Short info:
- Where is the Ruprechtskirche located? Address: 1, 1010 Vienna
- What is there? It is the oldest church in Vienna and has the oldest surviving windows in the city
- When is open? Only very sporadically, you can find the opening hours here
- How much does entry cost? For free
Generally
The Ruprechtskirche is considered the oldest surviving church in Vienna and is located in the immediate vicinity of the Danube Canal in the first district. The church was founded in the 8th century and is dedicated to Saint Rupert, one of the first Christian missionaries in what is now Austria.
The Ruprechtskirche has undergone numerous changes and expansions over the centuries. Originally it was a small Romanesque church that was enlarged in the 12th century to include a Gothic chancel. Finally, in the 17th century, the church was remodeled in the Baroque style, raising the tower and adding a new portal.
In the church
The chancel and the windows
The apse, which was built after the great city fire of 1276 and adjoins the nave, was removed and rebuilt in the 1820s to prevent collapse. The old stones were reused for the vault. The dominant eye-catcher in the apse is the Romanesque stone altar.
In the middle window of the apse there are two stained glass pictures, which are considered to be the oldest surviving ones in Vienna and date from around 1300. The upper pane shows the crucifixion of Jesus with Mary and John, the lower pane shows the enthroned Madonna with the baby Jesus. The panes are badly weathered, but the substance is largely original and has hardly been supplemented. The inscription underneath, which was added in the 1930s, briefly tells the legend of the founding of the church.
Stained glass window
In 1992-1993 the stained glass windows of the north wall were designed by Lydia Roppolt (1922-1995), a world-renowned artist. The windows show in impressive figurative representations a biblical cycle consisting of three parts, expressing praise for salvation from need and affliction. Scenes depicted include Daniel in the lions’ den, Jonah and the whale, and the three youths in the fiery furnace.
Wooden statues
The openwork southern wall of the church features two elaborate wooden statues that draw attention. One of the statues is the Ruprechts statue, which can be dated back to 1370. The other is a late Gothic style Madonna created between 1510 and 1520. What is striking is the dark face on the underside of the hanging sculpture, which is often interpreted as a moon face and thus represents a special symbolism.
The side windows, designed by Heinrich Tahedl in 1949, show scenes from the life of Saint Ruprecht in Salzburg. In the window on the north side of the apse, Lydia Roppolt has taken up the theme of the founding legend.
The aisle
The windows of the south wall and the apse in the aisle are also by Lydia Ropolt and show the thematic cycle “The Praise of Creation”, which, however, is not based on the biblical days of creation, but on poems written by the long-standing church rector P. Joop Roeland OSA became. In the last window entitled “Meeting people” the text of the relevant poem is integrated into the display.
On the neo-Gothic side altar is another object of contemporary sacred art: the tabernacle, which was created in 1998 by Ignaz Kienast (*1961) and has staves with complex symbolism on the front of the bronze body. Directly in front of it is the baptismal font from the year 1500.
A painting from the early 18th century called “The Glory of St. Ruprecht” hangs on the west wall above the gallery staircase and was created by the so-called Wiener Schmidt.
Under the gallery on the north wall is the reliquary of St. Vitalis with a baroque-clad skeleton said to have come from the catacombs of Rome. Shrines of this type were in the 18th Century. widespread.
The crypt
Located under the church, it is of uncertain age but has been rebuilt several times. They don’t really know what’s in the crypt…
The Ruprechtskirche is an important cultural and historical monument in Vienna and a place of peace and reflection in the middle of the hectic city center. Anyone interested in the history of Vienna and Christianity should definitely plan a visit.