Kahlenbergerdorf Parish Church
Encyclopedia
The Kahlenbergerdorf Parish Church (Kahlenbergerdorfer Pfarrkirche) is a Roman-Catholic parish church in the suburb of Kahlenbergerdorf
in the 19th district
of Vienna
, Döbling
. It is dedicated to Saint George
.
in 1256. The church was destroyed in 1529 by the Turks
but it was rebuilt. Renovation work took place in 1633 and 1771.
The parish church is based on a simple late Romanesque
/early Gothic
building, which was given a Baroque
appearance during the last renovation. The southern spire was also given a Baroque roof. The church’s white rib vault
was erected on the remains of the medieval church that had been destroyed by the Turks.
. He is flanked by statues of Saint Leopold
and Saint Florian
. There is also a depiction of Saint George
from 1827; it is the work of Nazarene
painter Johann Stätter and was based on a sketch by Ludwig Ferdinand Schnorr von Carolsfeld. To the right of the altar, there is a late Gothic altar to Mary
, which was erected in 1760. The depiction of the Madonna
in the centre of the church dates from the early 16th century. There is a large, Baroque crucifix
on the southern wall, which was originally part of an altar. The altar was placed on the northern external wall in 1732, but was removed in the 19th century. Further noteworthy elements of the church are a Gothic Baptismal font
made of red marble (which dates to around 1500), an alms box
decorated with rosettes
, and a stoup
(both date from the 17th century). The organ
was made by Franz Ullmann in 1849.
Kahlenbergerdorf
Kahlenbergerdorf was an independent municipality until 1892 and is today a part of Döbling, the 19th district of Vienna. It is also one of the 89 Katastralgemeinden.- Location :...
in the 19th district
Districts of Vienna
The districts of Vienna are 23 named city sections of Vienna, Austria, which are also numbered for easy reference. For centuries, district boundaries have changed...
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...
, Döbling
Döbling
Döbling is the 19th District in the city of Vienna, Austria . It is located on the north end from the central districts, north of the districts Alsergrund and Währing...
. It is dedicated to Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
.
History
A church is recorded in Kahlenbergerdorf in 1168; it was already an independent parishParish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
in 1256. The church was destroyed in 1529 by the Turks
Ottoman wars in Europe
The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older, European texts.- Rise :...
but it was rebuilt. Renovation work took place in 1633 and 1771.
The parish church is based on a simple late Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
/early Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
building, which was given a Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
appearance during the last renovation. The southern spire was also given a Baroque roof. The church’s white rib vault
Rib vault
The intersection of two or three barrel vaults produces a rib vault or ribbed vault when they are edged with an armature of piped masonry often carved in decorative patterns; compare groin vault, an older form of vault construction...
was erected on the remains of the medieval church that had been destroyed by the Turks.
Interior
The central element of the church is the Baroque altar with a depiction of Saint AndrewSaint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
. He is flanked by statues of Saint Leopold
Leopold III, Margrave of Austria
Saint Leopold III was the Margrave of Austria in 1073–1136. He is the patron saint of Austria, of the city of Vienna, of Lower Austria, and, jointly with Saint Florian, of Upper Austria. His feast day is November 15.-Biography:...
and Saint Florian
Saint Florian
Florian lived in the time of the Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian, and was commander of the imperial army in the Roman province of Noricum. In addition to his military duties, he was also responsible for organizing firefighting brigades....
. There is also a depiction of Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
from 1827; it is the work of Nazarene
Nazarene movement
The name Nazarene was adopted by a group of early 19th century German Romantic painters who aimed to revive honesty and spirituality in Christian art...
painter Johann Stätter and was based on a sketch by Ludwig Ferdinand Schnorr von Carolsfeld. To the right of the altar, there is a late Gothic altar to Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
, which was erected in 1760. The depiction of the Madonna
Madonna (art)
Images of the Madonna and the Madonna and Child or Virgin and Child are pictorial or sculptured representations of Mary, Mother of Jesus, either alone, or more frequently, with the infant Jesus. These images are central icons of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity where Mary remains...
in the centre of the church dates from the early 16th century. There is a large, Baroque crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
on the southern wall, which was originally part of an altar. The altar was placed on the northern external wall in 1732, but was removed in the 19th century. Further noteworthy elements of the church are a Gothic Baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
made of red marble (which dates to around 1500), an alms box
Mite box
The term mite box refers to a box that is used to save coins for charitable purposes. Contemporary mite boxes are usually made of cardboard and given out to church congregations during the Lenten season. The mite boxes are collected by the church and donations are given to the poor...
decorated with rosettes
Rosette (design)
A rosette is a round, stylized flower design, used extensively in sculptural objects from antiquity. Appearing in Mesopotamia and used to decorate the funeral stele in Ancient Greece...
, and a stoup
Holy water
Holy water is water that, in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and some other churches, has been sanctified by a priest for the purpose of baptism, the blessing of persons, places, and objects; or as a means of repelling evil.The use for baptism and...
(both date from the 17th century). The organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was made by Franz Ullmann in 1849.