Kirche am Steinhof
Encyclopedia
The Kirche am Steinhof in Vienna
is the Roman Catholic oratory
of the Steinhof
Psychiatric Hospital. The building designed by Otto Wagner
is considered one of the most important Art Nouveau
churches in the world.
Psychiatric Hospital; previous official title was Niederösterreichische Landes-Heil- und Pflegeanstalt für Nerven- und Geisteskranke 'Am Steinhof' (Lower Austrian State Healing and Care Institution for the Neurologically and Mentally Sick, 'Am Steinhof'). It is located on a hillside (the Baumgartnerhöhe) below the Galitzinberg in the 14th Vienna district, Penzing
. It has a separate status as part of the surrounding hospital and does not form part of the Archdiocese of Vienna.
was built between 1903-1907 by the 63-year-old architect Otto Wagner
, with mosaic
s and stained glass
by Koloman Moser
, and sculptural angels by Othmar Schimkowitz
(1864–1947). The great majority of the other smaller details are the work of Otto Wagner himself. The statues on the two external towers represent Saint Leopold and Saint Severin (l. & r. respectively: they are the two patron saint
s of Lower Austria) and are the work of the Viennese sculptor Richard Luksch (1872–1936).
Unusually the church lies on a North-South axis, at the centre-top of the hospital complex. Otto Wagner incorporated numerous features specifically related to its function within an asylum: e.g. there are very few sharp edges, and most corners are rounded; almost no crosses are visible; the priest's area is potentially entirely separate from the patients'; access to the pulpit is only from the vestry; emergency exits are built into the side walls in case a patient needed to be speedily removed; continuously flowing water replaced holy water stoups at the entrance; there were separate entrances for male and female patients; confessionals were more open than is customary. There were toilet facilities easily accessible within the church in case of patient need. Originally the pews were of different widths to accommodate different categories of patient: calm / restless / disturbed (the latter needing more space). The floor is raked as in a theatre though not as steeply; the fall from entrance to altar is approx. 26 centimetres (10.2 in): standing at the back the view to the altar is thus less obstructed.
The central ceiling below the unseen dome bears images relating to the four evangelists: the man for Matthew, the lion for Mark, the calf for Luke, the eagle for John. The magnificent windows at the sides of the Kirche am Steinhof portray seven saints (named underneath each frame) fulfilling Christ's commands both temporal (feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc.) and spiritual; with above them a pair of flying angels and a quotation from the Beatitudes. The elaborate and brightly-coloured mosaic behind the ornate altar represents the reception of the departed soul into heaven, via an ornate trompe-l'oeil staircase which has been compared unfairly to a Hollywood-style movie award ceremony. Among the numerous saints attending the ceremony is Saint Dymphna
the patron saint of those afflicted by epilepsy or mental illness. Also visible is St. Clement Hofbauer or Clemens Maria Hofbauer
(1751–1820), the patron saint of Vienna. The dome of the church is not visible from inside the building; even so, the nave has an echo of six seconds. The church, which seats 800 people when full, was reopened on the 1 October 2006, after the completion of the most recent extensive renovation work.
The organ placed in the rear gallery is the work of the important turn-of-the-century organ builder Franz Josef Swoboda, among whose other instruments nearby are the organ at the Peterskirche in the centre of Vienna, and the organ of the Donaufeld church in the suburb of Floridsdorf on the other side of the Danube.
The church is open for visiting on Saturday between 4pm and 5pm and Sunday between noon and 4pm. There are also tours in German every Saturday at 3pm and Sunday at 4pm. Entry (2011) € 8,-. Private tours in English can be booked in advance. Aside from functioning as a place of regular Sunday worship (9:30am), it is also available for baptisms and weddings.
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...
is the Roman Catholic oratory
Oratory (worship)
An oratory is a Christian room for prayer, from the Latin orare, to pray.-Catholic church:In the Roman Catholic Church, an oratory is a structure other than a parish church, set aside by ecclesiastical authority for prayer and the celebration of Mass...
of the Steinhof
Steinhof (Vienna)
Steinhof is a hospital in Vienna, Austria. It was originally a psychiatric hospital and center for pulmonology.The hospital lies in the 14th district of Vienna, Penzing, and was built according to the plans of architect Otto Wagner and opened in 1907. The building is made up of 60 pavilions that...
Psychiatric Hospital. The building designed by Otto Wagner
Otto Wagner
Otto Koloman Wagner was an Austrian architect and urban planner, known for his lasting impact on the appearance of his home town Vienna, to which he contributed many landmarks.-Life:...
is considered one of the most important Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
churches in the world.
Description
The church, situated 310 metres (1,017.1 ft) above sea level, dominates and forms part of the SteinhofSteinhof (Vienna)
Steinhof is a hospital in Vienna, Austria. It was originally a psychiatric hospital and center for pulmonology.The hospital lies in the 14th district of Vienna, Penzing, and was built according to the plans of architect Otto Wagner and opened in 1907. The building is made up of 60 pavilions that...
Psychiatric Hospital; previous official title was Niederösterreichische Landes-Heil- und Pflegeanstalt für Nerven- und Geisteskranke 'Am Steinhof' (Lower Austrian State Healing and Care Institution for the Neurologically and Mentally Sick, 'Am Steinhof'). It is located on a hillside (the Baumgartnerhöhe) below the Galitzinberg in the 14th Vienna district, Penzing
Penzing (Vienna)
Penzing is the 14th District of Vienna and consists of the boroughs of Penzing, Breitensee, Baumgarten, Hütteldorf and Hadersdorf-Weidlingau. In the west, it shares a border with Purkersdorf and Mauerbach...
. It has a separate status as part of the surrounding hospital and does not form part of the Archdiocese of Vienna.
Architecture
The church dedicated to Saint LeopoldSaint Leopold
Saint Leopold may refer to:* Leopold III, Margrave of Austria , patron saint of Austria* Leopold Mandić , Croat-born saint*Saint Leopold Church , Vienna, Austria...
was built between 1903-1907 by the 63-year-old architect Otto Wagner
Otto Wagner
Otto Koloman Wagner was an Austrian architect and urban planner, known for his lasting impact on the appearance of his home town Vienna, to which he contributed many landmarks.-Life:...
, with mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
s and stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
by Koloman Moser
Koloman Moser
Koloman Moser was an Austrian artist who exerted considerable influence on twentieth-century graphic art and one of the foremost artists of the Vienna Secession movement and a co-founder of Wiener Werkstätte....
, and sculptural angels by Othmar Schimkowitz
Othmar Schimkowitz
Othmar Schimkowitz was a Hungarian-born architectural sculptor who worked on the greatest landmarks of the Vienna Secession.-Life:...
(1864–1947). The great majority of the other smaller details are the work of Otto Wagner himself. The statues on the two external towers represent Saint Leopold and Saint Severin (l. & r. respectively: they are the two patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
s of Lower Austria) and are the work of the Viennese sculptor Richard Luksch (1872–1936).
Unusually the church lies on a North-South axis, at the centre-top of the hospital complex. Otto Wagner incorporated numerous features specifically related to its function within an asylum: e.g. there are very few sharp edges, and most corners are rounded; almost no crosses are visible; the priest's area is potentially entirely separate from the patients'; access to the pulpit is only from the vestry; emergency exits are built into the side walls in case a patient needed to be speedily removed; continuously flowing water replaced holy water stoups at the entrance; there were separate entrances for male and female patients; confessionals were more open than is customary. There were toilet facilities easily accessible within the church in case of patient need. Originally the pews were of different widths to accommodate different categories of patient: calm / restless / disturbed (the latter needing more space). The floor is raked as in a theatre though not as steeply; the fall from entrance to altar is approx. 26 centimetres (10.2 in): standing at the back the view to the altar is thus less obstructed.
The central ceiling below the unseen dome bears images relating to the four evangelists: the man for Matthew, the lion for Mark, the calf for Luke, the eagle for John. The magnificent windows at the sides of the Kirche am Steinhof portray seven saints (named underneath each frame) fulfilling Christ's commands both temporal (feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc.) and spiritual; with above them a pair of flying angels and a quotation from the Beatitudes. The elaborate and brightly-coloured mosaic behind the ornate altar represents the reception of the departed soul into heaven, via an ornate trompe-l'oeil staircase which has been compared unfairly to a Hollywood-style movie award ceremony. Among the numerous saints attending the ceremony is Saint Dymphna
Dymphna
'Saint Dymphna was the daughter of a pagan Irish king and his Christian wife in the 7th century. She was murdered by her father. The story of St. Dymphna was first recorded in the thirteenth century by a canon of the Church of St. Aubert at Cambrai, commissioned by the Bishop of Cambrai, Guy I...
the patron saint of those afflicted by epilepsy or mental illness. Also visible is St. Clement Hofbauer or Clemens Maria Hofbauer
Clemens Maria Hofbauer
Clemens Maria Hofbauer was a hermit and is the patron saint of Vienna.- Childhood and early priesthood :...
(1751–1820), the patron saint of Vienna. The dome of the church is not visible from inside the building; even so, the nave has an echo of six seconds. The church, which seats 800 people when full, was reopened on the 1 October 2006, after the completion of the most recent extensive renovation work.
The organ placed in the rear gallery is the work of the important turn-of-the-century organ builder Franz Josef Swoboda, among whose other instruments nearby are the organ at the Peterskirche in the centre of Vienna, and the organ of the Donaufeld church in the suburb of Floridsdorf on the other side of the Danube.
The church is open for visiting on Saturday between 4pm and 5pm and Sunday between noon and 4pm. There are also tours in German every Saturday at 3pm and Sunday at 4pm. Entry (2011) € 8,-. Private tours in English can be booked in advance. Aside from functioning as a place of regular Sunday worship (9:30am), it is also available for baptisms and weddings.
