Michaelerkirche
Another well-loved church is known as the Michaelerkirche. This church was built in dedication to the Archangel Michael. This church is one of the oldest churches in Vienna and is also one of the few remaining Romanesque buildings. Through the years, it has been through many renovations and alterations resulting in what it is today. The church is close to the Michaeler wing of the Hofburg, which used to be the parish church of the Imperial Court.
It has been through many years of struggle for survival and has witnessed history. Habing been around for nearly eight centuries now, the church has been a combination of many different architectonic styles. However, it is still mainly considered as a late Romanesque and early Gothic dating back to 1220 to 1240.
Inside the church are a nave, two aisles and side chapels. The church looks as if it is htat of a three-dimensional building even if it isn’t that tall. A polygonal apse in the 14th century has been replaced by a Gothic choir with three bays. The central choir chapels are then in Baroque style. The stucco reliefs in the central chois were actually executed by Karl Georg Mervill in 1782. The high altar, on the other hand, was designed by jean-Baptiste d’Avrange. The Rococo sculpture of the “Fall of the Angels” decorates the altar. This was considered are the last major Baroque work that was completed in Vienna.
The church is also famous for its crypt, called the Michaelergruft which is found beneath the church. Several noblemen and royalties were buried in this famous resting place. More than 4000 corpses are kept well preserved in this place. Hundreds of mummified corpses are even on display along with some open coffins, adorned with flowers or skulls while some are even decorated with vanitas symbols. The most famous of the decorations is Pietro Metastasio who is the wrtier of the libretto used by Mozart in his play, “The Magic Flute”. This place is surely a unique experience. The church is itself, a masterpiece and it is definitely worth seeing.
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Church of St. Michael
