Karlskirche, Vienna, Austria

Picture of Karlskirche, Vienna, Austria
Karlskirche is a Roman Catholic Church located in Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Construction of Karlskirche began on orders of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI after the last great plague epidemic in 1715 and was completed in 1737. Baroque design was made by architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach who died in 1723. The construction of Karlskirche was completed by his son Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.

The interior of the church was designed by prominent baroque artists such as Johann Michael Rottmayr, Sebastiano Ricci, Lorenzo Matielli, Gaetano Fanti, Daniel Gran, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. Karlskirche is dedicated to Charles Borromeo who was an Italian saint and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church but it was also built to glorify the power of the Habsburg Empire.

The front of Karlskirche was redesigned in the 1970's by Henry Moore who is one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. Outside Karlskirche stands Moore's artwork Hill Arches, a sculpture in a little pool. With its 72 meters (236 feet) high dome Karlkirche is one of the most outstanding Baroque church buildings north of the Alps.

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