Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fore closing; elevator runs until 17:30, last ascent at 17:00. The entry fee may seem steep,
but remember that it helps to fund ongoing restoration.
Visiting the Church:
The dome's colorful 13,500-square-foot fresco—painted in the
1730s by Johann Michael Rottmayr—shows Signor Borromeo (in red-and-white bishops'
robes)gazingupintoheaven,spreadinghisarmswide,andpleading withChristtospareVi-
enna from the plague.
The church is especially worthwhile for the chance to ride an
elevator
(installed for
renovation work) up into the cupola. The industrial lift takes you to a platform at the base of
the 235-foot dome (if you're even slightly afraid of heights, skip this trip). Consider that the
church was built and decorated with a scaffolding system essentially the same as this one.
Once up top, you'll climb stairs to the steamy lantern at the extreme top of the church.
At that dizzying height, you're in the clouds with cupids and angels. Many details that
appear smooth and beautiful from ground level—such as gold leaf, paintings, and fake
marble—look rough and sloppy up close. It's surreal to observe the 3-D figures from an un-
intended angle—check out Christ's leg, which looks dwarf-sized up close. Give yourself a
minute to take it in: Faith, Hope, and Charity triumph and inspire. Borromeo lobbies heaven
for plague relief. Meanwhile, a Protestant's Lutheran Bible is put to the torch by angels. At
the very top, you'll see the tiny dove representing the Holy Ghost, surrounded by a cheering
squad of nipple-lipped cupids.
This underappreciated city history museum, worth
▲
for those intrigued by Vienna's illus-
trious past, walks you through the story of Vienna with well-presented artifacts.
Cost and Hours:
€10, free first Sun of the month, open Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed
Mon, Karlsplatz 8, tel. 01/505-8747,
www.wienmuseum.at
.
Visiting the Museum:
Work your way up chronologically. The ground floor exhibits
prehistoric and Roman fragments, along with some original statues from St. Stephen's
Cathedral (c. 1350). You'll also enjoy a rare close-up look at original stained class (circa
1500) from the cathedral.
The first floor focuses on the Renaissance and Baroque eras, including suits of armor,
old city maps, booty from an Ottoman siege, and an 1850 city model showing the town just
before the wall was replaced by the Ring. Finally, the second floor displays a city model
from 1898 showing off the new Ringstrasse, sentimental Biedermeier paintings and objets
d'art,andearly20th-centurypaintings(includingfourbyKlimt,aswellasworksbySchiele,
Kokoschka, and other Secessionists).
