Page 100 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

98  VIENNA AREA B Y AREA

8 Karlskirche

During Vienna’s plague epidemic of 1713,
Emperor Karl VI vowed that should the
city be delivered from its plight he would
build a church dedicated to St Charles
Borromeo (1538–84), the patron saint of
the plague. Johann Bernhard Fischer von
Erlach created a richly eclectic building, later The Pulpit
Two putti crown
completed by his son. At 72 m (236 ft), it is the canopy of the
the tallest Baroque church in Vienna. The Neo- richly gilded pulpit,
Classical giant dome and portico are flanked adorned with
by two minaret-like towers and Oriental-style rocailles and
flower garlands.
gatehouses. The most striking features inside
are the beautiful cupola frescoes, high altar
and side altarpieces painted by the foremost
artists of the day – Martino Altomonte, Daniel
Gran and Sebastiano Ricci.

. High Altar
A stucco relief by Albert Camesina
shows St Charles Borromeo being
assumed into heaven on a cloud
laden with angels and putti.

KEY
1 Pediment reliefs by Giovanni
Stanetti show the suffering of the
Viennese population during the
1713 plague.
2 The two gatehouses leading
into the side entrances of the church
seem to combine the architecture of
Roman triumphal arches with that
of Chinese pavilions. Main entrance
3 Stairway (closed to the public)

For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp293–4 and pp313–14

098-099_EW_Austria.indd 98 12/09/17 3:02 pm