Church of St. Ruprecht (Ruprechtskirche) description and photos - Austria: Vienna (Topic)

Church of St. Ruprecht (Ruprechtskirche) description and photos - Austria: Vienna. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Ruprechtskirche.

Photo and description

The Church of St. Ruprecht is the oldest church in Vienna. It is located in the historic center of the city, at a distance of 500 meters from the Cathedral of St. Stephen and in the immediate vicinity of the embankment of the Danube River.

The church is located in the most ancient area of the city - earlier there was an ancient Roman camp. It is believed that earlier this place was a tiny chapel located in the catacombs. The first sacred building was built at the turn of the 8th and 9th centuries, while the stone was used for construction, which remained from ancient Roman times. The modern building of the Ruprechtskirche dates back to the 9th century, but it was completed and rebuilt several times.

The church itself was consecrated in honor of St. Rupert, patron saint of salt merchants and one of the patron saints of Austria as a whole. Moreover, in the Middle Ages, the Salt Administration of the city sat in the building adjacent to the tower of this church, and before the erection of St. Stephen's Cathedral - that is, until 1147 - Ruprechtskirche served as a kind of Vienna cathedral.

Unfortunately, the church almost completely burned down several times in fires and therefore only partially survived in its original form. Only the nave and lower tiers of the tower remain from the original Romanesque building. The choir was erected a little later, in the 13th century, and the south nave was completed in the 15th century. In 1622, some baroque elements were added to the Ruprechtskirche, which, however, did not significantly change the overall appearance of the building.

Unfortunately, due to fires and devastating bombings during the Second World War, the unique interior of the church has hardly been preserved. However, it is worth noting the 1370 stained glass window, depicting the Crucifixion of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child. Also here are the oldest bells in Vienna, made back in 1280. Not far from the tower there is a small statue of the patron saint of the church - Saint Rupert. The church also contains the sacred relics of Saint Vitaly and one unknown early Christian killed by the Romans for his faith. His remains were found in the catacombs during the construction of the church.

We also recommend reading Castle Fuegen (Schloss Fuegen) description and photos - Austria: Fuegen - Hochfuegen

Topic: Church of St. Ruprecht (Ruprechtskirche) description and photos - Austria: Vienna.