Minorite Church - schedule, program & buy tickets

The Minorite Church is not only home to Vienna’s Italian community, but also one of the oldest and most artistically significant churches in Vienna. It is located directly behind the Hofbug in Vienna’s 1st district, and the 14th-century building is easily recognizable from a distance by its distinctive gabled roof and the church tower, which somehow seems to be missing its spire. After the church tower was destroyed for the second time during the Turkish sieges, the damaged spire was simply replaced with a flat roof.

The Minorite Church, which is particularly notable for its excellent acoustics, is not only home to the Italian parish but also a hub for all art and classical music enthusiasts. Among the regular concerts, particularly noteworthy are the performances of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Mozart’s Requiem—his most striking masterpiece from the late 18th century—performed by the Mozart Boys’ Choir. Vivaldi never really managed to gain a foothold in Vienna; he likely never felt truly happy here and died in poverty. At the time, he was denied the recognition he deserved, but today the regular performances of his *Four Seasons* at the Minorite Church have become an indispensable part of Vienna’s concert scene.

Another regular guest at the Minoritenkirche is, of course, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, which has been one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras since its founding in 1946, thus continuing a long-standing tradition of performance in one of Vienna’s most venerable and impressive churches. The annual highlights are the renowned Christmas concerts and New Year’s concerts, which take place throughout the month of December and into January.

It is not only the music there that will transport you to another era, but also the many significant ecclesiastical art treasures. On the north side of the building is an impressive mosaic by the Italian artist Giacomo Raffaelli, a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous wall fresco. However, it doesn’t need a Swiss Guard to protect it from thieves, as it weighs 20 metric tons.

The neo-Gothic stained-glass windows above the organ transform the incoming sunlight into a sacred yet colorful and life-affirming Baroque glow. The organ itself is one of the finest examples of late-Baroque Viennese organ building. It was built in 1786 using even older pipes from a previous organ. It remains almost in its original condition but is now in need of a loving restoration and, unfortunately, cannot be played in its current state.

If you want to not only hear but also experience classical music in an authentic setting, then a concert at the Minoritenkirche is a must during your stay in Vienna.

Subject to change.