The 11 most beautiful churches you absolutely must see in Vienna!

Vienna’s churches bear witness to the city’s historic importance and influence. They are characterized by their great architectural variety, representative of the different artistic movements that have traversed Austria over the centuries. From the earliest medieval buildings to today’s modern works of art, Vienna has a wealth of churches to discover. In all, there are over 200 churches in Vienna.

From the Middle Ages onwards, religious authorities encouraged the construction of a variety of places of worship. As a result, Vienna boasts a rich ecclesiastical heritage that today encompasses many different styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical. The most beautiful churches are undoubtedly those dating from the 16th and 17th centuries: for example, St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its remarkably ornate Baroque façade, or St. Charles Borromeo Church with its distinctive Italian Baroque style.

Churches are therefore an important part of Vienna’s urban heritage, blending traditional art with modern architecture to offer visitors a sumptuous journey through the centuries right up to the present day.

Here is a small selection of Vienna’s most beautiful churches. First of all, the ones that impressed me the most, then others that deserve a visit or have an excellent reputation but which I wasn’t able to visit. Let’s have a look!

St Stephen’s Cathedral / St Stephen Domkirche

How could we not start with this one? Vienna Cathedral is truly the heart of the city. There are several reasons for this. First of all, it’s located right in the center of the historic city. Everything revolves around it, it’s the main square and almost every subway station goes to it. In other words, it’s impossible to miss! Especially as it can be seen from afar.

It’s magnificent. The exterior (currently being cleaned) is magnificent, the most beautiful side being the south, but you can’t miss it. Gothic in style, very finely crafted, what I liked most about the exterior was the roof, with its colorful, diagonally-set tiles.

The outside is very nice, but you’re in for a real treat inside. It’s quite exceptional. I was at St Isztvan in Budapest just before, so the contrast is enormous. Here, it’s magical. The photos speak for themselves (at least I hope they do!), a pure Gothic style, full of ornamentation, it’s immense, richly worked.

There are several options for visiting the cathedral:

• a free tour of a small section
• the central tour (€6 with audioguide)
• a visit to the north tower (6€)
• the south tower (5.5€)
• catacombs (6€)
• the treasures of the Teutonic Order (5€)
• all-inclusive ticket (20€)

In short, a must! There really is so much to see in Vienna, but you shouldn’t miss this cathedral.

Saint Peter’s Church

Completely different in style from the Domkirche we’ve just seen, St. Peter’s is a Baroque church. And not the most sober of churches! Its interior is richly decorated, with gold-colored stucco and paint. It’s an architectural marvel to behold, and also boasts a fine collection of centuries-old stained-glass windows.

We arrived right in the middle of mass, so we couldn’t get near the altar. But there are many paintings, especially those covering the dome, which are exceptional! My only regret is that we weren’t able to go back after mass to enjoy them for longer.

This is said to be the oldest church in Vienna, built on the ruins of another church founded by Charlemagne, itself built on Roman ruins (of Vindobana).

It’s located on the city’s central square, just below the cathedral, so you can’t miss it, especially as you can see its dome from the adjacent streets. So there’s no reason not to go!

Visits are free, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.

• Tip: you can also attend a classical music concert in St. Peter’s church, which you can find out more about here!

4 recommended accommodations in Vienna

The Capuchin crypt

The Capuchin Crypt in Vienna is one of the city’s most intriguing and charismatic sites, offering visitors a rich and eventful history. Built in the 17th century by the Capuchin friars, it has been the scene of a variety of cults and rituals, including of course the one for which it is famous: the burial of influential members of Viennese society. For the church itself is not necessarily the prettiest, either inside or out. What we’re interested in here are all the tombs of the Habsburg family, which have lain here for hundreds and hundreds of years.

12 emperors, 19 empresses, including such famous figures as Maria Theresa, Franz Joseph I and his wife Elisabeth, better known by her nickname Sissi the Empress.

You don’t come here just to pay your respects, but because the entire history of Austria and a large part of Europe rests here (the Habsburgs were pretty powerful in their day). Incidentally, Marie Antoinette, daughter of the highly influential Marie Thérèse, had been “sent” to France to marry Louis XVI, in the hope of reconciling the two kingdoms and getting them to stop fighting. Not sure it was a wise move, given the ending.

So I say, ah yes, we also come for the beauty of the tombs. They’re not creepy, they’re just superb! Some of them are extremely fine, very elaborate, like that of Marie Thérèse.

• Length of visit: 30min (it’s quite quick)
• Price: €8.5 per adult
• Open daily from 10am to 6pm

Attention, masterpiece (another yes, I know!) The Church of St. Charles Borromeo in Vienna is an architectural and historical gem. This Baroque church was built in the 17th century and is famous for its interior walls adorned with biblical scenes and magnificent frescoes.

The exterior is already a sight to behold, with its astonishing columns sculpted in the style of ancient Rome, and even more so when you stand directly in front of the water feature, which makes for a lovely reflection.

But that’s nothing compared to what awaits us inside. You’ll be overwhelmed by the grandeur and unique ambience of this church. Ancient paintings and sculptures adorn the walls of the truly exceptional frescoes, especially in the dome. With so many little details everywhere, beware of a stiff neck!

You can also visit the panoramic terrace between the columns, and get the best view of the interior from the organ.

• The tour takes around 45 minutes (unguided).
• Cost: €9.5 per adult
• Opening times :
  • 9-18h Monday to Saturday
  • 11-19h Sunday and vacations
• Activity: you can attend a Vivaldi concert in the church of Saint Charles, more info here!

Sainte Anne Church

What a nice surprise!

We stumbled across the Church of Sainte Anne by chance (right next to an ice-cream parlour that’s not bad at all, by the way), and frankly, it’s very, very nice. Baroque, of course, with marble everywhere, pink columns, sculptures and magnificent ceilings with large frescoes. It is said to have been inaugurated in the presence of Emperor Ferdinand II in 1633.

Admission and tours are free.

• Music: I’ve just seen that it’s possible to attend a classical music concert (Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert) in the Church of St. Anne. The perfect venue! Discover it here!

We could also mention…

• Jesuit Church, a magnificent baroque church that would easily fit in this top if I’d had the time to visit it. Unfortunately I didn’t.
• Maria vom Siege Orthodox Church, which I’ve just discovered (so too late!), a very surprising Orthodox church! and located rather far from the city center (well, 2 metro stations away).
• Santa Barbara, a Greek Catholic church worth visiting for its magnificent ceiling frescoes!
• The Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, very richly decorated (pure Orthodox), lots of ornaments, really nice!
• St. Michael’s Church in Vienna, opposite Hofsburg. It’s recent, and doesn’t look like much, but the background is very pretty, with its different sculptures, and a very fine organ too.
• Eglise Votive, a magnificent Gothic church that strongly resembles a cathedral. Located just above the town hall, I wasn’t able to visit it, which is a great shame!
• Gardekirche, right next to the Belvedere. A tiny Polish church with a lovely dome. You just have to get in, which is not easy as it’s often closed.
• Rochuskirche, a lovely church with a beautiful altarpiece.
• The Augustinian Church, at the entrance to the Hofsburg estate, is most famous for having hosted the wedding of Emperor Franz Joseph and Elisabeth of Bavaria, known as Sisi.

As we have seen, many churches offerclassical music concerts. These include the superb Karlskirche, St Anne’s and Peterskirche. See the following article for more information on concerts in Vienna!

Many of Vienna’s churches can be visited with a guide. Ideal for learning more about their history