Maltese Church, Vienna
The Maltese Church (actually: Church of St John the Baptist, sometimes Johanniterkirche ) is a St. John the Baptist, consecrated Gothic Roman Catholic church of the Order of Malta in the Kärntner Straße in the first district of Vienna Inner City.
History and Architecture
Was first documented the basis of today's Maltese Church in 1217 before the church as a place of "House of the more prudish of the Order of sand locust ," which was dedicated to the Coming of the pastoral care of the poor and support of crusaders. Probably 1205-1217, the Hospitallers were in the former St. John's Street (today Kärntner Straße 35 / Johannes lane 2) down. The Fourth Crusade was completed in 1204. Vienna was at the important for crusades road which connected the West with the East along the Danube. Kärntner Straße was less a crusader as an important trade route.
After the Vienna fire of 1258 that destroyed much of the medieval city, the Order built in 1265 a St. John the Baptist chapel dedicated.
Mid 15th century ( 1446 ) the present church was built. In the 17th century the church was repeatedly preaching place of Abraham a Santa Clara. In the Baroque period, the church was rebuilt according to the prevailing taste, received an Empire facade with Corinthian pilasters, tympanum, attic and a small, since about 2007, again bearing bell tower during the renovation from 1806 to 1808. Above the main entrance is the inscription: " Aedes vetustate squalens / sacra Joanni Baptistae / Ordinis hierosoly mitanae coelesti patrono / erecta et ornata Anno MDCCCVIII ".
In 1750 the church received from an unknown organ builder a single-manual organ with balustrade main and pedal assembly and eight registers ( I/P/8 ). The organ was built in 1950 by the new organ builder Pirchner from Steinach am Brenner, Tyrol, Austria, using historical housing and pipe material and has 16 registers, which are distributed to pedal, main and Brustwerk ( II/P/16 ).
1839 Johanneshof in height Kärntner Straße was 35/ 2 John Street built as coming home, built in 1893, the Order a second house in high Kärntner Straße 37, which had access to the church on several levels. Both buildings enclose each side the church with the exception of the roof and its choir; while the church's façade is integrated as it were in the facades of the two houses. In 1857, the church was partially equipped with stained- glass windows.
1933 became the Order or as a result of the financial burden from the First World War in a financial crisis and had to sell 37 the Church, the Johanneshof and the house Kärntner Straße, however, the Church was allowed under preservation continue to use free of charge. In 1960, the church could then be bought back.
1968, 1972 and 1983 to 1984 the church was restored in several steps, in 1998 there was a general refurbishment.
The painting of the 1806/1808 empirisierten high altar was built in 1730 painted by Johann Georg Schmidt and represents the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist dar. art and orden history are also interesting: the Gothic keystone in the cross vault ( a lion roaring at his boys, emblematic of Jesus, who brought his congregation ), the neoclassical monument relief for the Grand Master Jean ' Parisot ' de La Valette, the two wooden statues of the Apostles Peter ( with keys) and Paul ( with sword, both from the Empire period ), Baroque copy of the icon of Mary " Our Lady of Philermos " ( above the tabernacle ), the two wooden statues of St. Anthony and Thaddeus (both right and left under the organ loft ), the empiricist pulpit, about 40 coats of arms of individual members of the Order. The interior of the church is described as simple and straightforward.