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St. Charles's Church (Karlskirche)

Karlsplatz, Vienna, Austria (Innere Stadt)
01/504-61-87
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As featured in 3 days in Vienna
Ranked #43 of 259 attractions in Vienna
Type: Religious Sites, Historic Sites
Traveller Description: Church of St. Charles   The Church of St. Charles (Karlskirche) is located at Kreuzherrengasse 1. It was ordered built by Emperor Charles VI in 1713... more »
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201 reviews from our community

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Adelaide
Top Contributor
147 reviews 147 reviews
72 attraction reviews
Reviews in 56 cities Reviews in 56 cities
146 helpful votes 146 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 May 2013 NEW

it's certainly very different and imposing from the outside, and the garden setting is fabulous. There's great photo opportunities from the other side of the small artificial pond at the front, with the reflections in the water. Nit quite Taj Mahal, but you get the drift. The two towers at the front give a decidedely eastern look to this church.... More

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See 3 more reviews by westendgaz for Vienna
Manhattan, KS
Top Contributor
50 reviews 50 reviews
Reviews in 39 cities Reviews in 39 cities
30 helpful votes 30 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 May 2013

It was by far the strangest visit to a church in my life. The entrance fee is 8EU and you get to see and ride an elevator in the middle of a baroque masterpiece. Then you get to climb some stairs and end up in a small area from which you can't see much (this is the supposed panorama that... More

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Top Contributor
508 reviews 508 reviews
384 attraction reviews
Reviews in 113 cities Reviews in 113 cities
138 helpful votes 138 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 May 2013

The elevator and surrounding scaffold to the dome is really detracting from the splendor of this 18th century church, but we realized that we may never have another chance to see frescoes up close. Not for people with acrophobia, the elevator ride and the scaffold at the dome was a bit daunting. The view through the windows was not so... More

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See 10 more reviews by Mark J R for Vienna
Newport Beach, California
Top Contributor
78 reviews 78 reviews
25 attraction reviews
Reviews in 19 cities Reviews in 19 cities
24 helpful votes 24 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 April 2013

I did not visit this during the day or for the architecture, but rather with a ticket to see and hear a period orchestra and choir present Mozart's Requiem at the church down the street from where he died trying to finish it. The acoustics were very good and lots to see along the walls and ceiling, even though they... More

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See 9 more reviews by jazzman7777 for Vienna
Padua, Italy
Top Contributor
131 reviews 131 reviews
51 attraction reviews
Reviews in 61 cities Reviews in 61 cities
62 helpful votes 62 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 April 2013

Barocco style, in Central Europe version, only for lovers. A lift indoors, very advertised, facilitates the access to a platform below the dome. From here a stairway lifts to the top of the dome where you expect to have a magnificent view over Wien. The windows are narrow, far from the observation place and covered by a security net. As... More

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See 2 more reviews by mauribear for Vienna
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Top Contributor
72 reviews 72 reviews
14 attraction reviews
Reviews in 32 cities Reviews in 32 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 April 2013

There is something about a church that charges you an entrance fee, even before you have had a glance, that I cannot really appreciate. You run into a booth with a stern lady that sums up how much you need to pay to get in. In this case, after we walked into the church, we both thought it was ghastly... More

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See 5 more reviews by Emma_Flogard for Vienna
Oslo, Norway
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322 reviews 322 reviews
155 attraction reviews
Reviews in 80 cities Reviews in 80 cities
114 helpful votes 114 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 March 2013

The church is wonderful from the outsidere. The inside is nothing much. There are a lot of churches just like it. They have built a scaffolding inside (which obstruct the view of the walls and the dome) with an elevator takling you up to the dome. It is nice to see the murals up close - but not really worth... More

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See 14 more reviews by EllenChr for Vienna
uk
Senior Contributor
33 reviews 33 reviews
10 attraction reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
22 helpful votes 22 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 March 2013

i was so disappointed when i entered this church. Looks good from the outside but it has in my opinion been totally ruined by the installation of the extremely obtrusive lift. Scaffolding everywhere taking away from what could have been a really nice church. I would rather not have the view! the peterkirche is far superior.

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See 6 more reviews by mroy for Vienna
Sao Paulo, SP
Top Contributor
81 reviews 81 reviews
70 attraction reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 February 2013

Well, you have to pay 8 euros to enter inside the Church!! Although, it is very very beautiful inside and actually worth the money... Some people say this church's painted ceiling is the most beautiful around outside Italy, and you can take a lift to check the paintings very close.

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See 14 more reviews by Felipe M for Vienna
Kuwait City, Kuwait
Senior Contributor
28 reviews 28 reviews
13 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 February 2013

The paintings on the walls of the dome are very beautiful but the church is just another very old historic church in Vienna. You'll have to pay to go up the elevator, which takes you all the way up to the dome. Then from there you'll have to take the stairs for what it's equivalent to three or four more... More

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See 15 more reviews by Nader W for Vienna

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