Vienna Off the Beaten Path Tips by Pavlik_NL

With the back against the ring, the old Dominican chrch does not immediately jump into your sight. As the exterior also is rather modest and grey, one could easily walk by without noticing it. The facade is somewhat richer in decorations and style and is inviting you in. Not doing so would be a big mistake, as the most important beauty (as always) lies on the inside of the church. In a rather dark interior, rich glow of gold and silver, as well as colurful paintings, are very pretty. Besides that, such a quiet place is also always an energyboost to the next intensive hours of a city walk.

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Website: http://www.suf.at/wien/kirchen/dominikanerk.htm

Inside many beautiful statues can be admired, something one cannot know from the modesty of this Hofburg-chapel's outside. This also was the house chapel of the Hofburg and therefore the family chapel of the Habsburg emperors.

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Website: http://www.suf.at/wien/kirchen/augustinerk.htm

Already in the 12th century, a church was built by Irish monchs in Vienna. Besides Patrick, Peter was one of their favorit saints and their church was devoted to him. Through the many centuries that followed, the chruch was rebuilt, renovated, restored and changed so many times, that from the original image nothing is left (except for the fundaments). The church is - like always in Roman Catholic churches - richly decorated and is especially famous for it's ceiling in the dome. So, go in and gaze up for a while.

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Website: http://www.suf.at/wien/kirchen/petersk.htm

In the old inner city district of Vienna, one can also find the oldest church and one of the oldest buildings of Vienna. Already in the 8th century a chapel was erected here and later (11th and 14th century) it was rebuilt to a larger church. In that time, the first Sankt Stephans church attracted more attention, leaving the Ruprechts church in it's original shape due to lack of funding to grow. The building as one can see it now, is very modest towards the many other churches in Vienna, but therefore holds it's own special charm. Many parts are still original from the 14th century.

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Website: http://www.suf.at/wien/kirchen/ruprechtsk.htm

Churches on and on. Vienna has so many of them and actually all are interesting enough to mention here on VT. The Sankt Michael's church speciality is the fact that even in the smaller churches, fundings could lead to unfinished work. Many cathedrals and domchurches have it, a unfinished tower, when the original blueprints were ment to have two. Even though the Sankt Michael is q quite modest church, for several hundred years (from the 13th to the 18th century) it was one of three main parish churches of the Vienna people.

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Website: http://www.suf.at/wien/kirchen/michaelerk.htm

Often the unexpected will give you the largest impressions. The Maria Gestade chapel is such an unexpected pleasure in Vienna. The simple exterior of this small church, does not at all make you aware of the beautiful lights on the inside. The light falling through the colourful stained windows will give you a true glimps of heaven. The church is small and quite unknown, but it was for me the most magical silent stop, when walking through the old streets of Vienna's medieval centre.

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Website: http://www.suf.at/wien/kirchen/mariagestade.htm

An Central European capitol like Vienna' has many contacts with the Eastern countries. The Habsburgian empire even had several now-a-days Eastern countries within it's borders and therefore there were some minority relgious groups in Vienna. They also had their own churches and a wonderful example of this is the Sankt Barbara church. This parish church for Bulgarian (and Ukrainian) Orthodox people lies pressed between the houses in the old inner city quarter and is like a pink gracious smile during your walk in Vienna's oldest parts.

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Website: http://www.planet-vienna.com/spots/St.Barbara/st.barbara.htm

Along the ring are many parks and green places. One of them is the City Park, which was for many centuries the green zone for the common people of Vienna. It is a pleasant park that - in springtime - is extra beautiful because of the purple blossoming trees. In the park one finds the statues of the famous Vienna composers. In the middle of the park a restaurant invites to drink a tea and enjoy the green nature in the centre of a big city.

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Website: http://www.wien-vienna.at/blickpunkte.php?ID=156

The old city centre district of Vienna (also known as district 1) is a very pleasant place to walk around in (or get lost). Strawling through the narrow alleys and streets one should not forget to now and then "dive into" the innercourts of the large houseblocks. This might lead to wonderful suprises, as here is where the people live and they too (like yourself) like to have a wonderful home surrounding. The courts are often surprisingly green or contain balconies filled with flowerpots, hanging from the fences. Sometimes tunnel shaped alleys (gasses) run underneath the buildings and suddenly make you come out on a whole new place within the old city centre.

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The Karlsplatz (Charles Aquare) is a special place to roam around in. Here, in between the huge Karlskirche (Charles church), the city centre with the Artists House (Kunstlerhaus), the conservatorium (Muzik Verein) and the City historical museum, one can find pleasant open space with playgrounds for children, small café's in Jugendstil metro-houses and large fountains. For those who are lovers of modern art. Henry Moore left his signature on the square too, in the form of a very graceful statue.

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