Wien - Griechenkirche zur Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (''Griechenkirche zur Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit'') is a

Greek Orthodox Church The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...

Cathedral in the first district of Vienna, Austria, in the historic Greek neighborhood of Vienna's

Innere Stadt The Innere Stadt (; Central Bavarian: ''Innare Stod'') is the 1st municipal district of Vienna () located in the center of the Austrian capital. The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Until the city boundaries were expanded in 1850, the I ...

. The neighborhood has also been known as the "Fleischmarkt". Since 1963 the cathedral has been the seat of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Austria (the

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...

: the Metropolis of Austria and Exarchate of Hungary and Middle Europe).

History

Greek Orthodox churches have existed near this site since 1787, as a result of the 1781

Patent of Toleration The Patent of Toleration (german: Toleranzpatent) was an edict of toleration issued on 13 October 1781 by the Habsburg emperor Joseph II. Part of the Josephinist reforms, the Patent extended religious freedom to non-Catholic Christians livi ...

issued by

Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II (German: Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; English: ''Joseph Benedict Anthony Michael Adam''; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg lands from November 29, 1780 un ...

. The architect of the 1787 building was Peter Mollner. The current building is a

Byzantine Revival Neo-Byzantine architecture (also referred to as Byzantine Revival) was a revival movement, most frequently seen in religious, institutional and public buildings. It incorporates elements of the Byzantine style associated with Eastern and Ortho ...

re-design of the Mollner building by Danish-Austrian neo-classic architect

Theophil Hansen Baron Theophil Edvard von Hansen (; original Danish name: Theophilus Hansen ; 13 July 1813 – 17 February 1891) was a Danish architect who later became an Austrian citizen. He became particularly well known for his buildings and structures in ...

. Greek-Austrian diplomat and philanthropist

Simon Sinas Simon von Sina or Simon Sinas ( el, Σίμων Σίνας; 1810–1876) was a Greek-Austrian banker, aristocrat, benefactor and diplomat. He was one of the most important benefactors of the Greek nation together with Georgios Sinas. Biography Sim ...

funded the project, one of many collaborations with Hansen in Vienna and Athens. The cathedral was inaugurated on December 21, 1858. The exterior features two-tone brickwork and gilded archways.National Geographic Traveler: Vienna, by Sarah Woods, page 80 The elaborately ornamented sanctuary shows a stylish allusion to Baroque church architecture typical of southern Germany and Austria. A number of frescoes for the facade and vestibule were commissioned from the Austrian painter and art professor

Carl Rahl Carl Rahl, sometimes spelled Karl Rahl (13 August 1812 – 9 July 1865), was an Austrian painter. Life Rahl was born in Vienna to Carl Heinrich Rahl (1779–1843), an engraver. He attended the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and won a prize at ...

, with other frescoes by Ludwig Thiersch. The address is Fleischmarkt 13, 1010 Wien. Among the parishioners here was the family of conductor

Herbert von Karajan Herbert von Karajan (; born Heribert Ritter von Karajan; 5 April 1908 – 16 July 1989) was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, wit ...

References

External links

website of the Vienna Metropolitan
{{coord, 48.21084, 16.377372, type:landmark_region:AT, display=title, format=dms Buildings and structures in Innere Stadt Churches in Vienna Neo-Byzantine architecture Theophil Hansen buildings Greek Orthodox cathedrals in Europe Church buildings with domes Cathedrals in Austria