{"id":22171,"date":"2020-04-22T05:14:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-22T04:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=22171"},"modified":"2025-08-08T09:51:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T08:51:58","slug":"karlskirche-history-treasury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/karlskirche-history-treasury\/","title":{"rendered":"Karlskirche&#8217;s history"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/karlskirchehistorysmall.jpg\" alt=\"Entrance inscription at Karlskirche\" class=\"wp-image-22173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/karlskirchehistorysmall.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/karlskirchehistorysmall-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The English name for Karlskirche (St. Charles Church) offers a bit of a clue to the building&#8217;s origins. Let&#8217;s talk about Saint Charles Borromeo of Milan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Built in 1737 in the reign of Emperor Charles VI<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Honours the patron saint of plague sufferers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reliefs include various plague references <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Architect Fischer von Erlach designed other Viennese landmarks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-attractions-c60335\/tickets-for-vivaldi-s-four-seasons-concert-at-st-charles-church-vienna-p1035172\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_KarlsConc\" rel=\"sponsored\">Vivaldi concert<\/a>* at the Karlskirche<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/karlskirche\/\">Karlskirche church visitor info<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What&#8217;s in a name?<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/karlskirchepainting.jpg\" alt=\"Painting of Karlskirche\" class=\"wp-image-49083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/karlskirchepainting.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/karlskirchepainting-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">The riparian landscape around the Schwarzenberg bridge with the Karlskirche behind it, as painted by Eduard Peithner von Lichtenfels around 1890. The river has since moved underground; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 51001; excerpt reproduced under the terms of the <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY 4.0 license<\/a>; photo by Birgit und Peter Kainz)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We begin our story back in the 16th century and the city of Milan, which belonged to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/culture\/other-habsburg-terms\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"12863\">Spanish Habsburgs<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Saint Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) became Archbishop of the city at the tender age of 27, and many acts of sacrifice, humility, and compassion characterised his ecclesiastical career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In particular, Charles proved a source of great comfort to the people of the city during the plague that struck in the 1570s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such paintings as <em>St. Charles Cares for the Plague Victims of Milan<\/em> by the famous Dutch baroque artist, Jacob (Jacques) Jordaens, depict his charitable and pastoral efforts during that time.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"328\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/karlskircheborromeo.jpg\" alt=\"Print of Charles Borromeo\" class=\"wp-image-59716\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/karlskircheborromeo.jpg 328w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/karlskircheborromeo-219x300.jpg 219w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 328px) 100vw, 328px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Saint Charles Borromeo in prayer; 1615 print based on a drawing by Giuseppe Agellio; image courtesy of the Rijksmuseum)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As such, Saint Charles is often referred to as the patron saint of plague sufferers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now fast forward to early 18th-century Vienna, where a final plague epidemic raged across the city in 1713.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To his credit, the Emperor at the time (Charles VI) stayed in town, rather than fleeing to a safer location. Given the circumstances, he also determined to build <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/karlskirche\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"22144\">a church<\/a> to honour St. Charles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(I&#8217;m sure the fact the saint and the emperor shared the same name added to the appeal of the undertaking.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><em>Ad:<\/em><br><\/div><div data-tiqets-widget=\"discovery\" data-cards-layout=\"horizontal\" data-slug-ids=\"exp206741,exp238032\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\" data-tq-campaign=\"DA_ConcTour\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Located on the banks of the River Wien, this new church offered views across to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sightseeing\/hofburg\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"2708\">main palace<\/a> and displaced a vineyard on the same site. So you might say it turned wine into (holy) water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The esteemed architect, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, designed the building, though he died before its completion in 1737.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Given its monumental majesty, I might rate Karlskirche as the baroque architect&#8217;s greatest achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Others may disagree. After all, von Erlach created the astonishing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/winter-palace\/prunksaal\/\">State Hall<\/a> of the National Library.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/karlskircheportalreliefs.jpg\" alt=\"Karlskirche portal reliefs\" class=\"wp-image-49084\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/karlskircheportalreliefs.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/karlskircheportalreliefs-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The portal reliefs)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our busy architect also designed a little place in the country known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sightseeing\/palace-of-schonbrunn\/\">Sch\u00f6nbrunn Palace<\/a> (albeit the final building owed much to modifications by Nikolaus Pacassi).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Von Erlach even had a hand in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/plague-column-pestsaule\/\">plague column<\/a> found on the Graben pedestrianised zone in the centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The epidemic-inspired origins of Karlskirche are reflected in more than just the church&#8217;s name, though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, the reliefs above the entrance portal show plague scenes, while those on the two giant exterior columns trace the life of Saint Charles. The man himself features significantly in the painted ceiling of the central dome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What about the river?<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/karlskirchebridge.jpg\" alt=\"Karlskirche sometime around 1875 to 1885\" class=\"wp-image-49085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/karlskirchebridge.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/karlskirchebridge-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(View of the former Schwarzenberg Bridge and the Karlskirche behind, likely sometime between 1875 and 1885. Image courtesy of the Rijksmuseum.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Should you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/karlskirche\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"22144\">visit Karlskirche<\/a> today, something significant does appear to be missing, though. What happened to the river?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The answer lies in one of the biggest urban upheavals in Viennese history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can tell from the photo above (and the painting at the top of this article), the River Wien really did run very close to the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, constant problems with flooding proved a thorn in the side of the city. As a result, the authorities moved a huge stretch of the waterway below ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, I&#8217;m pretty sure the large water basin in front of today&#8217;s Karlskirche is positioned over the river&#8217;s current route, which emerges into the light again in the nearby <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/stadtpark\/\">Stadtpark<\/a> and meanders on to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/urania\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"34177\">Urania<\/a> where it joins the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/donaukanal\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"34106\">Donaukanal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can actually visit the underground river on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/songsfilms\/third-man-tour\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"62196\">Third Man Tour<\/a> (which starts close to Karlskirche); they take you down to where they filmed the legendary sewer scenes in that iconic movie.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The English name for Karlskirche (St. Charles Church) offers a bit of a clue to the building&#8217;s origins. Let&#8217;s talk about Saint Charles Borromeo of Milan. What&#8217;s in a name? The riparian landscape around the Schwarzenberg bridge with the Karlskirche behind it, as painted by Eduard Peithner von Lichtenfels around 1890. The river has since [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22173,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-22171","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sights","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22171"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85038,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22171\/revisions\/85038"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}