Vienna Karlskirche, Austria - church

Church

The church devoted to St Charles Borromeo, the Karlskirche, was planned by J. B. Fischer von Erlach and his son. It is Vienna's most imperative spiritual building in the Baroque style. Emperor Charles VI vowed he would construct it when the plague was uncontrolled in 1713, and in 1737 the church was devoted to St Charles Borromeo, one of the saints inducing during plagues. In 1738 it was handed over to the Knights of Malta, and in 1783 it was stated an Imperial prebend. The dome rises to a height of 235feet. It cost 304,000 guilders to construct. All countries outstanding allegiance to the Crown had to pay to the cost as a fine for the deliberate destruction of the chapel of the Austrian Embassy.