Fodor's Expert Review Augustinerkirche
Built during the 14th century and presenting the most unified Gothic interior in the city, the church is something of a fraud—the interior dates from the late 18th century, not the early 14th—though the view from the entrance doorway is stunning: a soaring harmony of vertical piers, ribbed vaults, and hanging chandeliers that makes Vienna's other Gothic interiors look earthbound by comparison. Napoléon was wed here, as were Emperor Franz Josef and his beloved Sisi. Note on the right the magnificent Tomb of the Archduchess Maria-Christina, sculpted by the great Antonio Canova in 1805, with mourning figures trooping into a pyramid. The imposing Baroque organ sounds as heavenly as it looks, and the Sunday-morning high mass (frequently with works by Mozart or Haydn) sung here at 11 can be the highlight of a trip. To the right of the main altar, in the small Loreto Chapel, stand silver urns containing some 54 hearts of Hapsburg rulers. This rather morbid sight is viewable after mass... READ MORE
Built during the 14th century and presenting the most unified Gothic interior in the city, the church is something of a fraud—the interior dates from the late 18th century, not the early 14th—though the view from the entrance doorway is stunning: a soaring harmony of vertical piers, ribbed vaults, and hanging chandeliers that makes Vienna's other Gothic interiors look earthbound by comparison. Napoléon was wed here, as were Emperor Franz Josef and his beloved Sisi. Note on the right the magnificent Tomb of the Archduchess Maria-Christina, sculpted by the great Antonio Canova in 1805, with mourning figures trooping into a pyramid. The imposing Baroque organ sounds as heavenly as it looks, and the Sunday-morning high mass (frequently with works by Mozart or Haydn) sung here at 11 can be the highlight of a trip. To the right of the main altar, in the small Loreto Chapel, stand silver urns containing some 54 hearts of Hapsburg rulers. This rather morbid sight is viewable after mass on Sunday or by appointment.
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