Jesuiten- & Dominikanerkirche Churches,
Alte Aula & Old University District – Part II
Once the counter-reformation had kicked in and the Turks were beaten and chased away beyond Hungary,
Austria bloomed like never before and the university recovered quickly. Empress Maria Theresia and her son and successor
Emperor Joseph II were not terribly fond of Jesuites (the latter one finally
dissolving the order) and cut down the religious influence of the Societa Jesu in academic matters. The building of the
Alte Aula was erected under the reign of Maria Theresia as the ceremonial hall
for the university.
You might still catch a glimpse at the elaborate stucco work and frescos in the
main hall (Festsaal) from outside, but since the building is now used by the
Austrian Academy of Sciences, it is not open to the public in general. Over the course of the 19th century, the
Vienna University remained under tight control of the Habsburgs. Only under the rule of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the second half of the
19th century, the newly formed Jesuits could re-establish themselves at the university of Vienna.
The Jesuit church was originally built during the 30-Years’-War, between
1623 and 1631. Due to the suffering of the war period, the original interiors were plain and simple – something hard to imagine looking at today’s
overblown Baroque that hits you upon entering the church. By the way: 1623 was also the year in which the Jesuits’ college was merged with the university and the foundation year of
Salzburg University (which was a
Benedictine institution and a toy of the
Prince Archbishop of Salzburg). The Jesuitenkirche is dedicated to the
Saint Ignatius of Loyola (the founder of the Jesuits) and Saint Franz Xaver.
Guide to Vienna’s best Area
After 1703, the artist Andrea Pozzo worked for Emperor Leopold I in the Jesuitenkirche. Matching with the general boom of Austria after the victory in the Turkish wars, he spiced the church up with the
current façade, the two towers and opulent interiors including lots and lots of frescos, marble, gold, pillars, a huge organ, more gold and stucco work for the icing. Note the fake cupola that is painted on the ceiling of the main nave: From the entrance area, it looks quite realistic, but from the side it is easy to spot it as a
Trompe-l oeil (French for “fake-3D”) painting.
If you are still dissatisfied with all this Baroque glory, you can walk
around the corner twice at the Seipel-Platz and find the Italian-like
Dominikanerkirche. The church is surprisingly well-hidden in a quiet corner
of Vienna and not as shiny as many other sacral buildings of the city are.
Without doubt, this adds to both the Italian impression and the appeal of
the site. It is a good church for a stop-over in silence to rest during your
general sightseeing busy-ness.
Other nearby attractions include the Hoher Markt with the “Anker Uhr” Clock, obviously the
Stephansdom, more charming alleys around the
Franziskanerkirche Church. The Postsparkasse and the former
Ministry of War are within walking distance, and so is the
Stadtpark with its kitschy Strauss-Memorial and the
Museum for Applied Arts (MAK). In any case, I would advise you to follow the flow of this area and relax – to me, Vienna doesn’t get much more charming than here, but this might be just because this neighbourhood looks a lot like
Salzburg.
Return to "Jesuitenkirche & Old
University - Part II"
back to "vienna
travel guide"
Sightseeing in other Provinces
Bregenz and Vorarlberg -
Innsbruck and Tyrol -
Salzburg - Linz & Upper Austria - Salzkammergut -
Graz and Styria -
Klagenfurt and Carinthia -
Wachau and Lower Austria -
Vienna - Burgenland
Further Reading
Wikipedia on the Jesuitenkirche
University of Vienna
Austrian Academy of Sciences
& the Alte Aula
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