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St. Michaels Church
Michaelerkirche
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The Michaelerkirche, dedicated to the
Archangel Michael, is one of the oldest churches in Vienna, Austria, and
also one of its few remaining Romanesque buildings. In the course of time,
there have been many alterations, resulting in its present day aspect,
unchanged since 1792. This church, close to the Michaeler wing of the
Hofburg, used to be the parish church of the Imperial Court (it was then
called called 'Zum heiligen Michael')
.Over its long history, spanning more than eight centuries, this church has
incorporated a medley of architectonic styles. The church is a late
Romanesque, early Gothic building dating from about 1220-1240. There is a
document, stating 1221 as the foundation date of the church, but this is
most probably a 14th century forgery. |
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The interior of the church consists of
a nave and two aisles that have conserved the ancient Gothic structure. The
side chapels were added later on.
It gives the impression of a robust three-dimensional building, even if the
church doesn’t rise too high. The polygonal apse has been replaced in the
14th century (1327-1340) by an early Gothic choir with three bays. The
central and the northern choir chapels were refitted in Baroque style. The
stucco reliefs in the central choir chapel were executed by Karl Georg
Merville (1782). The high altar was designed in 1782 by Jean-Baptiste
d’Avrange. It is decorated with the monumental alabaster Rococo sculpture
“Fall of the Angels” (1782) by the Italian sculptor Lorenzo Mattielli (also
known for his sculptures in the Kinsky Palace and the Hofburg). It
represents a cloudburst of angels and cherubs, falling from the ceiling
towards the high altar. It was the last major Baroque work completed in
Vienna. |
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The altarpiece in the northern chapel
“Adoration of the Child” is by Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1754-1755).
The southern chapel, the Nikolauskapelle, has remained unchanged and retains
its medieval aspect. Its traceried windows date from the 13th century. It
displays Gothic stone sculptures under a baldachin ( St. Catherine and St.
Nicholaus) (1350) and a wooden crucifix by Hans Schlais (1510-1520). This
chapel was founded by a cook of the duke at about 1350, giving thanks to the
Lord for being acquitted of a poisoning case. The triumphal arch between the
transept and the choir dates from the 14th century. Its spandrel is
decorated with “The Last Judgment”
The recently rediscovered frescoes
from the early 1400’s attest to the high quality of the art of painting in
Vienna in those times. The Baptistery shows us in a niche the wooden statue
“Man of Sorrows” (1430). |
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The gilded pipe organ (1714) by Johann
David Sieber is the largest Baroque organ in Vienna. It was once played by
the 17-year old Joseph Haydn in 1749. Mozart’s Requiem was performed for the
first time in this church at a memorial service for the composer on 10
December 1791. As Mozart hadn’t finished this work
at the time of his death, only the existing part was performed. One of those
who attended the “festive funerary honors” was theater director Emanuel
Schikaneder whose libretto was used by Mozart for the “The Magic Flute”.
The present façade was built in 1792
in a Neoclassical style by Ernest Koch, a typical style for the reign of
emperor Joseph II. Above the entrance, on top of the pediment, resting on
Doric columns by Antonio Beduzzi, stands a group with winged angels and St.
Michael slaying Lucifer (1725). These sculptural figures were executed by
the Italian sculptor Lorenzo Mattielli, who also sculpted the Hercules
figures at the Hofburg entrance, just opposite the church. The high
polygonal Gothic bell tower from the 16th century has become one of the
symbols of the Inner City. |
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The church is famous for the
Michaelergruft, the immense crypt underneath the church. Noblemen and rich
citizens were often buried beneath the church. This practice started in 1560
and went on until emperor Joseph II ended this in 1784. These families could
buy their own family crypt. But these were very expensive. The proceeds were
used to maintain the crypt in good condition. The crypts of the aristocracy
were accessible by marble slabs, marked with their coat of arms, in the
church floor. The coffin of a deceased of the family could then be lowered
directly into the crypt via these marble slabs.
Due to the special climactic
conditions and constant temperature in the crypt, more than 4000 corpses
were kept well preserved. Hundreds of mummified corpses, some still in
burial finery or with a wig, are on display, some in open coffins, adorned
with flowers or skulls, others decorated with Baroque paintings or with
vanitas symbols. The most famous among them is Pietro Metastasio
(1698-1782), the writer of the libretto "Libretto Il sogno di Scipione" ,
used by of Mozart in his opera The Magic Flute.
Text Source: Wikipedia
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