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The building of Karlskirche was started in 1715 following
plans of one of the most famous Austrian Baroque architects,
Johann Fischer von Erlach. The church is spectacular.
It is the biggest cathedral in Baroque style north of the
Alps.
Initially, the church was build
to honor the vows of Emperor Karl VI. given in the time of
a severe plague epidemic. It was dedicated to saint Karl Borromeo.
An unusually wide front is composed of a number of
contrasting elements which surprisingly add up to a unique
and harmonic overall image. Two colums with an allegoric representation
of the life of saint Borromeo are reminiscent of Italian Renaissance
Trajan colum. They frame the main portal which resembles a
Greek temple. The oval nave of the church is topped by an
eye-catching dome (72 m high) spectacularly painted at the
inside.
The church is situated at one of Vienna's central nodes, spacious
'Karlsplatz'. The area in front of Karlskirche was redesigned
in the 1970s by one of the most important sculptors of the
20th century: Henry Moore. His artwork 'Hill Arches'
adornes an oval water basin which reflects the church building.
If you take the tube (U4 or U2) you can admire one of Otto
Wagner's art deco tube stations. Secession
museum is another famous sights closeby where Karslplatz meets
Naschmarkt!
Karlskirche: Kreuzherrengasse
1, A - 1040 Wien
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