Journey back to 1890. That was the year construction began on this very Kirche zur Mutter Gottes. The Kirche zur Mutter Gottes stands before us. It is more than just a church. It’s a testament to faith and architectural vision.
The Roman Catholic Kirche zur Mutter Gottes is dedicated to the “dreimal wunderbaren Muttergottes”. This translates to “three times wonderful Mother of God”. The Kirche zur Mutter Gottes is located in Vienna’s third district, Landstrasse. Specifically, it’s in the Fasanviertel neighborhood.
Richard Jordan designed this neo-Romanesque brick building. He also planned the adjacent monastery. The monastery served as the motherhouse for the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Love. Franziska Lechner founded this congregation in Vienna in 1868.
Initially, their motherhouse was located on Fasangasse. Erzherzogin Marie Valerie of Austria played a crucial role. She helped the congregation acquire land for the Kirche zur Mutter Gottes. This land was part of the University of Vienna’s botanical garden. Josef Schmalzhofer oversaw the construction of Jordan’s plans. The Kirche zur Mutter Gottes was consecrated on April 22, 1891. Kaiser Franz Joseph I himself donated the high altar.
In 1939, the Klosterkirche became a parish church. World War II caused damage to the Kirche zur Mutter Gottes. Restoration work lasted until 1964. An interior renovation occurred in 1977 and 1978. During this renovation, the wall paintings were painted over in white. Another renovation in 1991 revealed the frescoes once more. The Kirche zur Mutter Gottes received two new bells in 2005. These bells are dedicated to Saints Franziska of Rome and Paulus of Tarsus.
From 1987 to 1998, Kurt Knotzinger served as the pastor of the Kirche zur Mutter Gottes. In 2017, the parish “An der Muttergotteskirche” was dissolved. It became part of the parish of Maria-Drei-Kirchen. Since then, the Kirche zur Mutter Gottes has been a branch church. It serves the Teilgemeinde “An der Muttergotteskirche.”
Notice the two polygonal church towers on the street facade. The nave has three aisles. Inside the Kirche zur Mutter Gottes, you’ll find a groin vault. The high altar is neo-Romanesque. Josef Kastner the Elder created a copy of the “Dreimal wunderbare Muttergottes” image. This image comes from the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome. Josef Kastner the Younger painted the altar paintings. He also painted the murals in the arcades of the nave and choir.
The organ dates back to 1884. Johann M. Kauffmann’s firm built it. Philipp Eppel rebuilt and expanded the organ in 1973. In 2020, Orgelbau M. Walcker-Mayer restored it. The instrument has ten registers, spread across two manuals and a pedal.
The Kirche zur Mutter Gottes stands as a testament. It has endured wars and renovations. It continues to serve its community. It is a beautiful blend of faith, art, and history.