West of St. Pölten)
- The relics of St. Floriana (IV century) (St. Florian monastery, 19 km. Southeast of Linz)
- The relics of St. Rupert (VII century) (Salzburg, Cathedral of Sts. Rupert and Virgil)
- The relics of St. Virgil (VIII century) (Salzburg, Cathedral of Sts. Rupert and Virgil)
- The relics of St. Arno (IX century) (Salzburg, Cathedral of Saints Rupert and Virgil)
- The relics of St. Vitaly (VIII century) (Salzburg, St. Peter's Church)
- The relics of St. Erentrudy (VII century) (Salzburg, St. Erentrude monastery)
- The relics of St. Herald (X century) (St. Herald monastery, near Bludenz)
- The relics of St. Gebhard (X century) (Bregenz, castle chapel of St. Gebhard)
Temples
Cathedral of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin (Salzburg)
Cathedral of the Intercession Holy Mother of God belongs to the ROCOR; the parish was founded in 1945.
The temple is located in Salzburg, in the Leen district.
The German name is Russische Orthodoxе Kirche Maria Schutz.
Address: Christian-Doppler-Strasse 3a, A-5020 Salzburg
Phones:+49 176 415 522 44, +43 699 110 018 55 (abbot); +49 174 378 27 98 (secretary); +49 162 136 47 66 (headman)
Trinity Cathedral (Vienna)
In the middle of the 18th century, a significant Greek colony, consisting mainly of traders with Turkish citizenship. With the assistance of the Turkish government, during the reign of the Archduchess of Austria Maria Theresa, the Greeks received permission to build a chapel in honor of St. George the Victorious. Divine services were regularly held in the chapel, but it did not enjoy the rights and status of the parish church, and therefore the performance of requirements (baptisms, weddings and funeral services) was illegal, and the Greek clergy had to negotiate with the rector of the Catholic Cathedral of St. Stephen for workarounds in the legislation.
In 1782, Emperor Joseph II granted the Greek community autonomous rights, and the church of St. George the Victorious (at Hafnersteig, 4) the status of a parish. Formally, the parish was under the jurisdiction of the Karlovac Metropolitanate, but the Serbian hierarchs actually had no influence on the Greek community.
In 1786, the Greek parish obtained permission to build a stone Trinity Church, motivating its demands by the tightness of the house church and the desire to separate parish members with Austrian citizenship from parishioners with Turkish citizenship. In 1787, a small church was built on the Measki market (Flaish-Markt, 14) by the project of the architect Peter Mollner, where a new decree was also allowed to establish a Greek school.
During the reconstruction of the church in 1852 according to the project of the Austrian architect Theophil von Hansen, it was significantly expanded and received its current design. The reconstruction was financed by the Austrian diplomat and philanthropist Simon Georg von Sina. The frescoes on the façade and lobby were by the Austrian painter Professor Karl Rahl, others by the painter Ludwig Thirsch. On December 21, 1858, the church was consecrated. The new jurisdictional affiliation to the Chernivtsi Metropolitanate was also only formal, and the community decided all issues completely independently.
Since 1963, the temple has been cathedral The Austrian Metropolitanate of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the residence of the Greek Metropolitan.
Address: Vienna, Fleischmarkt 13, 1010 Wien
Temple of the Archangel Michael (La an der Thaya)
The Church of the Archangel Michael in La an der Thaya is an Orthodox church in the Vienna and Austrian dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church. The church was built in memory of Soviet soldiers who died in Velikaya Patriotic War, on the initiative and at the expense of the grandson of the fallen Red Army soldier, who is buried here in a mass grave.
The permission to build an Orthodox church in Laa an der Thaya was obtained in 2007. All finishing works have been completed recently. Materials for construction were delivered to Austria from Russia.
The height of the church is 17 meters, the area is 13x14 meters. The temple in Laa an der Taya is 3/4 the size of its prototype - a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture located in the Vladimir region - the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, included in 1992 in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The idea to build a copy of this particular church belongs to Metropolitan Hilarion, who served at that time as Bishop of Vienna and Austria.
Address: Ruhhofstraße 94, Laa an der Thaya, 2136, Austria
Phones:+43 676 428 93 64, +43 699 127 126 47 (english, german), +420 777 529 392 (russian, english)
Email: [email protected]
The architecture of Austria is closely related to the history of this country. The lands on which Vienna and Salzburg are now located were captured by the ancient Romans, who erected powerful fortresses for the Roman garrisons. Then, after the coming of Charlemagne, they began to build the first Christian churches, which looked rather primitive. The Romanesque style of architecture began to develop. Examples of this style that have come down to our time are the western façade of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, the church in Carinthia. The Gothic style in architecture in Austria is represented in such buildings as the Gothic south tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, the Church of St. Maria am Geshtade in Vienna. In areas remote from Vienna, the forms of the Gothic were simplified.
After a period of wars and political upheavals, the Baroque flourished in Austria: quaint baroque estates, churches and monasteries became significant architectural heritage Austria. The development of the baroque in Austria was strongly influenced by the Italian baroque. Schönbrunn Palace is the first example of a purely Austrian Baroque, which has already acquired its own individuality. The first baroque cathedral was built in Salzburg at the beginning of the 17th century. It is here, in this quaint Baroque town, that the house where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived and worked is located. Salzburg is also interesting because, along with the luxurious stucco of the facades of Baroque buildings, the modern Museum of Modernism Mönchsberg or Hangar 7 is quietly located here - a modern exhibition hall for aviation technology and other exhibits related to aviation.
Since the beginning of the XIX century Austrian cities multi-storey and apartment buildings began to appear for less well-off residents, for citizens with a higher financial situation - detached mansions. They contrasted sharply with the luxurious and imposing structures of previous eras. There is a tendency towards pretentiousness and pretentiousness in the construction of imposing state buildings. Vienna became the birthplace of a new architectural style - the Vienna Secession, that is, a special version of Viennese Art Nouveau.
In Vienna, where old buildings sit side by side with modern glass and concrete structures, this eclecticism is especially noticeable. One of the best examples of Vienna Art Nouveau - the Secession building is located very close to the Baroque Karlskirche church. The State Opera stands next to the Albertina, the world's largest gallery of modern graphics.
The richly decorated and opulent architectural structures in Austria blend organically with modern buildings, contrasting and complementing each other, to create the unique atmosphere of Austria.
On the territory of Austria, there are buildings and attractions that belong not only to different centuries, but also to completely different styles. Here you can find magnificent imperial palaces, ancient temples and grandiose modern complexes.
Each region of Austria and even each of its towns is distinguished by its own special style and extraordinary architecture. Most contrast architectural styles strong in magnificent Vienna. For example, if you decide to take the subway, you will see modernist architecture. Walk through the historic center, admire Gothic churches and cathedrals, as well as Baroque buildings. Only here you can see buildings that are completely different in spirit opposite each other, nevertheless, they look harmonious thanks to the special spirit of Vienna.
Vienna also has a large number of imperial structures built during the reign of the great Habsburg dynasty. Among them, two magnificent palace complexes stand out - the Schönbrunn Palace, which was the summer residence of the imperial family, and the Belvedere Palace, which was the residence of the Prince of Savoy.
If you visit lower Austria, then in the city of Wachau you can admire the unique monastery of Melk Benedictine monks. This monastery was built in the Baroque style and is a UNESCO heritage site. Continuing a little further, you will find yourself in the vineyards, and then near a charming late Gothic church. There is also a large number of ancient monuments and various ancient ruins.
If you visit Krems, you will see here one of the most significant medieval buildings in the country - Gozzoburg. This palace, whose history began in the 13th century, is made in a style very rare for Austria - the Italian palazzo.
