🌤️ Day 342: Vienna
Weather Update: Sunny with a Cold Wind. High 10°C
Elevation: —
Day 342 — I was up by 7:30 am. The builders were happily working away, keeping guests awake until someone finally got up and shut the window, which made a huge difference. Winter is not far away, and each day it gets colder and colder. If I had not had issues in Poland for three months, I would have missed this weather entirely and been in the Mediterranean somewhere a lot warmer.
That’s travel 🌍 — it can be somewhat challenging, but you have to take what life throws at you and make the best of it.
I got up and headed outside toward the kitchen, and I was shivering by the time I got there, only metres away. I settled in with a bowl of chilli noodles 🌶️ before braving the extreme cold outside. Feeling refreshed and ready for another day into the heart of Vienna, my first stop was the Karlskirche — around 2–3 km away. For the first part, I hopped on a tram 🚋 to get closer to my destination, because even in the sunshine it tore into your face.
⛪ Karlskirche (St. Karl’s Church) — Vienna’s Baroque Showpiece
Walking toward the Karlskirche (Karl’s Church), you are drawn into the beautiful Baroque domed structure on the edge of Karls Square. Commissioned in 1713 by Emperor Karl VI and completed in 1737, the church looks like a Roman temple but with a Viennese Baroque twist.
I contemplated the cost to enter at €9.50 (NZD 19.26). Many people turned away, but I chose to pay this time — and I was amazed. As soon as you step into the auditorium, your jaw drops as you glance around the room and then strain your neck looking up to the ceiling 85 metres high, with the fresco of St. Karl 🎨.
There is a walnut pulpit, intricately carved and beautifully restored — it tells its own story in curls and flourishes of wood. This church doesn’t just rest on its beauty; it hums with history.
🎶 Vivaldi, who died nearby, is honoured with regular concerts that fill the nave with violins. Johann Strauss even married here, though the harmony didn’t last long. Later, film star Hedy Lamarr also said her vows under the same dome — a touch of Hollywood glamour amid the gold leaf ✨.
I took the staircase to the small museum on the second floor. Nearby, overlooking the nave, is the organ 🎹, which sits on a floor that squeaks with the passage of time with every step. From here, you have an unobstructed view down to the nave and closer to the dome itself.
Leaving here, the staircase winds its way higher to the viewing platform at 32.5 metres, between what look like minarets from a mosque — ornately decorated. I was eager to find the lift to the walkway up to the inside of the dome, which gives close-up views of the frescos, but the lift had been removed three years earlier because new lighting in the dome blocked the views, making it hard to see.
Disappointed, but not really — just as I left, a couple were tossing up whether to go inside. When they turned to leave, I said, “It’s worth it — you’ll be disappointed if you don’t go in.” They looked at each other and went back in. 😊
🕯️ Augustinerkirche (St. Augustinian Church)
Leaving the Karlskirche, I headed back into the city to see the Royal Crypt. On my way, I passed the Augustinerkirche and ventured inside. It was very dark and dank, and staying a long time was not something I felt I needed to do.
Built in 1339, it was initially situated within the palace grounds. Over time, as the palace expanded, the church became integrated into the Hofburg complex 🏰. Notably, the church boasts an exquisite steeple that distinguishes it from the rest of the Hofburg.
This church has been the venue for numerous royal events, including the marriage of Archduchess Marie-Louise to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1810, though Napoleon himself did not attend, the ceremony being conducted by proxy.
The church also houses several chapels, with two open to visitors on a limited basis. The Loreto Chapel is notable for its collection of 54 silver urns ⚱️ containing the hearts of departed Habsburg rulers, which can be glimpsed through a windowed door. The physical remains of these rulers are entombed in the Kapuzinerkirche.
👑 Beneath Vienna’s Streets: The Imperial Crypt
It was only a short stroll from the Hofburg Palace to the Imperial Crypt, tucked beneath Vienna’s bustling New Market Square. I paid the €11.50 entrance fee (around NZD 23.20), and I could already see that with just two paid site visits in one day, my daily budget — including food — was starting to spiral out of control 💸.
Vienna’s attractions don’t come cheap, so it’s worth planning carefully which ones you really want to see. There are a few free sights scattered around, but not many.
As I descended the quiet stairway into the crypt, the mood changed instantly. Conversations dropped to a whisper, as though no one wanted to disturb the centuries of royal slumber below. The air felt cool and heavy, filled with the echoes of history.
This mysterious underground vault has been home to the Habsburg dynasty’s most prominent figures since 1633 — and the “guest list” is as exclusive as it gets.
The idea for the crypt came from Anna of Tyrol, wife of Emperor Matthias, who funded its creation in her will in 1617. In a twist of fate, she passed away a year later, followed soon by her husband. A couple truly united in life and in death 💞.
Formally consecrated in 1632, the crypt now holds 145 Habsburgs, including 12 emperors and 18 empresses. Some even had their hearts interred separately in delicate urns — proving that even in death, the royals did things their own way.
Walking through, I was struck by the craftsmanship of the 107 metal coffins ⚰️ — some modest, others lavishly decorated in the grand Baroque style. Each one seemed to tell a story of power, faith, and fading empire. It felt like standing inside a museum, a chapel, and a time capsule all at once.
This isn’t just a burial site — it’s a final chapter of Vienna’s imperial past, written in bronze and marble. Down here, beneath the city’s elegant streets, history doesn’t just rest — it breathes.
And really, what’s a visit to Vienna without a little royal drama from six feet under? 👑
🏛️ Vienna City Hall
Leaving, I made my way to the free tour of City Hall at 1 pm. On arrival, there were a lot of people there, and I missed out because tickets were available from 9 am and were gone in minutes.
If I had known this, it would have been my first stop — but never mind, it’s just another learning curve: find out the facts early enough to avoid disappointment. Even though I was disappointed, I headed to the Irish Pub ☘️ to finish up some blog work.
💭 Final Thoughts
It was a good day today — especially the Karlskirche and the Imperial Crypt. Tomorrow, I’ve booked my accommodation and travel to Ljubljana 🇸🇮 in Slovenia.
I hope you enjoyed this part of my journey, even though I feel a little uninspired — it’s just a lull in my performance. I’m looking forward to Slovenia because I came here in the early 1970s, when it was still Yugoslavia — a liberal communist country — and I even contemplated staying back then.
✈️🌍Until tomorrow!
✨ Follow along as the journey continues south toward Slovenia — where history, memory, and new adventures await.