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Dominikanerkirche (Vienna)
Encyclopedia
The Church of St. Maria Rotunda, also known as Vienna
's Dominican Church , is an early Baroque
parish church and minor basilica
in the historic center of Vienna
, Austria. It is the third church built on the same site in the course of time.
with five cross vaults, and two aisles.
This church was heavily damaged during the first siege of Vienna by the Turkish army in 1529. The choir was demolished and the nave was partly taken down. The building became more and more dilapidated during the next period.
The new-found self-awareness of the Counter-Reformation
didn’t allow any more such a sorry state for a church. In 1631 the Dominicans started to build a new oblong church with a dome, following the plan of Jacopo Tencala, architect of Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein. The master builders were Jacopo Spacio, Cipriano Biasino and Antonio Canevale. They introduced to Vienna the Baroque
style of Italy. The first stone was laid by emperor Ferdinand II
on 29 May 1631. The structural work was finished in 1634. The church was consecrated on 1 October 1634. The finishing touch was finally given in 1674. The church was elevated to the status of basilica minor in 1927 under the name “Rosary Basilica ad S. Mariam Rotundam”.
in Florence
. Above the portal one can see the statues of St. Catherine of Siena
and Agnes of Montepulciano
, kneeling at the feet of Our Lady, patron saint of this church. On both sides of the portal there are niches with (on the left) the statue of Ludwig Bertrand and (on the right) Saint Rose of Lima. On top of the facade is a large rectangular gable
with a dormer window, crowned by a pediment
.
, flanked by three side chapels on each side, a transept
, a choir
and an apse
. The nave is 25 m long, 14 m wide and 22.10 m high. The large dome
reaches a height of 23.80 m. Above each side chapel is gallery with a shallow balcony.
The ornate interior is imposing by its architecture and the exquisite stucco in the decorations. Semi-circular windows allow a soft light on the fresco
es of the barrel-vaulted ceiling. These are the work of Matthias Rauchmiller (1675), showing in their color and composition the influence of Peter Paul Rubens. They depict in 46 scenes the life of Our Lady. The influential painter Carpoforo Tencalla
decorated at the same time the apse around the main altar with two historic paintings of Christian victories, ascribed to power of the Rosary : the Battle of Muret
(1213) and the Battle of Lepanto
(1571). Tencala also added some paintings on the walls of the side chapels. The fresco in the dome replaced an earlier work by Nikolaus van Hoy
(1674) when the new dome was built in 1820. The fresco dates from 1836 and is by Franz Geyling
. It shows Our Lady and Child under the golden light of the Trinity, surrounded by kneeling Angels. The medaillons in the four supporting columns are by an unknown artist, depicting three popes from the Order of Dominicans (Innocent V, Benedict XI and Pius V) and St. Antony of Florence. The large statues in these columns show us the four original Doctors of the Church (Jerome, Gregory the Great, Augustine and Ambrose), all sculpted by a local artist.
in Baroque style from 1839-1840 by Karl Rösner, replacing the dilapidated old altarpiece. It surrounds the large canvas (720 cm x 430 cm) by Leopold Kuppelwieser (1840), flanked by red Corinthian
columns. It depicts the establishment by pope Pius V of the Feast of the Rosary. The tabernacle dates from 1885 and is made of gilded brass.
dates from 1700 and was made by Matthias Steinl
. It was modeled on an engraving by Jean le Pautre
(1618–1682), that now can be seen at the Martin von Wagner Museum in Würzburg
, Germany. The antependium shows a blue globe surrounded by a rosary and below, in the medaillon, the motto “toto diffunditur orbe” (spread all over the world). On the canopy of the pulpit the Holy Spirit
, represented in the form of a dove, is surrounded by a halo of light and angels in elegant poses.
Each of the six chapels is dedicated to a saint, portrayed in the painting above the altar. The altars are the rather unpretentious work of workshops. The figures are of diverse quality.
The main body of the organ was made in two parts at about 1750 according to the traditions of the Vienna organ builders of that time. The gilded concave-convex balustrade of the rood loft is a typical example of the transition between Baroque and Rococo
. The organ with 34 registers dates from 1895–1896 and was renovated in 1991.
The painting under the rood loft is by an anonymous master from 1642 and depicts the glorification of the rosary and the mediation via Saint Dominic.
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
's Dominican Church , is an early Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
parish church and minor basilica
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
in the historic center of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria. It is the third church built on the same site in the course of time.
History
The first church on this site was built in 1237 by the newly arrived Dominicans on a piece of land allotted in 1225-1226 by the duke Leopold VI. The church was enlarged between 1240–1270 and a new choir was added in 1273. A series of fires caused the construction of a new Gothic church between 1283 and 1302. The nave was extended between 1458 and 1474. This church consisted of a naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
with five cross vaults, and two aisles.
This church was heavily damaged during the first siege of Vienna by the Turkish army in 1529. The choir was demolished and the nave was partly taken down. The building became more and more dilapidated during the next period.
The new-found self-awareness of the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
didn’t allow any more such a sorry state for a church. In 1631 the Dominicans started to build a new oblong church with a dome, following the plan of Jacopo Tencala, architect of Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein. The master builders were Jacopo Spacio, Cipriano Biasino and Antonio Canevale. They introduced to Vienna the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style of Italy. The first stone was laid by emperor Ferdinand II
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
on 29 May 1631. The structural work was finished in 1634. The church was consecrated on 1 October 1634. The finishing touch was finally given in 1674. The church was elevated to the status of basilica minor in 1927 under the name “Rosary Basilica ad S. Mariam Rotundam”.
Facade
The impressive facade was built in the Roman-Lombardic style with dominant columns, supporting the cornice. Its architecture goes back to early Baroque churches in Rome, that in turn, rely on the facade of the Dominican church Santa Maria NovellaBasilica di Santa Maria Novella
Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence, Italy, situated just across from the main railway station which shares its name. Chronologically, it is the first great basilica in Florence, and is the city's principal Dominican church....
in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. Above the portal one can see the statues of St. Catherine of Siena
Catherine of Siena
Saint Catherine of Siena, T.O.S.D, was a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the papacy of Gregory XI back to Rome from its displacement in France, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. She was proclaimed a Doctor...
and Agnes of Montepulciano
Agnes of Montepulciano
Saint Agnes of Montepulciano, O.P., was born into a noble family in Gracciano, a small village near Montepulciano in Tuscany, Italy, where, at the age of nine, she entered the monastery of the Dominican nuns of the Second Order.In 1281, the lord of the castle of Proceno, a fief of Orvieto,...
, kneeling at the feet of Our Lady, patron saint of this church. On both sides of the portal there are niches with (on the left) the statue of Ludwig Bertrand and (on the right) Saint Rose of Lima. On top of the facade is a large rectangular gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
with a dormer window, crowned by a pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
.
Interior
The church consists of a long central naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, flanked by three side chapels on each side, a transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
, a choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
and an apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. The nave is 25 m long, 14 m wide and 22.10 m high. The large dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
reaches a height of 23.80 m. Above each side chapel is gallery with a shallow balcony.
Frescoes
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es of the barrel-vaulted ceiling. These are the work of Matthias Rauchmiller (1675), showing in their color and composition the influence of Peter Paul Rubens. They depict in 46 scenes the life of Our Lady. The influential painter Carpoforo Tencalla
Carpoforo Tencalla
Carpoforo Tencalla Carpoforo Tencalla Carpoforo Tencalla (or Tencala (10 September 1623 - 9 March 1685) was an influential Swiss-Italian Baroque painter of canvases and frescoes. He is little studied and has come only recently to the attention of art critics...
decorated at the same time the apse around the main altar with two historic paintings of Christian victories, ascribed to power of the Rosary : the Battle of Muret
Battle of Muret
At the Battle of Muret on 12 September 1213 the Crusading army of Simon IV de Montfort defeated the Aragonese and Catalan forces of Peter II of Aragon, at Muret near Toulouse.-Background:...
(1213) and the Battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
(1571). Tencala also added some paintings on the walls of the side chapels. The fresco in the dome replaced an earlier work by Nikolaus van Hoy
Nikolaus van Hoy
Nikolaus van Hoy or Nikolaas van Hoey or Nikolaas van Hoje was a Flemish Baroque painter, draughtsman and etcher....
(1674) when the new dome was built in 1820. The fresco dates from 1836 and is by Franz Geyling
Franz Geyling
Franz Geyling was an Austrian painter of historical and religious canvases and frescoes.He held expositions in Vienna from 1839 on.Major works :...
. It shows Our Lady and Child under the golden light of the Trinity, surrounded by kneeling Angels. The medaillons in the four supporting columns are by an unknown artist, depicting three popes from the Order of Dominicans (Innocent V, Benedict XI and Pius V) and St. Antony of Florence. The large statues in these columns show us the four original Doctors of the Church (Jerome, Gregory the Great, Augustine and Ambrose), all sculpted by a local artist.
Main altar
The apse is dominated by the imposing red-marbled wooden retableRetable
A retable is a framed altarpiece, raised slightly above the back of the altar or communion table, on which are placed the cross, ceremonial candlesticks and other ornaments....
in Baroque style from 1839-1840 by Karl Rösner, replacing the dilapidated old altarpiece. It surrounds the large canvas (720 cm x 430 cm) by Leopold Kuppelwieser (1840), flanked by red Corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
columns. It depicts the establishment by pope Pius V of the Feast of the Rosary. The tabernacle dates from 1885 and is made of gilded brass.
Pulpit
The gilded pulpitPulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
dates from 1700 and was made by Matthias Steinl
Matthias Steinl
Matthias Steinl was an Austrian painter, architect and designer, and one of the country's best known Baroque sculptors...
. It was modeled on an engraving by Jean le Pautre
Jean le Pautre
Jean le Pautre was a French designer and engraver. Le Pautre was an apprentice to a carpenter and builder. In addition to learning mechanical and constructive work, he developed considerable skill with the pencil...
(1618–1682), that now can be seen at the Martin von Wagner Museum in Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, Germany. The antependium shows a blue globe surrounded by a rosary and below, in the medaillon, the motto “toto diffunditur orbe” (spread all over the world). On the canopy of the pulpit the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
, represented in the form of a dove, is surrounded by a halo of light and angels in elegant poses.
Transept chapels
- Altar of Saint DominicSaint DominicSaint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
: painting by Tobias PockTobias PockTobias Pock was an Austrian Baroque painter from Swabian descent, a pioneer of sacral art....
(1655), depicting the saint adoring the Trinity. The statue on the predellaPredellaA predella is the platform or step on which an altar stands . In painting, the predella is the painting or sculpture along the frame at the bottom of an altarpiece...
is a copy of the “True image of St. Dominic” in the pilgrilmage church of SorianoSorianoSoriano may refer to: People* Alfonso Soriano, Dominican baseball player for the Chicago Cubs * Antero Soriano, Philippine senator* Edward Soriano, lieutenant-general, U.S. Army...
, Calabria, Southern Italy. The niches contain the statues of (below) St. Leopold and St. Florian, and (above) St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Barbara. Archduchess Claudia Felicitas, second wife of Leopold I, Holy Roman EmperorLeopold I, Holy Roman Emperor| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
, was buried at the age of 22 in the crypt of this chapel. She died on 2 September 1676. - Altar of John of NepomukJohn of NepomukJohn of Nepomuk is a national saint of the Czech Republic, who was drowned in the Vltava river at the behest of Wenceslaus, King of the Romans and King of Bohemia. Later accounts state that he was the confessor of the queen of Bohemia and refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional...
, situated against the pillar of the crossing. The painting is by an unknown master. The four statues (Antony of Padua, Vincent Ferrer, the apostle Peter, and Severin von Noricum) were sculpted by Lorenzo MattielliLorenzo MattielliLorenzo Mattielli was an Italian sculptor from the Late Baroque period. His name has also variously been written as Matielli, Mattiely, Matthielli, and Mathielli...
in 1724. At the top of the volutes, resting on the capitals of double columns flanking the statues, he added female figures, allegories of Faith and Hope.
Side chapels
- Chapel of St. Catherine of SienaCatherine of SienaSaint Catherine of Siena, T.O.S.D, was a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the papacy of Gregory XI back to Rome from its displacement in France, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. She was proclaimed a Doctor...
: situated next to the pulpit. The painting, ascribed to François RoettiersFrançois RoettiersFrançois Roettiers was a Flemish Baroque painter, sculptor, medallist and engraver from the early 18th century, who worked mainly in Austria....
(1685–1742), depicts the Mythical wedding of the saint with Christ. The paintings on the side walls are by the same artist. - Chapel of Thomas AquinasThomas AquinasThomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
: The paintings of the altarpiece and the side walls are by the Flemish painter Frans Leuyx (1638 and 1649–1650) - Chapel of Saint Rose of Lima : the original altarpiece of this Dominican saint by an anonymous master (1671) was replaced in the second half of the 18th century by a Coronation of Our Lady
- Chapel of Saint AnneSaint AnneSaint Hanna of David's house and line, was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ according to Christian and Islamic tradition. English Anne is derived from Greek rendering of her Hebrew name Hannah...
(mother of Mary) : the altarpiece with St. Anna, St. John the Baptist and St. Barbara has a long time wrongly been ascribed to Tobias PockTobias PockTobias Pock was an Austrian Baroque painter from Swabian descent, a pioneer of sacral art.... - Chapel of St. Vincent FerrerVincent FerrerSaint Vincent Ferrer was a Valencian Dominican missionary and logician.-Early life:Vincent was the fourth child of the Anglo-Scottish nobleman William Stewart Ferrer and his Spanish wife, Constantia Miguel. Legends surround his birth...
: .The magnificent paintings are again by François RoettiersFrançois RoettiersFrançois Roettiers was a Flemish Baroque painter, sculptor, medallist and engraver from the early 18th century, who worked mainly in Austria....
. The altarpiece (1726) shows the saint bringing back to life a dead person. The angels with trumpets above the painting refer to the mission of this preacher of penitence. The high-quality bronzed statues of St. Jerome and Mary Magdalen were produced by the workshop of Johann-Georg BendlJohann-Georg BendlJohann-Georg Bendl or Jan Jiří Bendl was a Baroque sculptor mainly at work in Prague. He was the son of the Bohemian sculptor Georg Bendl ....
. The gilded wrought-iron fencing of the chapel is the work of the monks Martin Eker and Raymund Schrob. - Chapel of St. Catherine of AlexandriaCatherine of AlexandriaSaint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the pagan emperor Maxentius...
: The altarpiece is by Tobias PockTobias PockTobias Pock was an Austrian Baroque painter from Swabian descent, a pioneer of sacral art....
, depicting realistically the martyrdom of the saint. The side walls were painted by Frans Leuyx
The organ
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
. The organ with 34 registers dates from 1895–1896 and was renovated in 1991.
The painting under the rood loft is by an anonymous master from 1642 and depicts the glorification of the rosary and the mediation via Saint Dominic.