Rennweg parish church

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Parish Church of the Birth of Mary - Orphanage Church Vienna
Interior view of the orphanage church

The parish church of the Nativity of Mary (popularly also: Orphanage Church ) is a Roman Catholic church in the 3rd district of Vienna Landstrasse at Rennweg 91. The parish church of the Birth of Mary has been the parish church of the parish Maria-Drei-Kirchen in the city ​​deanate 3 im since October 1, 2017 Vicariate Vienna City of the Archdiocese of Vienna . The church is a listed building ( list entry ). It was the church of the former orphanage on Rennweg , which is where its common name orphanage church comes from.

history

As early as 1267, a chapel was consecrated to St. Lazarus on the area of ​​the sub-community Maria Birth by members of the Lazarus Order , which belonged to the infirmary of Sankt Marx . After the complex was destroyed twice in attacks during the Turkish Wars in 1529 and 1683, Empress Maria Theresia bought the entire area of ​​the orphanage on Rennweg in 1762 and gave it to the orphanage at that time for "eternal times". The management of the orphanage was entrusted to the Jesuit Ignaz Parhamer . He was the confessor of Franz I Stephan (HRR) , the husband of Maria Theresa.

In 1768 the orphanage church of the Birth of Mary was built by master builder Leopold Grossmann according to the plans of the architect Thaddäus Karner. The inauguration took place on December 7, 1768 by Prince Archbishop Cardinal Christoph Anton Graf Migazzi in the presence of Empress Maria Theresa . Especially for this occasion, the then twelve-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed the orphanage mass , which premiered with the inauguration . In 1770 the church was consecrated to the patronage of the Birth of Mary.

On April 11, 1782 Pius VI visited. on the occasion of his trip to the Emperor Joseph II. the orphanage church for a prayer. A memorial plaque on red marble in the chancel commemorates this event.

Commemorative plaque of Pope PIUS VI in 1782 for prayer in the church

In 1783 the church was elevated to a parish church. After the orphanage was moved to the Alsergrund, the church lost its function as an orphanage church in 1785. However, it received the status of a garrison church after the former orphanage was adapted into an artillery barracks in 1797.

In 1977 Cardinal Franz König left the orphanage church as a religious order to the Grand Priory of Austria of the Order of Lazarus .

On October 1, 2017, the parish was expanded to include the former parishes of An der Muttergotteskirche and Arsenal , and renamed Maria-Drei-Kirchen. Since then, the Rennweg parish church has been the parish church of the Maria-Drei-Kirchen parish and the church of the sub-community of Maria Birth-Rennweg.

Exterior construction

The gable facade of the church rises on two floors between the two low wings. In the frieze is the inscription “ In haC saCra DoMo orphanI pIa Vota persoLVVnt 'In this holy house the orphans perform their pious prayers” ”. The chronogram contained therein shows the year of construction 1768 in Roman numerals. A plaque with a relief portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart next to the main portal reminds of his work in the orphanage church.

inner space

The interior was not largely completed until 1774. It impresses with its brightness and is held in white and gold. The interior contains elements of late baroque and early classicism. The elongated hall is approx. 50 m long, 15 m high and 12 m wide and arches in a cross shape in two side niches.

The special connection between the imperial family and the orphanage is evident in the donation of the wedding dress from Marie-Antoinette of Austria-Lorraine to the parish (1770). A valuable chasuble (liturgical clothing) was then made from this and is kept in the parish depot.

The head of the then director Ignaz Parhamer is kept in a glass shrine.

Portal and organ

High altar

The high altar fits seamlessly into the wall structure. The structure of the tabernacle, on the other hand, is expressive. The miraculous image "Mary, refuge for the orphans" is enthroned on this. The statues of Teresa of Ávila and Francis of Assisi flank the high altar. These are also the namesake of the imperial couple Maria Theresia and Franz I. Stephan (HRR) .

pulpit

The pulpit from early classicism from 1770 is kept in clear, strict forms, while the curved basket is from the Baroque era. The relief on the parapet shows Jesus Christ blessing the children and Francis Xavier , who baptizes the Gentiles and preaches to the poor. 24 life-size figures of saints in white and gold at the level of the gallery are distributed over the entire church space.

organ

The richly decorated organ takes up the entire gallery and was probably created between 1770 and 1774 by the Viennese organ builder Franz Xaver Christoph . In the Baroque style, it is surrounded by numerous angels. The patroness of church music, Cecilia of Rome , is enthroned above everything .

literature

  • Dehio manual. The art monuments of Austria: Vienna. II. To IX. and XX. District, III. Landstrasse district, orphanage church. Verlag Anton Schroll & Co, Vienna 1993, pp. 69–72, ISBN 3-7031-0680-8 .

Web links

Commons : Rennweg parish church  - collection of images

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.erzdioezese-wien.at/Wien-Rennweg
  2. ↑ a b c orphanage church (3) in the Vienna History Wiki of the City of Vienna ; Retrieved July 26, 2015
  3. ↑ http://www.lazarus-orden.at/index.php?id=14
  4. ↑ Diocesan Gazette of the Archdiocese of Vienna October 2017
  5. ↑ http://members.chello.at/sproede/maria-geburt.htm

Coordinates: 48 ° 11 '25.4 "  N , 16 ° 23' 52.6"  E