Page 100 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

98  VIENNA AREA B Y AREA

8 Karlskirche

During Vienna’s plague epidemic of 1713,
Emperor Karl VI vowed that as soon as the
city was 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 the Oriental- rocailles and
flower garlands.
style 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

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