English: The magnificent Crucifix on The High Altar,
Church Of Maria-am-Gestade
(Saint Mary-On-The-Shore),
Vienna, Austria.
Magyar: Maria am Gestade, Bécs.
Photo: 16 September 2015.
Author: Thaler Tamas
(Wikimedia Commons)
Church Of Maria-am-Gestade
(Saint Mary-On-The-Shore),
Vienna, Austria.
Photo: 8 August 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Thomas Ledl
(Wikimedia Commons)
English: The High Altar,
Church of Maria-am-Gestade
(Saint Mary-On-The Shore),
Vienna, Austria.
[Somebody has left a Wallpaper Table in front of The High Altar.]
Deutsch: Hochalter der Wiener Pfarrkirche Maria-am-Gestade
Photo: 26 January 2015.
Source: Own work.
Author: Bwag © Bwag/Commons.
(Wikimedia Commons)
The exquisite Tabernacle
in the Church of Maria-am-Gestade
(Saint Mary-On-The-Shore), Vienna, Austria,
which features both Gothic and Baroque elements.
Illustration: INTROIBO AD ALTARE DEI
The following Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia.
Maria-am-Gestade (English: Mary-On-The-Shore) is a Gothic Church in Vienna, Austria. One of the oldest Churches in the City — along with Saint Peter's Church and Saint Rupert's Church — it is one of the few surviving examples of Gothic Architecture in Vienna.
The Church was traditionally used by sailors on The River Danube. The name “Maria-am-Gestade”, reflects the former location on the Fluvial Terrace of an arm of The River Danube.
The Church Of Maria-am-Gestade
(Saint Mary-On-The-Shore),
Vienna, Austria.
Photo: March 28, 2006.
Source: Own work.
Author: Gryffindor
(Wikimedia Commons)
of the “Mother of Perpetual Help”.
Maria-am-Gestade Church, Vienna, Austria.
Constructed in 1878 .
Photo: March 28, 2006.
Source: Own work.
Author: Gryffindor
(Wikimedia Commons)
The West Portal
Vienna, Austria.
Photo: 10 June 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Manfred Werner - Tsui
(Wikimedia Commons)
Church Of Maria-am-Gestade
(Saint Mary-On-The-Shore),
Vienna, Austria.
Photo: 5 August 2005.
Source: Own work.
Author: Ksardari
(Wikimedia Commons)
It is said that there was a Wooden Church here in the 9th-Century A.D., although this has been disputed, which served as a place of Worship for fishermen and sailors. The Church is first mentioned in documents from 1158. The present building was built between 1394 and 1414 in The Gothic Style.
The ownership of the land appears obscure, variously passing into the hands of The Diocese of Passau, in Bavaria, the nearby Schottenstift, and Viennese families. From 1302, the Church was owned by the Herren von Greif.
Between 1330 and 1355, a new Choir was constructed and was probably conceived as a family burial ground. In 1409, the Church became a more permanent part of The Passau Diocese, giving its name to the surrounding Precinct (Passauer Platz) and remained an enclave when The Archdiocese of Vienna was established in 1469.
The Church was De-Consecrated in 1786 and gradually became dilapidated and parts were torn down. It was used as an Arsenal and Stable during Napoleon's occupation of Vienna in 1809. In 1812, the Church was renovated and newly-Consecrated, coming into the hands of The Redemptorist Order.
The Gothic Choir Windows were taken to Laxenburg, in Lower Austria, and installed in Franzensburg Castle. The Church was further restored in 1900, and again in 1930, mainly involving the figures in the Portico. The Church is associated with The Czech Community in Vienna.
The Church's most striking characteristic is the fifty-six metre (180 ft) high, Open Work Tower, built in 1419-1428 in Gothic Scroll-Work. It is recognisable from a great distance and is depicted on the oldest images of the City.
The Choir, whose construction was begun at the same time as the Tower, around 1330, contains two Gothic Panels (1460). The Windows contain surviving fragments of Mediæval Stained-Glass.
The Nave, due to the limited space, is narrower than the Choir. Construction was started in 1400, and it is said that Duke Albrecht III was the builder.
The builder of the Choir and the Tower was Michael Knab, who also produced the (later modified) Plan for the Towers of Saint Stephen's Cathedral, and was succeeded by Peter Prachatitz, also a Master Builder.
The Church has three Porticos that are decorated with Reliefs and Figures. The Choir Door shows a Virgin of Mercy and a Coronation of The Virgin, both dating from around 1350, as deduced from the Middle Portal, which has realistic depictions of Angels playing musical instruments.
On the main Portal, on The West facade, Canopies crown Reliefs of the two Saint Johns (The Baptist and The Evangelist) from about 1410, in a Style also seen at Prague's Saint Vitus Cathedral and a range of Sculptures and Mosaic decoration, which date from the 20th-Century.
An “Annunciation” in the Nave of the Church dates from about 1360 and is attributed to “The Meister der Minoritenwerkstatt”, whose work also appears in Vienna's Minoritenkirche. The Virgin's partial disengagement from the Wall and the spatial independence of the gestures are considered to make this an important transitional piece of The High-Gothic Style of Architecture.
The Pulpit is a Gothic Revival structure, installed in 1820 during the renovation of the Church, which aimed to restore its Mediæval appearance. The Wooden structure was affixed on the huge Mediæval Pillar between The Nave and The Choir, with a Bridge connecting it to the Door that was cut in The Northern Wall.
The colour scheme is Olive and Gold, with Blind Tracery decoration on the Balustrade and the Rear Wall. The “Abat-Voix” [Editor: “Tester”, or, “Sounding Board ” above a Pulpit] is crowned with the Statue of Christ as “Salvator Mundi” [Editor: Saviour of The World] under a Pinnacled Baldachin. The previous Pulpit was erected in 1727 on the same spot in The Baroque Style.
The ownership of the land appears obscure, variously passing into the hands of The Diocese of Passau, in Bavaria, the nearby Schottenstift, and Viennese families. From 1302, the Church was owned by the Herren von Greif.
Between 1330 and 1355, a new Choir was constructed and was probably conceived as a family burial ground. In 1409, the Church became a more permanent part of The Passau Diocese, giving its name to the surrounding Precinct (Passauer Platz) and remained an enclave when The Archdiocese of Vienna was established in 1469.
The Church was De-Consecrated in 1786 and gradually became dilapidated and parts were torn down. It was used as an Arsenal and Stable during Napoleon's occupation of Vienna in 1809. In 1812, the Church was renovated and newly-Consecrated, coming into the hands of The Redemptorist Order.
The Church's most striking characteristic is the fifty-six metre (180 ft) high, Open Work Tower, built in 1419-1428 in Gothic Scroll-Work. It is recognisable from a great distance and is depicted on the oldest images of the City.
The Choir, whose construction was begun at the same time as the Tower, around 1330, contains two Gothic Panels (1460). The Windows contain surviving fragments of Mediæval Stained-Glass.
The Nave, due to the limited space, is narrower than the Choir. Construction was started in 1400, and it is said that Duke Albrecht III was the builder.
The builder of the Choir and the Tower was Michael Knab, who also produced the (later modified) Plan for the Towers of Saint Stephen's Cathedral, and was succeeded by Peter Prachatitz, also a Master Builder.
The Church has three Porticos that are decorated with Reliefs and Figures. The Choir Door shows a Virgin of Mercy and a Coronation of The Virgin, both dating from around 1350, as deduced from the Middle Portal, which has realistic depictions of Angels playing musical instruments.
On the main Portal, on The West facade, Canopies crown Reliefs of the two Saint Johns (The Baptist and The Evangelist) from about 1410, in a Style also seen at Prague's Saint Vitus Cathedral and a range of Sculptures and Mosaic decoration, which date from the 20th-Century.
An “Annunciation” in the Nave of the Church dates from about 1360 and is attributed to “The Meister der Minoritenwerkstatt”, whose work also appears in Vienna's Minoritenkirche. The Virgin's partial disengagement from the Wall and the spatial independence of the gestures are considered to make this an important transitional piece of The High-Gothic Style of Architecture.
The Pulpit is a Gothic Revival structure, installed in 1820 during the renovation of the Church, which aimed to restore its Mediæval appearance. The Wooden structure was affixed on the huge Mediæval Pillar between The Nave and The Choir, with a Bridge connecting it to the Door that was cut in The Northern Wall.
The colour scheme is Olive and Gold, with Blind Tracery decoration on the Balustrade and the Rear Wall. The “Abat-Voix” [Editor: “Tester”, or, “Sounding Board ” above a Pulpit] is crowned with the Statue of Christ as “Salvator Mundi” [Editor: Saviour of The World] under a Pinnacled Baldachin. The previous Pulpit was erected in 1727 on the same spot in The Baroque Style.
😃 I had to read this [wonderful travel guide to St Maria-Am-Gestade, thank you, Zephyrinus] twice, before I caught the editorial comment about the inevitable “wallpaper table” in front of the majestic high altar. 🤣. But at least the church rector had the sense to make no lasting architecturally destructive “wreckovation” to this great and beautiful House of God, now over 500 years old, still ever ancient, ever new. Just think: This church saw Charles V of Spain come and go; Henry VIII and Elizabeth I of England; Louis XIV of France. Charles XII of Sweden and Peter the Great of Russia; then Napoleon; Mussolini; Hitler; Stalin. Soon Putin will be gone, too. Another “Ozymandias the Great.” And yet S. Maria -am-Gestade will still stand.. Zephyrinus, it should give us all perspective and hope. —Dante P
ReplyDeleteA marvellous encapsulation, Dante P, of the histoire of this most beautiful Church. Thank You very much, indeed, for this contribution.
DeleteMind you, it is a beautiful Wallpaper Table, isn't it ???
Very, very beautiful. And the wallpaper must be exquisite. 😅
Delete