Paulanerkirche, Paulanergasse 6, Vienna The first church in Wieden was mentioned as early as 1211 and was dedicated to Saint Anthony. It was donated to the Knights of the Order of the Holy Spirit. It was completely destroyed during the First Turkish Siege of Vienna in 1529. Since the knightly order had ceased to exist in the meantime, its property was given to the Viennese diocese by the sovereign. In the course of the Counter-Reformation, Emperor Ferdinand II summoned the Order of Saint Francis of Paola to Vienna in 1626. In 1627, the Paulaner Order began building the church on Wieden's main street, which was generally called the Paulanerkirche. After its completion in 1651, Bishop Philipp Friedrich von Breuner dedicated the monastery church to the holy guardian angels. However, during the Second Turkish Siege of Vienna in 1683, the church suffered severe damage, which was repaired by 1686. The current church tower was added in 1717, and the facade was slightly altered around 1730 by the addition of the two side portals. After the abolition of the Paulaner Order in 1784, the monastery buildings to the east were no longer needed and were demolished. A final part of them still remains on Paulanergasse, where the parish office is today. Renovations took place inside in 1860, outside in 1907, 1957/58 and 1984. In 1963, the church forecourt had to be reduced in size for traffic reasons. The Guardian Angel Fountain, built on this site in 1846, was moved to Rilkeplatz. Text / Source: Wikipedia de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulanerkirche_(Wien)#:~:text=1626%20den%20Orden%20des%20heiligen,die%20Klosterkirche%20den%20heiligen%20Schutzengeln.
The Paulaner Church in Vienna, officially the Parish Church of the Holy Guardian Angels, is located in Vienna's 4th district, Wieden, and is one of the city's most important early Baroque religious buildings. Its history dates back to the early Middle Ages: a church dedicated to Saint Anthony and cared for by the Order of the Holy Spirit is documented on this site as early as 1211. This medieval church was destroyed in 1529 during the first Turkish siege of Vienna and was not rebuilt.
In the course of the Counter-Reformation, Emperor Ferdinand II summoned the Order of the Paulans (Order of Saint Francis of Paola) to Vienna in 1626. Construction of a new monastery and church on Wiedner Hauptstraße began as early as 1627. The church was completed in 1651 and consecrated to the Holy Guardian Angels. The name "Paulaner Church" derives from the order that cared for the church and remains in use today.
During the second Turkish siege in 1683, the building suffered further damage, which was, however, quickly repaired. In 1717, the church received its distinctive tower, and around 1730, the facade was extended and redesigned in the Baroque style. A profound change came with the dissolution of the Paulaner Order in 1784 as part of the Josephine reforms of monastic life. The monastery was largely demolished; only a section of the building on Paulanergasse remained and continues to serve religious purposes today. The church itself was repurposed as a parish church.
Architecturally, it is an early Baroque hall church with a simple, clearly structured exterior facade and a richly decorated interior. The barrel-vaulted nave with side chapels follows Italian models. The Baroque interior furnishings include frescoes from the early 18th century as well as altars and paintings from various periods, including the high altarpiece of the Guardian Angels from the 19th century. Several restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries ensured the preservation of the building, although the church forecourt was reduced in size in the 20th century.
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