The ''Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus'', commonly called the ''Karlskirche'' (), is a

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.Brook 2012, pp. 146–147. Located just outside of

Innere Stadt The Innere Stadt (; Central Bavarian: ''Innare Stod'') is the 1st municipal Districts of Vienna, district of Vienna () located in the center of the Austrian capital. The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Until the city boundaries were expa ...

in Wieden, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

in the form of an elongated

ellipsoid An ellipsoid is a surface that may be obtained from a sphere by deforming it by means of directional scalings, or more generally, of an affine transformation. An ellipsoid is a quadric surface; that is, a surface that may be defined as the ...

History

In 1713, one year after the last great

plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...

epidemic An epidemic (from Ancient Greek, Greek ἐπί ''epi'' "upon or above" and δῆμος ''demos'' "people") is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of patients among a given population within an area in a short period of time. Epidemics ...

Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor , house = Habsburg , spouse = , issue = , issue-link = #Children , issue-pipe = , father = Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor , mother = Eleonore Magdalene of Neuburg , birth_date ...

, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others,

Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena (18 August 1657 – 3 January 1743),"Galli-Bibiena, Ferdinando" (dates, Farnese dynasty, to Barcelona for Karl VI),''Encyclopedia of Austria'', 2006, aeiou.iicm.tugraz.at webpag."Ferdinando Galli Bibiena Online" (overview ...

and

Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (14 November 1668 – 16 November 1745) was an Austrian baroque architect and military engineer who designed stately buildings and churches and whose work had a profound influence on the architecture of the Habsburg E ...

. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of

Anton Erhard Martinelli Anton Erhard Martinelli (1684 – September 15, 1747) was an Austrian architect and master-builder of Italian descent. Martinelli was born in Vienna. He was the son of architect Franz Martinelli. Anton Erhard Martinelli supervised the construct ...

. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the

Hofburg The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Located in the centre of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn ...

and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church. As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...

. The neighboring two columns, crafted by

Lorenzo Mattielli Lorenzo Mattielli (1678/1688 ? – 27 or 28 April 1748) was an Italian sculptor from the Late Baroque period. His name has also variously been written as ''Matielli'', ''Mattiely'', ''Matthielli'', and ''Mathielli''. He supplied statuary for pal ...

, found a model in Trajan's Column in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (

Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, , ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 159828 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor of his ...

and Borromini). Above the entrance, a

rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered. Next to the Church was the ''Spitaler Gottesacker''. The composer

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...

died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour. Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.” Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of

bas-relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...

s, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the

Musikverein The ( or ; ), commonly shortened to , is a concert hall in Vienna, Austria, which is located in the Innere Stadt district. The building opened in 1870 and is the home of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra. The acoustics of the building's 'Great ...

and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.

Iconography

The

iconographical Iconology is a method of interpretation in cultural history and the history of the visual arts used by Aby Warburg, Erwin Panofsky and their followers that uncovers the cultural, social, and historical background of themes and subjects in the visu ...

program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The

relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...

on the

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedimen ...

above the entrance with the

cardinal virtues The cardinal virtues are four virtues of mind and character in both classical philosophy and Christian theology. They are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. They form a virtue theory of ethics. The term ''cardinal'' comes from the ...

and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a

spiral In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving farther away as it revolves around the point. Helices Two major definitions of "spiral" in the American Heritage Dictionary are:Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the

Old Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

and

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...

s. This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

Johann Michael Rottmayr Johann Michael Rottmayr (11 December 1656 – 25 October 1730) was an Austrian painter. Biography Rottmayr was born in Laufen an der Salzach, Bavaria. Along with his Laufen-born contemporary, Hans Adam Weissenkircher, he received his edu ...

of Salzburg and

Gaetano Fanti Gaetano Fanti (1687 – 27 September 1759) was an Italian fresco painter born in Bologna. Biography In 1715 Fanti was appointed by Prince Eugene of Savoy in Vienna. Together with figure painters such as Johann Michael Rottmayr, Paul Troger and ...

, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...

. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to

Daniel Gran Daniel Gran (22 May 1694 in Vienna – 16 April 1757 in Sankt Pölten), was an Austrian painter. His pictures ornament several public buildings in his native city. He was of some consideration in his time and after a century of Italian domi ...

. The high

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...

portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by

Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff (Czech: ''Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff''; 12 September 1688 – 8 March 1731) was a sculptor and carver of the Baroque era. Life and career He was born in Červený Hrádek near Jirkov, Bohemia, the second son of El ...

. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran,

Sebastiano Ricci Sebastiano Ricci (1 August 165915 May 1734) was an Italian painter of the late Baroque school of Venice. About the same age as Piazzetta, and an elder contemporary of Tiepolo, he represents a late version of the vigorous and luminous Cortonesqu ...

Martino Altomonte Martino Altomonte, born Johann Martin Hohenberg (8 May 1657, Naples – 14 September 1745, Vienna) was an Italian Baroque painter of Austrian descent who mainly worked in Poland and Austria. Life and work Martino Altomonte (Johann Martin Hohen ...

and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display. As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...

with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew

Tetragrammaton The Tetragrammaton (; ), or Tetragram, is the four-letter Hebrew language, Hebrew theonym (transliterated as YHWH), the name of God in the Hebrew Bible. The four letters, written and read from right to left (in Hebrew), are ''yodh'', ''he (l ...

Yahweh Yahweh *''Yahwe'', was the national god of ancient Israel and Judah. The origins of his worship reach at least to the early Iron Age, and likely to the Late Bronze Age if not somewhat earlier, and in the oldest biblical literature he posse ...

symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo. Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian ''joie de vivre'' stemming from the victorious end of the

Turkish Wars A series of military conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and various European states took place from the Late Middle Ages up through the early 20th century. The earliest conflicts began during the Byzantine–Ottoman wars, waged in Anatolia in ...

Pulpit

The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker,

Claude Le Fort du Plessy Claude may refer to: __NOTOC__ People and fictional characters * Claude (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Claude (surname), a list of people * Claude Lorrain (c. 1600–1682), French landscape painter, draughtsman and etcher ...

in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.Verein Karskirche, Nachrichten, Ausgabe 4, Jänner 2007

Gallery

Iglesia de San Carlos Borromeo, Viena, Austria, 2020-01-31, DD 164-166 HDR.jpg, Night view of the church Karlskirche - Wien 006.jpg, Column with spiral narrative as on Trajan's Column Iglesia de San Carlos Borromeo, Viena, Austria, 2020-01-31, DD 72.jpg, Top of one of the two towers Iglesia de San Carlos Borromeo, Viena, Austria, 2020-01-31, DD 49-51 HDR.jpg,

High Altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paganis ...

, ''Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo'', by Alberto Camesina Wien Karlskirche - Hochaltar 5.jpg, Saints Jerome and Augustine, High Altar, by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach St. Charles's Church, Austria, Vienna - Gold piece high above the altar symbolizing Yahweh.jpg, The gold piece high above the altar symbolizing

Iglesia de San Carlos Borromeo, Viena, Austria, 2020-01-31, DD 64-66 HDR.jpg, Closer view of the dome Intercession of Charles Borromeo supported by the Virgin Mary - Detail Rottmayr Fresco - Karlskirche - Vienna.JPG, Intercession of Charles Borromeo supported by the Virgin Mary by Rottmayr Wien - Karlskirche, Orgel.JPG, Organ loft Karlskirche pulpit.jpg, The restored canopy of the abat-voix Iglesia de San Carlos Borromeo, Viena, Austria, 2020-01-31, DD 61-63 HDR.jpg, Huge reflecting ball inside the church

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * * * * * * * * *

External links