The Imperial Crypt is home to centuries of history (and many visitors). But the Kapuzinerkirche church above offers a place of refuge from the turmoil of tourism with regular concerts a bonus.
- Active monastery church for the Capuchin order
- Dates back to the early 1600s
- Central location
- Attend a classical concert* in the church
- See also:
Monks and music
(The frescoes above the entrance provide a pictorial representation of Francis of Assisi’s Portiuncula vision)
Wander into Neuer Markt square, and you discover Vienna in microcosm: a curious mix of bedfellows spanning the centuries.
A luxury brand store and four-star hotel.
An 18th-century fountain and one of my favourite cafés in a similarly-aged building.
And even, as it turns out, a monastery of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin at the southern entrance.
The monks still provide pastoral and charitable care over 400 years after the Kapuzinerkloster’s foundation in the early 1600s through the generosity of Empress Anna of Tyrol (1585-1618).
(Iron-wrought grid above the entrance)
The monastery’s Kapuzinerkirche (Capuchin church) faces out onto Neuer Markt, its large cross, wall mural, and round window setting it apart from the secular buildings around it.
Most tourists tend to skip the church and its entrance portal as they focus on the adjacent glass doors, since these lead down into the Kapuzinergruft or Imperial crypt.
The Capuchin monks remain guardians of the crypt, where many famous Habsburg Emperors and Empresses find their last resting place in the sarcophagi and coffins within.
Though most people prefer to explore the Kapuzinergruft as a place resonant with history, the church itself deserves its own acclaim. Both for the architecture and ambience as a working institution. But also for the classical concerts held within.
The church itself
(The Kapuzinerkirche in a picture published around 1835 by Carl Graf Vasquez; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 28813; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)
Like many older churches in Vienna, the interior and façade underwent various changes through the centuries.
The picture above reveals, for example, that the wall adornments above today’s windows are new. They appeared in 1936, though a cross and fresco decorated the outside in the early Baroque era.
Today’s church brings immediate relief from the flow of people in the square and crypt. The rectangular layout, white vaulted roof and white walls seem to offer space to breathe, the contrast to outside enhanced by the stillness.
Altars and side chapels add a touch more ecclesiastical decoration. The main altar, for example, impresses with its gorgeous inlaid wood and dates back to 1735. Its 1751 central painting offering another representation of Francis of Assisi’s Portiuncula vision.
Be sure to view the small Pietàkapelle chapel on the north side with its remarkable Baroque altar and grieving marble statuary.
In front of the altar, a glass plate in the floor offers a view of the coffin of the Capuchin friar and saint, Marco d’Aviano.
Among the saint’s many achievements, he played a key diplomatic role in bringing military relief to the 1683 siege of Vienna. The entrance area has further relevance to military history, with various memorials to the fallen of World War I.
The concerts
(The church hosts regular concerts)
Like many of Vienna’s central churches, the Capuchin church also serves as a venue for classical performances.
For much of the year, the Wiener Kaiserquartett ensemble holds regular evening concerts featuring around an hour of light classical music by the likes of Mozart, Haydn, and Schubert.
During the Advent season, when Vienna comes alive with lights and markets, the quartet switches to seasonal music with both carols and classical pieces.
Tickets & visitor tips
The building is open to the public with no charge but be aware that services and similar may be on at various times, of course. Tickets for the concerts typically have an option to also include entrance to the Imperial crypt.
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
(Nothing on your dates? Try some alternative concerts*)
How to get to the church
Neuer Markt makes up part of the pedestrianised centre of Vienna.
Subway: the church lies about halfway between two stations…Stephansplatz on the U1 and U3 lines and Karlsplatz on the U1, U2 and U4 lines.
Tram/bus: a short walk into the old town from the Oper/Karlsplatz stop on the 1, 2, D and 71 tram lines. The 2A old town bus service also stops nearby: get out at the Kärntner Straße or Albertinaplatz stops.
Address: Tegetthoffstraße 2 | Website (monastery) | Website (concerts)