Votivkirche, Vienna

The Votivkirche is a neo-Gothic church on Vienna's Ringstraße, built as a votive offering after an 1853 assassination attempt on Emperor Franz Joseph. Its white sandstone exterior and patterned roof tiles often lead tourists to mistake it for the much older Stephansdom. Inside, you'll find a nave and two aisles, a transept with side chapels, and a striking main altar with a gilded ciborium.

Don't miss

• The main altar with its gilded retable and elaborate ciborium, inspired by Italian Gothic churches.
• The hexagonal neo-Gothic pulpit, featuring half-reliefs of Christ and the four Church Fathers, with a portrait of architect Heinrich Ferstel underneath.
• The Renaissance sarcophagus of Nicholas, Graf von Salm, defender of Vienna during the 1529 Turkish siege, located in the baptistry.
• The Emperor window, donated by the City of Vienna, originally depicted the deliverance of Franz Joseph; the current version was restored in 1964 with a more religious theme.
• The four transept chapels: Rosary chapel, Chapel of the Cross, Bishops’ chapel, and baptistry, each with statues of saints.

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Votivkirche, Vienna

Cheapest way inVienna Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone4.2★ · 61 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$12 per personSee dates →Most bookedVienna Classical Concert at St. Peter’s Church4.7★ · 2,299 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$45 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleCity Sightseeing Tour in an Electro Vintage Car (up to 5 people)4.6★ · 56 travelers1-2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$115 per personSee dates →

Getting there

Know before you go

• The church is located on the Ringstraße, set back from the boulevard on a broad square (now Sigmund Freud Park).
• Its neo-Gothic style closely resembles French Gothic cathedrals, and it is often mistaken for the older Stephansdom.
• The church is built of white sandstone, which requires constant renovation due to air pollution and acid rain.

A bit of history

The church originated from a failed assassination attempt on Emperor Franz Joseph by Hungarian nationalist János Libényi on 18 February 1853. The Emperor's brother, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, called for donations across the Empire to build a church as a thank-offering. An architectural competition in 1854 selected the design of 26-year-old Heinrich von Ferstel. Construction began in 1856 and the church was dedicated on 24 April 1879, the silver anniversary of the Emperor and Empress Elisabeth.