Church of the Jesuits (Universitatskirche)

Introduction

The Jesuit Church (Universitätskirche, formally the Jesuit University Church) stands in Vienna's Innere Stadt beside the University of Vienna, built by the Jesuits in the 17th century and a rare late-baroque masterpiece in the city. Its plain exterior hides an interior stunned by an illusionistic ceiling fresco: the dome opens in trompe-l'œil perspective to a heavenly vision of saints ascending, celebrated as one of Central Europe's finest illusionistic paintings. Cream-and-gilt façade, slender columns and a hushed atmosphere make it a corner where scholars and travellers seek reflection. Together with the former Jesuit university next door, it testifies to Vienna's academic and religious life during the Catholic reform.

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