Peterskirche (St. Peter's Church), Vienna (must see)
Tucked snugly among Vienna鈥檚 Baroque showpieces like a pearl in a pastry, Saint Peter鈥檚 Church has a front-row seat to history, and not much else, thanks to the buildings crowding around it. You鈥檒l mostly catch it head-on, which, honestly, is its best angle.
This spot has seen churches come and go like emperors with changing tastes. Some say the very first church here dates back to the early 4th century AD, making it one of the oldest in Vienna鈥攜es, back when sandals were in and Rome was still a big deal. In 792, none other than King Charlemagne is said to have popped by and said, 鈥淟et鈥檚 build.鈥� There鈥檚 even a plaque on the fa莽ade bragging about it. Historical records, ever the skeptics, first mention the church in 1137, but who鈥檚 counting?
By the late 1100s, the church cozied up to the newly founded Schottenstift monastery. Then came fire, plague, and drama. After the 1661 fire, it got a bit of a patch job鈥� until the plague of 1679 cleared the streets and cleared the way for Emperor Leopold I, who swore a divine vow to rebuild. And he did...
Construction began around 1701, drawing heavy inspiration from Saint Peter鈥檚 Basilica in Rome鈥攂ecause if you鈥檙e going to imitate, imitate the best. By 1733, Vienna had its first domed Baroque beauty, cleverly built with a compact, oval layout to fit the tight space.
Outside, it sports a neat combo of white and barely-there yellow, flanked by two towers that curve ever so slightly inward鈥攁pparently a cheeky nod to Turkish tent poles from the 1683 siege.
Step inside, and there you have it: gold stucco, opulent frescoes, and Johann Michael Rottmayr鈥檚 artistic fireworks overhead, including the Coronation of Our Lady. The high altar gets dramatic with a healing scene, starring Saint Peter and Saint John, and around the edges, you'll spot relics of Roman martyrs, reclining in crystal coffins like glittering saints on display.
The church was polished up in a major 1998鈥�2004 renovation, and today it鈥檚 still a Baroque gem in Vienna鈥檚 crown.
Hot tip:
Drop in any day from 3 to 3:30 pm for a free organ concert鈥攄ivine music, no ticket required (but donations are saintly). And if you're lucky, catch a choir in the crypts. Now that鈥檚 a holy experience...
This spot has seen churches come and go like emperors with changing tastes. Some say the very first church here dates back to the early 4th century AD, making it one of the oldest in Vienna鈥攜es, back when sandals were in and Rome was still a big deal. In 792, none other than King Charlemagne is said to have popped by and said, 鈥淟et鈥檚 build.鈥� There鈥檚 even a plaque on the fa莽ade bragging about it. Historical records, ever the skeptics, first mention the church in 1137, but who鈥檚 counting?
By the late 1100s, the church cozied up to the newly founded Schottenstift monastery. Then came fire, plague, and drama. After the 1661 fire, it got a bit of a patch job鈥� until the plague of 1679 cleared the streets and cleared the way for Emperor Leopold I, who swore a divine vow to rebuild. And he did...
Construction began around 1701, drawing heavy inspiration from Saint Peter鈥檚 Basilica in Rome鈥攂ecause if you鈥檙e going to imitate, imitate the best. By 1733, Vienna had its first domed Baroque beauty, cleverly built with a compact, oval layout to fit the tight space.
Outside, it sports a neat combo of white and barely-there yellow, flanked by two towers that curve ever so slightly inward鈥攁pparently a cheeky nod to Turkish tent poles from the 1683 siege.
Step inside, and there you have it: gold stucco, opulent frescoes, and Johann Michael Rottmayr鈥檚 artistic fireworks overhead, including the Coronation of Our Lady. The high altar gets dramatic with a healing scene, starring Saint Peter and Saint John, and around the edges, you'll spot relics of Roman martyrs, reclining in crystal coffins like glittering saints on display.
The church was polished up in a major 1998鈥�2004 renovation, and today it鈥檚 still a Baroque gem in Vienna鈥檚 crown.
Hot tip:
Drop in any day from 3 to 3:30 pm for a free organ concert鈥攄ivine music, no ticket required (but donations are saintly). And if you're lucky, catch a choir in the crypts. Now that鈥檚 a holy experience...
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 911爆料网 App
Peterskirche (St. Peter's Church) on Map
Sight Name: Peterskirche (St. Peter's Church)
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Vienna, Austria
Create Your Own Walk in Vienna
Creating your own self-guided walk in Vienna is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour I
Among the plethora of other things, the capital of Austria, Vienna, is renowned for its contribution to Art Nouveau 鈥� the popular art movement emerged and flourished at the turn of the 20th century. Stemming from it the Viennese Secession movement, also known as the Austrian Art Nouveau, or Jugendstil (in German), gave rise to a number of architectural marvels.
By far the most colorful of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
By far the most colorful of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Old Town Chocolate Stores
Vienna is famous for its love for sweet indulgence. And when it comes to chocolate, it stands tall among other locally-made mouth-watering confections.
Vienna's chocolate scene is deeply rooted in a rich culinary tradition. It has been sustained by several historic chocolate houses, located in the Old Town, that have been serving decadent treats for generations.
Landmark... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Vienna's chocolate scene is deeply rooted in a rich culinary tradition. It has been sustained by several historic chocolate houses, located in the Old Town, that have been serving decadent treats for generations.
Landmark... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Famous Homes of Vienna
Throughout centuries, the Austrian capital has been home to numerous famous individuals, from creative people of arts to thinkers, scientists, and politicians. Vienna's illustrious history is closely intertwined with the abodes of its celebrated residents, where artistic virtuosos and luminaries of their time found solace and inspiration.
The often modest apartments of Vienna's famous... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
The often modest apartments of Vienna's famous... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Klimt Paintings Tour
"I have the gift of neither the spoken nor the written word, especially if I have to say something about myself or my work. Whoever wants to know something about me - as an artist, the only notable thing - ought to look carefully at my pictures" 鈥� Gustav Klimt.
Klimt's name is indelibly linked to Vienna. The renowned symbolist painter was a prominent figure in the city. As a... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Klimt's name is indelibly linked to Vienna. The renowned symbolist painter was a prominent figure in the city. As a... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II
Characterized by ornamental and organic designs, flowing lines, and harmonious integration of various artistic elements, Vienna's Art Nouveau architecture was aimed at breaking away from historical styles and embracing a more modern, decorative approach. The city's architects of that era sought to create an absolute work of art (Gesamtkunstwerk), where all aspects of a building's... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Vienna Old Town Walking Tour
Vienna鈥檚 Old Town鈥攖he historic core of Austria鈥檚 capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site鈥攊s where cobblestones gossip, rooftops sparkle, and emperors still seem to whisper from the walls. Indeed, this is the kind of place where every alley seems to have a PhD in European history.
Once wrapped in medieval walls鈥攂efore they rolled out the grand Ringstrasse boulevard in the 19th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Once wrapped in medieval walls鈥攂efore they rolled out the grand Ringstrasse boulevard in the 19th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
7 Ultimately Austrian Foods to Taste in Vienna
Once the center of the vast Hapsburg Empire, stretched from France in the West to Russia in the East, Austria has embraced many ethnic influences in its cuisine over the course of centuries. Many of the country's distinctive dishes reflect its multinational heritage. Coffee culture, for...
Top 15 Austrian Things to Buy in Vienna
Vienna stool, Viennese schnitzel, Viennese waltz, Vienna sausage, Viennese apple strudel... There's so much Vienna to it, that you might think you've heard it all. Luckily, chances are that you haven't and there's much more in store left to be discovered about this fascinating...