Karlskirche
Karlskirche stands at Karlsplatz in Vienna as a Baroque church dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo. Its green dome rises above a Greek temple portico, while spiral reliefs cover the monumental exterior columns.
The church followed Vienna’s plague epidemic, with Emperor Charles VI commissioning Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach’s design. Construction began in 1716, then Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach completed the building in 1737. Inside, marble surfaces, gold details, and a dome fresco create a strong visual axis above the high altar. The fresco shows Saint Charles Borromeo supported by the Virgin Mary and surrounded by virtues. Daniel Gran’s side-chapel frescoes accompany works by Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte, and Jakob van Schuppen.
Antonio Vivaldi was buried beside the church in 1741, and concerts honour his music. A terrace above the entrance overlooks Karlsplatz, the Musikverein, and the Vienna University of Technology. In summer, the fountain reflects the façade and becomes a gathering place in front of the church.
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