Karlskirche (St. Charles's Church)

Vienna's greatest Baroque church, its green dome and twin triumphal columns closing the view across Karlsplatz.

During the plague of 1713 Emperor Charles VI vowed to build a church to his namesake St. Charles Borromeo, patron saint against the plague. Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach won the commission; building began in 1716 and was completed in 1737 by his son Joseph Emanuel. The design deliberately fuses references — a Greek temple portico, a Roman dome, and two columns modelled on Trajan's Column in Rome, their spiral reliefs telling the life of the saint. Inside, the oval dome carries frescoes by Johann Michael Rottmayr.

Checked on karlskirche.at in September 2026, the church is open Monday to Saturday 09:00–18:00 and Sundays and holidays 11:45–19:15. There is normally an entry charge, and in recent years it has included a panoramic lift and stairs up inside the dome, face to face with the frescoes — confirm on site that it is running, and skip it if you dislike heights, as the final stretch is climbed on stairs high under the vault.

The pool in front holds a Henry Moore sculpture, and on many evenings the church hosts concerts aimed at visitors — Vivaldi's Four Seasons is a staple. Pleasant in the space, but not the city's best music; see concerts in Vienna. Neighbourhood: Wieden.