Description of the attraction
St. Michael's Church, dedicated to the Archangel Michael, is one of the oldest churches in Vienna. The hotel is located in the Inner District of the city, at Michaelerplatz.
In 1221 the monks of the Order of St. Michael founded the basilica. In the 14th century, the church was enlarged, and two centuries later it was rebuilt in the Gothic style. For nearly five centuries, St Michael's Church served as a parish church along with the Scottish Monastery and St Stephen's Cathedral. The next changes took place in 1725, when the church received a baroque look. And in 1792, the western facade was rebuilt.
The interior of the church gives the impression of a strict building. The central and northern choir chapels were converted into a baroque style. The stucco reliefs in the central chapel were made by Karl Georg Merville. The main altar was created in 1782 by Jean Baptiste de Avrang. It is adorned with a monumental Rococo alabaster with a sculpture "The Fall of Angels" (1782) by the Italian sculptor Lorenzo Mattieli. The sculpture symbolizes the condescension of angels to the altar.
The central altar is decorated with a Byzantine icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which belongs to the Cretan school. The altar in the north chapel is decorated with the work of Franz Anton Maulbertsch "Adoration of the Child", while the south chapel has retained its medieval appearance. The Arc de Triomphe dates from the 14th century.
The organ, executed by Johann David Sieber in 1714, is the largest Baroque organ in Vienna. Mozart's Requiem was performed here for the first time at a memorial service for the composer on December 10, 1791.
The present facade was built in 1792 in a neoclassical style, typical of the era of the reign of Emperor Joseph II. Above the entrance, at the top of the pediment, there are sculptures made by the Italian sculptor Lorenzo Mattieli.
The Church of St. Michael has a large crypt. Only noblemen and wealthy citizens could be buried here. The proceeds from these sales were used to support the church. Due to the special climatic conditions and constant temperature in the crypt, the corpses have been perfectly preserved. Hundreds of mummified corpses, some of which are buried in beautiful costumes and wigs in open coffins, are available for viewing.
